-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 10 May 1998 (next to be
held NA May 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 10 May 1998 (next
to be held NA May 2003)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - Colorado Party 25, PLRA 13, PEN 7; Chamber of
Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Colorado
Party 45, PLRA 26, PEN 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia, judges appointed on the proposal of the Counsel of
Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura

Political parties and leaders: Authentic Radical Liberal Party or PLRA
; Christian Democratic Party or PDC
; Febrerista Revolutionary Party or PRF [Carlos Maria
LJUBETIC]; National Encounter or PEN ; National
Republican Association - Colorado Party [acting president Bader RACHID
LICHI]

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Workers Central or
CNT; Paraguayan Workers Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church;
Unitary Workers Central or CUT

International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA,
Mercosur, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Juan Esteban AGUIRRE MARTINEZ
chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 483-6960 through 6962
FAX: (202) 234-4508
consulate(s) general: Kansas City (Kansas), Miami, New Orleans, New
York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Stephan G.
MCFARLAND
embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
telephone: (21) 213-715
FAX: (21) 213-728

Flag description: three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white,
and blue with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in
that the emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at
the left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star
within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all
within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the
seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the
words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) ca