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Nicanor Duarte
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{{Short description|President of Paraguay from 2003 to 2008}} {{family name hatnote|Duarte|Frutos|lang=Spanish}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Nicanor Duarte | image = Nicanor Duarte Frutos (cropped).jpg | caption = Duarte in 2006 | office1 = 47th [[President of Paraguay]] | vicepresident1 = [[Luis Alberto Castiglioni|Luis Castiglioni]]<br/>[[Francisco Oviedo]] | term_start1 = 15 August 2003 | term_end1 = 15 August 2008 | predecessor1 = [[Luis Ángel González Macchi|Luis González Macchi]] | successor1 = [[Fernando Lugo]] | office2 = [[Yacyretá Dam|Paraguayan Director of the Yacyretá Dam]] | term_start2 = 15 August 2018 | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = Ángel María Recalde | successor2 = | office3 = [[Argentina–Paraguay relations|Paraguayan Ambassador to Argentina]] | term_start3 = 25 October 2013 | term_end3 = 4 January 2016 | president3 = [[Horacio Cartes]] | predecessor3 = Gabriel Enciso López | successor3 = Federico González | office4 = [[Colorado Party (Paraguay)|President of the Colorado Party]] | term_start4 = 15 May 2001 | term_end4 = 14 August 2003 | predecessor4 = Bader Rachid Lichi | successor4 = José Alberto Alderete | office5 = [[Government of Paraguay|Minister of Education and Culture]] | term_start5 = 30 March 1999 | term_end5 = 29 January 2001 | president5 = [[Luis Ángel González Macchi|Luis González Macchi]] | predecessor5 = Celsa Bareiro de Soto | successor5 = Darío Zárate Arellano | term_start6 = 15 August 1993 | term_end6 = 13 February 1997 | president6 = [[Juan Carlos Wasmosy]] | predecessor6 = Horacio Galeano Perrone | successor6 = Vicente Sarubbi | birth_name = Óscar Nicanor Duarte Frutos | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|10|11|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Coronel Oviedo]], [[Paraguay]] | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|[[Gloria Penayo]]|1984}} | children = 6 | party = [[Colorado Party (Paraguay)|Colorado Party]] | occupation = {{hlist|Lawyer|journalist|politician}} | alma_mater = [[Universidad Católica "Nuestra Señora de la Asunción"|Universidad Católica de Asunción]]<br>[[Universidad Nacional de Asunción]] | signature = Presidente Nicanor Duarte firma.jpg | nickname = ''El tendota''<ref>{{cite web |title=El desconcierto del tendota |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/opinion/el-desconcierto-del-tendota-914825.html |website=ABC Color |language=es }}</ref> }} '''Óscar Nicanor Duarte Frutos''' (born 11 October 1956) is a Paraguayan lawyer, journalist and politician who served as the 47th [[President of Paraguay]] from 2003 to 2008. A member of the [[Colorado Party (Paraguay)|Colorado Party]], he became the central figure of [[Politics of Paraguay|Paraguayan politics]] during his presidency. Born into a lower class rural family, Duarte pursued a career in [[Lawyer|law]] and later [[journalism]], becoming a [[radio]] [[sports commentator]] and [[columnist]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-01-20 |title=De periodista pobre a político millonario |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/de-periodista-pobre-politico-millonario-n15814 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=Última Hora |language=es}}</ref> In the 1990s he got into politics, serving in the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinets]] of Presidents [[Juan Carlos Wasmosy]] and [[Luis Ángel González Macchi|Luis González Macchi]], both times as Minister of Education. Duarte became one of the top allies of the Colorado Party politician [[Luis María Argaña]], inheriting his political clout after his assassination in March 1999. Duarte was elected president [[2003 Paraguayan general election|in 2003]], by a plurality of 37%, taking advantage of a three-way split in the [[Opposition (politics)|opposition]] to the [[incumbent]] Colorado Party. Inaugurated at 46, Duarte was one of Paraguay's youngest presidents, as well as its first non-[[Catholic Church|Catholic]], being a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[Religious conversion|convert]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 May 2023 |title=Las edades de los últimos presidentes: Santiago Peña, el más joven en asumir el cargo. |url=https://www.hoy.com.py/especiales/las-edades-de-los-ultimos-presidentes-santiago-pena-el-mas-joven-en-asumir-el-cargo |work=Diario HOY}}</ref><ref name=abc>{{cite news |first=Beatrz|last=Gonzalez de Bosio |title=Galería de primeras damas paraguayas |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/suplementos/cultural/galeria-de-primeras-damas-paraguayas-1572890.html |work=[[ABC Color]] |date=2017-03-11 |access-date=2021-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226014542/https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/suplementos/cultural/galeria-de-primeras-damas-paraguayas-1572890.html |archive-date=2021-02-26 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=abc2>{{cite news |first=|last= |title=Las diferencias entre católicos y menonitas |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/las-diferencias-entre-catolicos-y-menonitas-698305.html |work=[[ABC Color]] |date=2003-03-04 |access-date=2021-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018070838/https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/las-diferencias-entre-catolicos-y-menonitas-698305.html |archive-date=2016-10-18 |url-status=live}}</ref> Duarte's administration was marked by a rejection of the path his country and party had taken in the past decade, turning away from [[neoliberalism]] to instead embrace the [[pink tide]] and [[Socialism of the 21st century|21st century socialism]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-04-29 |title=Nicanor impone el socialismo "humanista" en seno colorado |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/nicanor-impone-el-socialismo-humanista-seno-colorado-n35403 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=Última Hora |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-05-06 |title=El socialismo "humanista" de Nicanor |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/el-socialismo-humanista-nicanor-n36707 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=Última Hora |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cuando los colorados fueron de izquierda - Opinión - ABC Color |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/opinion/cuando-los-colorados-fueron-de-izquierda-49061.html |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=www.abc.com.py |language=es}}</ref> Overall, the Paraguayan economy grew during his tenure, mostly as part of a recovery from the crisis of the 1990s. His support of and from Venezuelan President [[Hugo Chávez]], as well as his proposal to [[Constitutional amendment|amend]] [[Constitution of Paraguay|the constitution]] to allow the reelection of the president, made large parts of the Paraguayan public see him as increasingly authoritarian, leading in part to the defeat of his protégé, [[Blanca Ovelar]], in the [[2008 Paraguayan general election|2008 election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-03-05 |title=Chávez y Paraguay: Historia de una relación conflictiva |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/chavez-y-paraguay-historia-una-relacion-conflictiva-n590969 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=Última Hora |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-12-31 |title=El 2006: año perdido por la ambición de poder de Nicanor |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/el-2006-ano-perdido-la-ambicion-poder-nicanor-n12274 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=Última Hora |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-04-21 |title=Six decades of one-party rule ended in Paraguay |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24232165 |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> In said 2008 election Duarte was elected senator, but the Senate refused to swear him in, arguing that it would be unconstitutional, this happened again in 2018. After leaving office Duarte served as [[Ambassador]] to [[Argentina]] from 2013 to 2016, under the presidency of [[Horacio Cartes]]. He was later appointed director of the [[Yacyretá Dam]]. Like all former presidents, Duarte currently holds the ceremonial and powerless title of [[Senator for life]]. == Early life and career == === Family === Óscar Nicanor Duarte Frutos was born on 11 October 1956 in [[Coronel Oviedo]], [[Caaguazú Department|Caaguazú]], to a rural lower-class ''[[mestizo]]'' family. His father, Héctor Roque Duarte, was a police officer and songwriter who fought on the [[Colorado Party (Paraguay)|''colorado'']] side of the [[Paraguayan Civil War (1947)|Paraguayan Civil War of 1947]], under [[General officer|general]] [[Patricio Colmán]].<ref>ABC Color (2006). [https://www.abc.com.py/espectaculos/un-parana-para-autor-de-soy-colorado-defensor-903164.html "Un Paraná para autor de 'Soy colorado defensor'"].</ref><ref>Cantero, A. (2007). [https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/opinion/patricio-colman-heroe-colorado-978623.html "Patricio Colmán, ¿héroe colorado?"]. ABC Color.</ref> His mother, Disnarda Antonia Frutos, was a teacher.<ref>ABC Color (2005). [https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/esta-en-manos-del-senor-dijo-nicanor-tras-visitar-a-su-madre-810616.html "'Estás en manos del Señor' dijo Nicanor tras visita a su madre"].</ref><ref>ABC Color (2005). [https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/madre-de-duarte-frutos-dejo-terapia-intensiva-811022.html "Madre de Duarte Frutos dejó terapia intensiva"].</ref> Nicanor started working at [[sawmill]]s when he was eleven, while attending school.<ref>Franchini, M. (2003). [https://www.cadal.org/publicaciones/articulos/?id=329 "Un presidente que busca cambiar la historia"]. Centro para la Apertura y Desarrollo de América Latina.</ref> At fourteen he joined the Colorado Party, something that was ''de facto'' mandatory at the time, due to [[Dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner|the dictatorship]]. === Education and early career === In the 1970s Duarte moved to [[Asunción]], where he studied law and journalism. He became a [[sports commentator]], working at a Caaguazú [[Radio broadcasting|radio station]]. In the early 1980s he was hired by the [[editor-in-chief]] of [[Última Hora (Paraguay)|Última Hora]], where he started working as a [[columnist]]. At this point in his life Duarte was fairly poor, he lived in a small apartment and had few material possessions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-01-20 |title=De periodista pobre a político millonario |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/de-periodista-pobre-politico-millonario-n15814 |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=Última Hora |language=es}}</ref> In 1984 he obtained a law degree from the [[Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción|Catholic University of Asuncion]] and in 1989 a doctorate from the [[Universidad Nacional de Asunción|National University of Asuncion]]. === Wife and children === In the 1970s he started dating [[Gloria Penayo|María Gloria Penayo Solaeche]], who he married in 1984. They had six children: José, Héctor, María, Martín, Santiago and Facundo.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Primera dama, Gloria Penayo de Duarte - Locales - ABC Color |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/locales/primera-dama-gloria-penayo-de-duarte-858699.html |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=www.abc.com.py |language=es}}</ref> Penayo is a member of a [[Mennonites|Mennonite church]], Duarte decided to [[Religious conversion|convert]] alongside her. === Political career === After [[1989 Paraguayan coup d'état|the fall of Alfredo Stroessner]] in 1989, Duarte got more involved in politics and started climbing up the ladder of the Colorado Party throughout the 1990s. He became Vice Minister of Education during the [[Andrés Rodríguez (politician)|Rodríguez]] administration and was later appointed Minister of Education by President [[Juan Carlos Wasmosy]] in 1993. Duarte became an opponent of [[army general]] and ''colorado'' ''[[caudillo]]'' [[Lino Oviedo]], who led [[1996 Paraguayan coup attempt|a failed coup]] against Wasmosy in 1996. His opposition to Oviedo drifted Duarte increasingly closer to the general's main rival, [[Luis María Argaña]], who led his own faction within the party, the ''Colorado Reconciliation Movement''. In 1997 Duarte left the Ministry of Education to instead be Argaña's running mate in the Colorado Party [[Partisan primary|primaries]], held to elect the party's nominee for president in the [[1998 Paraguayan general election|1998 election]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Cuarta victoria consecutiva de Nicanor en las elecciones - Política - ABC Color |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/cuarta-victoria-consecutiva-de-nicanor-en-las-elecciones-887210.html |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=www.abc.com.py |language=es}}</ref> In an effort to unite the party, Argaña became the running mate of the ''oviedista'' [[Raúl Cubas Grau|Raúl Cubas]], who won the election. In March 1999 Vice President Argaña was assassinated. This sparked rage and fear of another coup by Oviedo, which led to [[Marzo paraguayo|large protests]] that eventually made Cubas resign. The ''argañista'' [[Luis Ángel González Macchi|Luis González Macchi]] was sworn in as president and quickly appointed Duarte back to the Ministry of Education. Duarte inherited Argaña's political faction and clout, effectively becoming his successor. In 2001 he resigned as Education Minister to become president of the Colorado Party. == 2003 presidential election == {{main|2003 Paraguayan general election}} === Colorado Party primary elections === On 22 December 2002, Duarte won the [[Colorado Party (Paraguay)|Colorado Party]]'s nomination for president in the 2003 general election. He defeated [[Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb]], a wealthy businessman known for being president of the [[Club Olimpia]] football team.<ref name=":0" /> Domínguez Dibb was the leader of the ''neoestronista'' movement, having been a big supporter of the dictator and related to him through marriage. === General election === On 27 April 2003, Duarte won the presidential election with a plurality, 37,1% of the vote. He beat [[Julio César Franco (politician)|Julio César "Yoyito" Franco]] of the [[Authentic Radical Liberal Party]] (24%), Pedro Fadul of the recently created [[Beloved Fatherland Party]] (21,3%) and Guillermo Sánchez of the ''oviedista'' [[National Union of Ethical Citizens]] (13,5%). This three-way split in the opposition to the Colorado Party played in his favor. ==Presidency (2003–2008)== [[File:Néstor Kirchner y Nicanor Duarte Frutos-Buenos Aires-Febrero 2004.jpg|thumb|Duarte with [[President of Argentina|Argentine President]] [[Néstor Kirchner]] in 2004]] [[File:The President of Paraguay (PRY), Duarte Frutos (right), greets The Honorable Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, upon his arrival on Aug. 16, 2005, at Asuncion, Paraguay. Secr - DPLA - bcf1d46960f0dc360b566638dd212269.jpeg|thumb|Duarte with [[United States Secretary of Defense|US Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]] in 2005]]Nicanor Duarte pursued policies which were somewhat more left-wing than has been the case for the Colorado Party over its 60-year rule of Paraguay. At least in speeches, he had opposed [[free trade]] and reached out to regional Latin American countries with left-leaning governments. ==Later life== In two separate instances, Duarte Frutos ran for, was elected, and attempted to be sworn in as an active, voting Senator, despite Paraguayan law stating that upon leaving office, presidents can only be ''senador vitalicio'' ([[senator for life]]), a ceremonial, non-voting post. Duarte first announced his resignation as president,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/duarte-frutos-renunciara-manana-1077889.html |title=Duarte Frutos renunciará mañana |newspaper=ABC Color |date=22 June 2008 |language=es}}</ref> in order to assume a position as Senator on 1 July 2008. He presented his resignation on 23 June 2008 to then President of the [[Congress of Paraguay]], senator Miguel Abdón Saguier.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/nicanor-entrega-hoy-su-renuncia-al-cargo-1078007.html |title=Nicanor entrega hoy su renuncia al cargo |newspaper=ABC Color |date=23 June 2008 |language=es}}</ref> Opposition and government-endorsed members of the [[Congress of Paraguay|Paraguayan Congress]] immediately announced they were going to boycott Duarte Frutos's resignation by not attending the extraordinary session of the Congress where it would be determined whether the President's resignation would be accepted or not. While some held positions in favour of Duarte Frutos assuming as senator, citing a sentence from the Superior Electoral Justice Tribunal, other congresspeople argued that Duarte Frutos's swearing-in senator would be illegal, and Congress would be violating the Constitution if swearing-in Duarte Frutos without the legal quorum.