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Paraguay - Government and Political Conditions (Notes)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS Paraguay's highly centralized government was fundamentally changed by the 1992 constitution, which provides for a division of powers. The president, popularly elected for a 5-year term, appoints a cabinet. The bicameral Congress consists of an 80-member Chamber of Deputies and a 45-member Senate, elected concurrently with the president through a proportional representation system. Deputies are elected by department and senators are elected nationwide. Paraguay's highest judicial body is the Supreme Court. A popularly elected governor heads each of Paraguay?s 17 departments. Principal Government Officials President--Nicanor Duarte Frutos Vice-President--Luis Castiglioni Soria Minister of Foreign Affairs--Rubén Ramirez Lezcano Ambassador to the U.S.--James Spalding Hellmers Ambassador to the OAS--Manuel Maria Caceres Ambassador to the UN--Eladio Loizaga Caballero Paraguay maintains an embassy in the United States at 2400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-483-6960). Consulates are in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles.