Paraguay Electoral Justice Allows President to Run for Senator

Three opposition parties appealed Sunday the decision by Asuncion's electoral court to allow last Friday that current President Horacio Cartes and Senator Nicanor Duarte Frutos run for Senators' seats ahead of the general elections due on April 22.

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The tribunal found that there was no constitutional obstacle for the candidacy of Cartes and Duarte in the upcoming elections.

But the Frente Guasu coalition, the Progressive Democratic Party and the Revolutionary Febrerista Party argued that the judges did not belong to the same electoral district, as established in Law 635/95, article 12, but belonged instead to Concepcion and Amambay.

According to Frente Guasu, Cartes' candidacy is also not compatible with the National Constitution, articles 189 and 237, because the current president should be limited to the function of the presidency and not campaign for another position while in charge.

Cartes officially endorsed Colorado's presidential candidate Mario Abdo Benitez earlier in January.

Last year, the Frente Guasu defended the candidacy for senator of Fernando Lugo, Paraguay's first progressive president who was ousted before the end of his mandate in 2012, arguing that he could not be considered as a senator in charge since the political trial, and therefore he could claim a seat at the Senate in the coming elections.