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/sin-quorum-haran-jurar-a-nicanor-1096471.html |title=Sin quórum, harán jurar a Nicanor |newspaper=ABC Color |date=26 August 2008 |language=es}}</ref> If Congress did not accept the resignation, Duarte would have to continue his term until 15 August and would be unable to become an elected senator, becoming instead a non-voting senator for life as a former president.<ref>[http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90852/6435628.html Paraguay's president resigns – People's Daily Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> As expected, the [[quorum]] was not reached at the extraordinary session called for this reason for 24 June 2008.<ref>[http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/214659,paraguayan-congress-lacks-quorum-to-vote-on-presidents-resignation.html Paraguayan Congress lacks quorum to vote on president's resignation : America World<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={D9C57B98-E633-42FE-BDF4-5509399AF985})&language=EN Paraguayan Congress Rejects Duarte"s Resignation – Prensa Latina<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Since Duarte Frutos could not occupy the seat belonging to him on 1 July, Jorge Cespedes, from the Colorado Party, was assigned and assumed as titular of the vacant seat of Duarte at the Senate. On 26 August, another extraordinary session of Congress was called to swear-in Duarte Frutos, but once again many congresspeople left the session, which was declared "empty" or abandoned by Congress President Enrique Gonzalez Quintana. Nonetheless, Gonzalez Quintana proceeded to the swearing-in and swore Duarte Frutos, who arrived at the Legislative Palace followed by fellow Colorado Party supporters.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/nicanor-juro-como-senador-1096534.html |title=Nicanor juró como Senador |newspaper=ABC Color |date=26 August 2008 |language=es}}</ref> However, on 4 September, the [[Senate of Paraguay|Paraguayan Senate]], in session to discuss resolutions on the crisis concerning Duarte Frutos's swearing-in as senator, finally approved a bill, revalidating a previous bill that had not been approved the previous session of 28 August. On the session of the 28 August, Jorge Cespedes was confirmed as titular senator, instead of Duarte Frutos, who was in turn confirmed as ''senador vitalicio'', or [[senator for life]], handing its seat upon Cespedes.<ref>{{in lang|es}} [http://www.abc.com.py/2008-09-05/articulos/448110/cespedes-es-titular-nicanor-vitalicio Cespedes es titular, Nicanor vitalicio] from [[Diario ABC Color]].</ref> In 2018, Duarte Frutos and then-outgoing Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes were elected as senators to represent the Colorado Party in the 2018 Paraguayan General elections, raising criticism from the opposition that their senate candidacies were unconstitutional, but the Superior Tribunal of Electoral Justice overruled that decision, claiming that both Cartes and Duarte Frutos were eligible to run for the Senate. Ultimately, neither were able to assume as Senators this time either. == References == {{reflist}} ==External links== {{commons category|Nicanor Duarte}} * [http://www.cidob.org/biografias_lideres_politicos/america_del_sur/paraguay/nicanor_duarte_frutos Biography by CIDOB] {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Jorge Cespedes}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Senate of Paraguay|Senator of Paraguay]]|years=August 26, 2008 – August 28, 2008}} {{s-aft|after=Jorge Cespedes}} {{s-bef|before=[[Luis Ángel González Macchi]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of Presidents of Paraguay|President of Paraguay]]|years=2003–2008}} {{s-aft|after=[[Fernando Lugo]]}} {{s-end}} {{Paraguay Presidents}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Duarte, Nicanor}} [[Category:1956 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Presidents of Paraguay]] [[Category:Members of the Senate of Paraguay]] [[Category:Ambassadors of Paraguay to Argentina]] [[Category:Senators for life]] [[Category:Colorado Party (Paraguay) politicians]] [[Category:20th-century Paraguayan lawyers]] [[Category:Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción alumni]] [[Category:Universidad Nacional de Asunción alumni]] [[Category:Paraguayan Mennonites]] [[Category:People from Coronel Oviedo]] [[Category:Christian religious workers in Paraguay]]
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