Paraguay in 2001

406,752 sq km (157,048 sq mi)
(2001 est.): 5,636,000
President Luis Ángel González Macchi

During 2001 Paraguay faced a series of political and socioeconomic challenges—largely dealing with corruption scandals and ineffective economic policies—that threatened to overwhelm the country’s weak democracy and fragile economic system. A general feeling of uncertainty and despair contributed to rumours of presidential resignation, coups, and social violence. In March, after the collapse of the National Unity government, unconfirmed rumours spread that Pres. Luis Ángel González Macchi had resigned in the face of demands from several labour groups and opposition parties that he “step down because of incompetence.” Vice Pres. Julio César Franco and Miguel Abdon Saguier of the opposition Authentic Radical Liberal Party organized several protests and lobbied the legislature to have the president impeached and removed from office.

González was further weakened by a series of corruption scandals involving his family, including an allegation that the president’s siblings were involved in the illegal diversion of offshore accounts of nearly $16 million in assets from two failed banks. Also, it was disclosed in March that the president’s official car had been illegally imported after apparently having been stolen in Brazil.

The political crisis was exacerbated by a continued decline in economic and social conditions. Approximately a dozen strikes and roadblocks were staged during the year, most of them by landless peasants, teachers, labour unions, bus drivers, and owners of small businesses. The one thing that all of them had in common was a demand for a coherent and just economic policy and the resignation of González. Paraguay’s economy grew by less than 1% during the year, while unemployment was expected to increase from 18% in 2000 to about 25% in 2001.

The domestic, political, and economic crisis overwhelmed the attention of the government and did not allow for many foreign-policy initiatives. Paraguay hosted the summit of the Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) members in Asunción June 21–22. During the summit Paraguay expressed concern about the consequences of exchange-rate adjustments in Argentina, demanding that a compensation mechanism be created to alleviate the negative effects on Paraguayan exports. Finally, after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., Paraguay was one of only two countries in Latin America to consider offering troops in the U.S.-led effort to stamp out international terrorism.