List of heads of state of Paraguay

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This article contains a list of heads of state of Paraguay, since the beginning of the independence (1811) to the present day.

Background[]

After Paraguay proclaimed independence from the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, its first effective head of state was utopist José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, who ruled the country from 1814 until his death in 1840, with very little outside contact or influence.^[1]

Since the establishment of the office of President of the Republic in 1844, during the family dictatorship of the López family (1841–1870), Paraguay had 51 presidents. Between the end of the Paraguayan War in 1870 and the 1954 coup d'état, the country changed 44 presidents; 24 of them were removed from power by force.^[2] Eventually, Army General Alfredo Stroessner, supported by the Armed Forces and the right-wing Colorado Party, seized power in the 1954 coup d'état. Relying on the military and the party as the "twin pillars" of his rule,^[3] and ruling in the single-party system until 1962,^[4] Stroessner was elected for eight consecutive terms before being ousted from power in the 1989 coup d'état. His 35-year-long rule was one of the longest in history by a non-royal leader.

Non-presidential heads of state (1811–1844)[]

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Notes
0		Bernardo de Velasco José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia	16 May 1811	17 June 1811	Governor Intendants.
0		Fulgencio Yegros (1780–1821)	17 June 1811	12 October 1813	President of the Superior Governing Junta.
0		José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (1766–1840)	12 October 1813	12 February 1814	Consul of the Republic.
0		Fulgencio Yegros (1780–1821)	12 February 1814	12 June 1814	Consul of the Republic.
0		José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (1766–1840)	12 June 1814	3 October 1814	Consul of the Republic.
			3 October 1814	30 May 1816	Supreme Dictator.
			30 May 1816	20 September 1840	Perpetual Dictator. Died in office.
0		Manuel Antonio Ortiz (?–?)	20 September 1840	21 January 1841	President of the Provisional Junta.
0		Juan José Medina José Campos	21 January 1841	9 February 1841	Triumvirate.
0		Mariano Roque Alonzo (?–1853)	9 February 1841	12 March 1841	General Commander of Arms.
0		Carlos Antonio López Mariano Roque Alonzo	12 March 1841	13 March 1844	Consuls of the Republic.

Presidents (1844–present)[]

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Party		Election	Notes	Vice President
1		Carlos Antonio López (1792–1862)	13 March 1844	13 March 1854		—	—	Elected by the Congress for a term of ten years.	Post not established
			13 March 1854	13 March 1857			—	Elected by the Congress for a term of three years.
			13 March 1857	10 September 1862			—	Elected by the Congress for a term of ten years. Died in office.
2		Francisco Solano López (1827–1870)	10 September 1862	16 October 1862		—	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress.
			16 October 1862	1 March 1870			—	Elected by the Congress for a term of ten years. Killed in the Paraguayan War.
		Cirilo Antonio Rivarola Carlos Loizaga José Díaz de Bedoya	15 August 1869	31 August 1870		—	—	Triumvirate proclaimed by the occupying forces of the Triple Alliance.
3		Facundo Machaín (1845–1877)	31 August 1870	1 September 1870		—	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Deposed in a coup.
4		Cirilo Antonio Rivarola (1836–1878)	1 September 1870	25 November 1870		—	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress after a coup.
			25 November 1870	18 December 1871				Resigned.	Cayo Miltos[a]
									Vacant[b]
									Salvador Jovellanos[c]
5		Salvador Jovellanos (1833–1881)	18 December 1871	25 November 1874		—	—	Vice President under Cirilo Antonio Rivarola, assumed the presidency after his resignation. Finished the presidential period 1870-1874.	Vacant
6		Juan Bautista Gill (1840–1877)	25 November 1874	12 April 1877		—		Assassinated.	Higinio Uriarte
7		Higinio Uriarte (1843–1909)	12 April 1877	25 November 1878		—	—	Vice President under Juan Bautista Gill, assumed the presidency after his assassination. Finished the presidential period 1874-1878.	Vacant
8		Cándido Bareiro (1833–1880)	25 November 1878	4 September 1880		—		Died in office.	Adolfo Saguier
9		Bernardino Caballero (1839–1912)	4 September 1880	25 November 1882		—	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress after the Vice President under Bareiro, Adolfo Saguier, and next president in the succession line, was forced to resign by the military. Finished the presidential period 1878-1882.	Vacant
			25 November 1882	25 November 1886
10		Patricio Escobar (1843–1912)	25 November 1886	25 November 1890		ANR-Colorado
11		Juan Gualberto González (1851–1912)	25 November 1890	9 June 1894		ANR-Colorado		Forced to resign by a coup.	Marcos Morínigo
12		Marcos Morínigo (1848–1901)	9 June 1894	25 November 1894		ANR-Colorado	—	Vice President under Juan Gualberto González, assumed the presidency after his resignation. Finished the presidential period 1890-1894.	Vacant
13		Juan Bautista Egusquiza (1845–1902)	25 November 1894	25 November 1898		ANR-Colorado			Facundo Ynsfrán Caballero
14		Emilio Aceval (1853–1931)	25 November 1898	9 January 1902		ANR-Colorado		Forced to resign by a coup.	Andrés Héctor Carvallo
15		Andrés Héctor Carvallo (1862–1934)	9 January 1902	25 November 1902		ANR-Colorado	—	Vice President under Emilio Aceval, assumed the presidency after his resignation. Finished the presidential period 1898-1902.	Vacant
16		Juan Antonio Escurra (1859–1929)	25 November 1902	19 December 1904		ANR-Colorado		Deposed in a coup.
17		Juan Bautista Gaona (1845–1932)	19 December 1904	9 December 1905		Liberal	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress after Escurra and his Vice President, , resigned in the coup. Deposed in a coup.	Vacant
18		Cecilio Báez (1862–1941)	9 December 1905	25 November 1906		Liberal	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Finished the presidential period 1902-1906.
19		Benigno Ferreira (1946–1920)	25 November 1906	4 July 1908		Liberal		Deposed in a coup.	Emiliano González Navero
20		Emiliano González Navero (1861–1934)	4 July 1908	25 November 1910		Liberal	—	Vice President under Benigno Ferreira, assumed the presidency after the coup. Finished the presidential period 1906-1910. First term.	Vacant
21		Manuel Gondra (1871–1927)	25 November 1910	17 January 1911		Liberal		First term. Deposed in a coup.	Juan Bautista Gaona
22		Albino Jara (1877–1912)	17 January 1911	5 July 1911		Liberal	—	De facto president after a coup. Resigned.	Vacant
23		Liberato Marcial Rojas (1870–1922)	5 July 1911	14 January 1912		Liberal	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Deposed in a coup.
		Marcos Caballero Codas Mario Uscher Alfredo Aponte	14 January 1912	17 January 1912		—	—	De facto triumvirate after a coup.
24		Liberato Marcial Rojas (1870–1922)	17 January 1912	28 February 1912		Liberal	—	Restoration of its original mandate. Deposed in a coup.
25		Pedro Pablo Peña (1864–1943)	28 February 1912	22 March 1912		ANR-Colorado	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Deposed in a coup.
26		Emiliano González Navero (1861–1934)	22 March 1912	15 August 1912		Liberal	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Second term.
27		Eduardo Schaerer (1873–1941)	15 August 1912	15 August 1916		Liberal			Pedro Bobadilla
28		Manuel Franco (1871–1919)	15 August 1916	5 June 1919		Liberal		Died in office.	José Pedro Montero
29		José Pedro Montero (1878–1927)	5 June 1919	15 August 1920		Liberal	—	Vice President under Manuel Franco, assumed the presidency after his death. Finished the presidential period 1916-1920.	Vacant
30		Manuel Gondra (1871–1927)	15 August 1920	29 October 1921		Liberal		Second term. Resigned.	Félix Paiva
31		Félix Paiva (1877–1965)	29 October 1921	7 November 1921		Liberal	—	Vice President under Manuel Gondra, assumed the presidency after his resignation. First term. Resigned.	Vacant
