PRESIDENTIAL AND LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS IN PARAGUAY APRIL 21ST, 2013 REPORT OF THE ELECTORAL OBSERVATION MISSION Parliamentary Confederation of the Americas TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1. The Terms of Reference of the Mission ................................................................................................................ 7 2. Composition of the Delegation ................................................................................................................................. 9 3. The Political Context ................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.1. Overview ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 3.2. Brief history .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.3. The 2008 elections ............................................................................................................................................ 13 3.3.1. Pre-electoral context ............................................................................................................ 13 3.3.2. Elections ............................................................................................................................... 14 3.3.3. Results .................................................................................................................................. 14 3.3.4. Observations of the COPA electoral mission ....................................................................... 15 3.4. Impeachment of former president Fernando Lugo.............................................................................. 15 3.4.1. Circumstances ...................................................................................................................... 15 3.4.2. Impeachment procedure ..................................................................................................... 16 3.4.3. Domestic and international reactions .................................................................................. 16 3.5. The 2013 electoral campaign ........................................................................................................................ 17 3.5.1. Presidential candidates and main political parties and coalitions for the april 2013 elections ............................................................................................................................... 17 3.5.2. Summary campaign calendar ............................................................................................... 18 4. The legal and institutional framework of the april 21, 2013 elections ................................................. 19 4.1. Political institutions and electoral system ............................................................................................... 19 4.2. Elections Act ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2.1. Vote ...................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2.2. The application for elections ................................................................................................ 21 4.3. Electoral authorities and institutions ........................................................................................................ 22 4.3.1. The Superior Tribunal of Electoral Justice (TSJE) ................................................................. 22 4.3.2. Electoral Judges .................................................................................................................... 23 4.3.3. Electoral Tribunals ................................................................................................................ 23 4.3.4. The Electoral Registry Office (ERO) ...................................................................................... 23 4.3.5. Civic Assemblies ................................................................................................................... 24 4.3.6. Electoral Counsel .................................................................................................................. 24 4.4. Voting operations on election day............................................................................................................... 24 4.4.1. Polling stations ..................................................................................................................... 24 4.4.2. Electronic Voting .................................................................................................................. 25 4.4.3. Polling Day ............................................................................................................................ 25 5. Mission activities before Election Day ................................................................................................................ 29 5.1. Arrival of the mission and accreditation of members ......................................................................... 29 5.2. Working meetings with representatives of institutions and agencies involved in the electoral process ................................................................................................................................................ 29 5.2.1. Presentation of the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations (UNIORE) Mission Report................................................................................................................................... 30 5.2.2. Forum on the political situation in Paraguay ....................................................................... 31 5.2.3. Meeting with presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the National Republican Association (Colorado Party) ................................................................................................ 31 5.2.4. Meeting with the presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the Paraguay Alegre Alliance ................................................................................................................................. 32 5.2.5. Meeting with the presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the Avanza País coalition ............................................................................................................................... 33 5.2.6. Meeting with the presidential candidates for the Republic of the Labour Parties and of the Patria Querida ...................................................................................................................... 33 5.2.7. Forum on the democratic and social role of political parties .............................................. 34 5.2.8. Working meeting with the electoral authorities of TSJE ..................................................... 35 5.2.9. Working meeting with the Head of the OAS electoral observation mission in Paraguay, S.E.M. Óscar Arias Sánchez .................................................................................................. 38 5.2.10. Working meeting with the President of Amnesty International Paraguay, Mr. Fabián Forestieri .............................................................................................................................. 38 5.2.11. Working meeting with the representatives of the Paraguayan Association of Women Entrepreneurs, Directors and Professionals (APEP) ............................................................. 39 5.2.12. Working meeting with representatives of the European Union Election Observation Mission in Paraguay ............................................................................................................. 40 5.2.13. Working meeting with representatives from the National Confederation of Workers of Paraguay (CNT) ..................................................................................................................... 41 5.2.14. Working meeting with Central Confederation of Workers of Paraguay (CUT) .................... 41 5.2.15. Working meeting with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Eduardo Arces ..................................................................................................................................... 42 2 PARLIAMENTARY CONFEDERATION OF THE AMERICAS (COPA)| Final Report Electoral Observation Mission of COPA in Paraguay April 17-22, 2013 6. Mission Activities on Election Day ........................................................................................................................ 43 6.1. Deployment of COPA observers ................................................................................................................... 43 6.2. Aspects observed................................................................................................................................................ 44 7. COPA mission findings ..............................................................................................................................................