President of Paraguay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Paraguay
Standard of the president
Incumbent Santiago Peña since 15 August 2023
Style	Mr. President (informal) Most Excellent Mr. President of the Republic (official) Su Excelencia (alternative formal, diplomatic)
Residence	Mburuvicha Róga
Seat	Palacio de los López, Asunción
Appointer	Direct popular election
Term length	Five years, non renewable
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Paraguay (1992)
Formation	March 13, 1844 (181 years ago) (1844-03-13)
First holder	Carlos Antonio López
Deputy	Vice President of Paraguay
Salary	61,054,085 Paraguayan guarani/8,587 USD per month

The President of Paraguay is the top leader of the country. This person is officially called the President of the Republic of Paraguay. They are in charge of the executive branch of the government of Paraguay. This means they act as both the head of state (the main representative of the country) and the head of government (the person who runs the government day-to-day). The official way to address the president is Su Excelencia, which means "Your Excellency."

The current President of Paraguay is Santiago Peña. He started his job on August 15, 2023. The main office for the president is the Palacio de los López in Asunción. The president's home is the Mburuvichá Roga, also in Asunción. After presidents finish their time in office, they become a senator for life. This means they can speak in the Senate but cannot vote on laws.

What the President Does

Who Can Be President?

To become President of Paraguay, a person must meet certain rules.

• They must be a naturalized citizen of Paraguay. This means they were either born there or became a citizen later.
• They must be at least 35 years old.
• They must have full political and civil rights. This means they can vote and participate in society.

How the President is Chosen

The President and Vice President are chosen together. People vote for them as a team. This election happens in one round of direct voting. The election takes place between 90 and 120 days before the current president's term ends. The new president always starts on August 15.

A president serves for five years. They cannot be re-elected after their term ends. This rule is very important in Paraguay. It was put in place after a time when a leader named Alfredo Stroessner was re-elected many times without limits. In 2017, there were protests when some people tried to change this rule. But the idea was rejected, and the re-election ban stayed.

President's Responsibilities

The President of Paraguay has many important jobs. Here are some of them:

• Representing Paraguay to other countries.
• Making sure the Constitution and laws are followed.
• Helping to create new laws.
• Saying "no" to laws passed by Congress if they don't agree (this is called a veto).
• Issuing official orders, called decrees.
• Choosing and removing ministers for the government.
• Managing Paraguay's relationships with other countries.
• Reporting to Congress about the government's work and future plans.
• Being the Commander in Chief of the country's Armed Forces.
• Pardoning people or reducing their sentences after they have been judged in court.
• Calling special meetings of Congress.
• Suggesting new laws to Congress.
• Preparing the country's yearly budget plan.

Who Takes Over if Needed?

If the President or Vice President cannot do their job, someone else steps in. This is called succession. The order of who takes over is:

• The President of the Senate.
• The President of the Chamber of Deputies.
• The President of the Supreme Court of Justice.

Where the President Lives and Works

The President's Home

The Mburuvicha Róga is the official home of the President. It is located in Asunción. This house was first built in 1930.

The President's Office

The Palacio de los López is where the President works. It is in the center of Asunción. The first President of Paraguay, Carlos Antonio López, ordered it to be built in 1844. He planned for it to be for his son, Francisco Solano López. The palace was finished in 1867, during a big war called the Paraguayan War. Because of the war, Solano López never actually used it. The palace was badly damaged in the war. It was finally fixed up in 1894 by Juan Bautista Egusquiza, who was the first president to use it as his official workplace.

• Presidential residences
• 

  Mburuvicha Róga, the official residence

• 

  Palacio de los López, the official workplace

Latest Election Information

To learn more about how the current president was elected, you can visit:

2023 Paraguayan general election

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de Paraguay para niños

• First Lady of Paraguay
• List of presidents of Paraguay