32		Eusebio Ayala (1875–1942)	7 November 1921	12 April 1923		Liberal	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. First term. Resigned during the Civil War of 1922.
33		Eligio Ayala (1879–1930)	12 April 1923	17 March 1924		Liberal	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. First term. Resigned.
34		Luis Alberto Riart (1880–1953)	17 March 1924	15 August 1924		Liberal	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Finished the presidential period 1920-1924.
35		Eligio Ayala (1879–1930)	15 August 1924	15 August 1928		Liberal		Second term.	Manuel Burgos
36		José Patricio Guggiari (1884–1957)	15 August 1928	25 October 1931		Liberal		Resigned to stand an impeachment.	Emiliano González Navero
37		Emiliano González Navero (1861–1934)	25 October 1931	27 January 1932		Liberal	—	Vice President under José Patricio Guggiari, assumed the presidency during his impeachment. Third term.	Vacant
38		José Patricio Guggiari (1884–1957)	27 January 1932	15 August 1932		Liberal	—	Restoration of its original mandate after being absolved from impeachment.	Emiliano González Navero
39		Eusebio Ayala (1875–1942)	15 August 1932	17 February 1936		Liberal		Second term. Paraguayan victory in the Chaco War. Deposed after the Febrerista Revolution.
40		Rafael Franco (1896–1973)	17 February 1936	13 August 1937		Military	—	De facto president after a coup. Deposed after a coup.	Vacant
41		Félix Paiva (1877–1965)	13 August 1937	11 October 1938		Liberal	—	De facto president after a coup. Second term.
			11 October 1938	15 August 1939			—	Interim President appointed by the Congress.
42		José Félix Estigarribia (1888–1940)	15 August 1939	18 February 1940		Liberal			Luis Alberto Riart
			18 February 1940	7 September 1940			—	De facto president after a self-coup. The new Constitution of 1940 increased the presidential term from 4 to 5 years, allowed a single consecutive reelection, removed the Electoral College and the Vice President post. Died in a plane crash.	Vacant[d]
									Post abolished[e]
43		Higinio Morínigo (1897–1983)	7 September 1940	15 August 1943		—	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Finished the presidential period 1939-1943.
			15 August 1943	3 June 1948				Deposed in a coup.
44		Juan Manuel Frutos (1879–1960)	3 June 1948	15 August 1948		ANR-Colorado	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Finished the presidential period 1943-1948.
45		Juan Natalicio González (1897–1966)	15 August 1948	30 January 1949		ANR-Colorado		Deposed in a coup.
46		Raimundo Rolón (1903–1981)	30 January 1949	26 February 1949		ANR-Colorado	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Deposed in a coup.
47		Felipe Molas López (1901–1954)	26 February 1949	14 May 1949		ANR-Colorado	—	De facto president after a coup.
			14 May 1949	11 September 1949				Elected to finish the presidential period 1948-1953. Deposed in a coup.
48		Federico Chaves (1882–1978)	11 September 1949	15 August 1953		ANR-Colorado	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress. Finished the presidential period 1948-1953.
			15 August 1953	4 May 1954			1953	Deposed in a coup d'état.
Vacant 4 May 1954 – 8 May 1954								There was no president in this period.
49		Tomás Romero Pereira (1886–1982)	8 May 1954	15 August 1954		ANR-Colorado	—	Interim President appointed by the Congress.
50		Alfredo Stroessner (1912–2006)	15 August 1954	15 August 1958		ANR-Colorado	1954	Elected to finish the presidential period 1953-1958.
			15 August 1958	15 August 1963			1958
			15 August 1963	15 August 1968			1963	The new Constitution of 1967 allowed Stroessner to run for two more elections.
			15 August 1968	15 August 1973			1968
			15 August 1973	15 August 1978			1973	The Constitutional Amendment of 1977 allowed indefinite reelections.
			15 August 1978	15 August 1983			1978
			15 August 1983	15 August 1988			1983
			15 August 1988	3 February 1989			1988	Deposed in a coup d'état.
51		Andrés Rodríguez (1923–1997)	3 February 1989	15 May 1989		ANR-Colorado	—	De facto president after a coup.
			15 May 1989	15 August 1993			1989	The new Constitution of 1992 removed the possibility of reelection and reinstated the Vice President post. Elected to finish the presidential period 1988-1993.
52		Juan Carlos Wasmosy (1938–)	15 August 1993	15 August 1998		ANR-Colorado	1993		Ángel Seifart
53		Raúl Cubas Grau (1943–)	15 August 1998	28 March 1999		ANR-Colorado	1998	Resigned as a result of the Marzo paraguayo.	Luis María Argaña[f]
									Vacant[g]
54		Luis Ángel González Macchi (1947–)	28 March 1999	15 August 2003		ANR-Colorado	—	President of the Senate, as the Vice President, Luis María Argaña, was assassinated 5 days before. Finished the presidential period 1998-2003.
									Julio César Franco[h]
									Vacant[i]
55		Nicanor Duarte (1956–)	15 August 2003	15 August 2008		ANR-Colorado	2003		Luis Alberto Castiglioni[j]
									Vacant[k]
									Francisco Oviedo[l]
56		Fernando Lugo (1951–)	15 August 2008	22 June 2012		Christian Democratic	2008	Impeached.	Federico Franco
57		Federico Franco (1962–)	22 June 2012	15 August 2013		Authentic Radical Liberal	—	Vice President under Fernando Lugo, assumed the presidency after his impeachment. Finished the presidential period 2008-2013.	Vacant[m]
									Óscar Denis[n]
58		Horacio Cartes (1956–)	15 August 2013	15 August 2018		ANR-Colorado	2013		Juan Afara[o]
									Vacant[p]
									Alicia Pucheta[q]
59		Mario Abdo Benítez (1971–)	15 August 2018	Incumbent (Term ends on 15 August 2023)		ANR-Colorado	2018		Hugo Velázquez Moreno

Timeline[]

See also[]

• President of Paraguay
• History of Paraguay
• Politics of Paraguay

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

• (in Spanish) Presidency of the Republic of Paraguay