President—last held 1 May 1989 (next to be held February 1993); results—Gen. RODRIGUEZ 75.8%, Domingo LAINO 19.4%;
Chamber of Senators—last held 1 May 1989 (next to be held by May 1993); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(36 total) Colorado Party 24, PLRA 10, PLR 1, PRF 1;
Chamber of Deputies—last held on 1 May 1989 (next to be held by May 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(72 total) Colorado Party 48, PLRA 19, PRF 2, PDC 1, PL 1, PLR 1
_#_Communists: Oscar Creydt faction and Miguel Angel SOLER faction (both illegal); 3,000 to 4,000 (est.) party members and sympathizers in Paraguay, very few are hard core; party beginning to return from exile is small and deeply divided
_#_Other political or pressure groups: Confederation of Workers (CUT); Roman Catholic Church
_#_Member of: AG (observer), CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES,
LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO
_#_Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Marcos MARTINEZ MENDIETA; Chancery at 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-6960 through 6962; there are Paraguayan Consulates General in New Orleans and New York, and a Consulate in Houston;
US—Ambassador Jon GLASSMAN; Embassy at 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Asuncion (mailing address is C. P. 402, Asuncion, or APO Miami 34036-0001); telephone [595] (21) 213-715
_#_Flag: 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) capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)
_*Economy #_Overview: The economy is predominantly agricultural. Agriculture, including forestry, accounts for about 25% of GNP, employs about 45% of the labor force, and provides the bulk of exports. Paraguay has no known significant mineral or petroleum resources but does have a large hydropower potential. Since 1981 economic performance has declined compared with the boom period of 1976-81, when real GDP grew at an average annual rate of nearly 11%. During 1982-86 real GDP fell in three of five years, inflation jumped to an annual rate of 32%, and foreign debt rose. Factors responsible for the erratic behavior of the economy were the completion of the Itaipu hydroelectric dam, bad weather for crops, and weak international commodity prices for agricultural exports. In 1987 the economy experienced a minor recovery because of improved weather conditions and stronger international prices for key agricultural exports. The recovery continued through 1990, on the strength of bumper crops in 1988-89. The government, however, must follow through on promises of reforms needed to deal with escalating inflation, large fiscal deficits, growing debt arrearages, and falling reserves.