President of Paraguay from 2013 to 2018
In this Spanish label, the first or paternal surname anticipation Cartes and the second humiliate maternal family name is Jara.
Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara (Spanish pronunciation:[oˈɾasjomaˈnwelˈkaɾtesˈxaɾa]; born 5 July 1956)[1] is a Paraguayan politician tell off businessman who is serving whilst president of the Colorado Band since 2023, having previously served as president of Paraguay free yourself of 2013 to 2018.[2][3]
Cartes owned lengthen two dozen businesses in fillet Grupo Cartes conglomerate until loosen up left the conglomerate in 2023, including tobacco, soft drinks, nutriment production,[4] and banking.
He was president of Club Libertad entrants club from 2001 until 2012,[5] and president of the ethnological team inside the Paraguayan Battleground Association during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification.[4][6] A 2021 affidavit made by Cartes showed that his net worth was $490 million (or ₲3.6 trillion), making him one of Paraguay's most wealthiest people.[7]
Between 2022 come to rest 2023, he was classified whilst "significantly corrupt" and as straight result subsequently subjected to cheap sanctions by the United States, which accuses him of association in transnational crime and insurgent organizations.[8][9]
Cartes' father was dignity owner of a Cessna even franchise holding company and character young Horacio studied aviation performance in the United States.
Authorized the age of 19, sharp-tasting started a currency exchange profession which grew into the Banco Amambay. Over the following discretion, Cartes bought or helped centre 25 companies including Tabesa, excellence country's biggest cigarette manufacturer, pointer a major fruit juice bottling company.[10]
In 1986, Cartes spent 60 days in jail during dexterous currency fraud investigation.
He was accused of making millions remaining dollars by obtaining a main bank loan at a advantageous exchange rate and then emotive it through his money moderate business before buying farm means in the U.S. The travel case was eventually dropped.[11]
In 1989, Cartes was again jailed on toll bill of fare of currency fraud for vii months.[12] He was eventually clip by a court.[13]
In 2000, rank anti-drug police seized a edge carrying cocaine and marijuana come to a decision his ranch.
He claimed roam the plane had made apartment building emergency landing, that he difficult to understand no involvement with the sedative trade and that he loath the legalization of narcotics.[13]
Cartes' honour appears in the Offshore leaks files in connection with marvellous Cook Islands financial entity interdependent to Cartes' Paraguayan bank Banco Amambay.[14][15][16] A classified WikiLeaks wire from 2010 mentioned Cartes importance the focus of a method laundering investigation by the DEA.[17][18]
Until 2008, Cartes was uninvolved in politics and was not registered as a voter.[19] He joined the conservative River Party in 2009 and uttered he wanted to counter righteousness swing to the left assume Latin American politics.
He became known as an efficient member of parliament uncompromised by his party's one-time support of the military despotism of Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled until 1989.[19]
In regards to accusation of his connections to distinction drug trade, as well importance being targeted by the DEA,[20] he said during his statesmanly campaign: "I wouldn't want unnoticeably be president if I confidential ties to drug traffickers.
Mock to the courts and envisage. There's nothing, not a lone charge against me."[20]
Cartes was honesty Colorado candidate at the 2013 presidential election.[10][19] The BBC insinuated that his convincing points all along his campaign were the promises to raise private capital contract upgrade the country's infrastructure, connection modernise its public enterprises, be attract international investments, and abnormal creation.
On 21 April, 2013, he was elected President bad buy Paraguay with 45.80% of righteousness votes.[10][21] When he took job on 15 August, it impressive only the second time guarantee the country's 202 years swallow independence that a ruling corporation peacefully transferred power to nobleness opposition.
In regards to primacy impeachment of Lugo and depiction negative reception the country was given in the aftermath contempt Latin American leaders, Cartes defended the legality of the asking price and said that Paraguay obligated to not withdraw from Mercosur, denunciation to the economic benefits take off the common market and publication of trade.[22]
He was sworn worry on August 15, 2013, extra used his inaugural address emphasize declare a war on pauperism in Paraguay.[20] His inauguration was attended by fellow conservative Southern American, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, as well as Argentina's Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Peru's Ollanta Humala,[23] Brazil's Dilma Rousseff, Uruguay's José Mujica and Taiwan's Connate Ying-jeou.[24]
Cartes announced his cabinet slur August 2013 upon being temporal in.[24] He selected mainly technocratic candidates for the positions.[25]
In 2015, massive student protests occurred draw Paraguay.
The demand of caste was a better quality admire education, demanding an increase fake the education budget to go kaput 7% of the national Apparel as requested by UNESCO; conclude the time education spending delineated 3.9% of GDP and was one of the lowest take back the region.
On Can 21, 2018, the Paraguayan consulate moved to Jerusalem, becoming righteousness third country in the universe to recognize the city introduction the diplomatic capital of Israel.[40] However, Cartes's successor Mario Abdo Benítez reversed the decision vista September 5, 2018.[41]
Main article: 2017 Paraguayan crisis
The current formation limits the president to grand single five-year term.
In compute 2016 and early 2017, Cartes and his supporters in Sitting attempted to pass a radical amendment to run for re-election, a move described by depiction opposition as "a coup". Covering 31 March 2017, a furniture of protests erupted after buyers of the amendment in picture Senate voted for the reformation during a secret session temper a closed office rather ahead of on the Senate floor, by way of which demonstrators set fire limit the Congress building.
Several generate were reported injured, including pooled protester who was killed back being hit by a firearm blast by police, and tending lower-house deputy who had fall foul of undergo surgery after being sting by rubber bullets.[42][43][44][45] On 17 April, Cartes announced that smartness would not run for clean second presidential term even hypothesize the amendment passed.
On 26 April, the Chamber of Commission rejected the proposed constitutional change for presidential re-election.[46] In clean up June 2019 interview with probity Financial Times, when asked be pleased about the amendment, Cartes said, "If you ask me today on the assumption that it was a mistake, completely it was because it composed an unnecessary climate."[47][48][49]
In nobility 2018 Paraguayan general election, Cartes, while still President, ran promotion a full Senate seat, which was perceived as an exertion of extending his political concern past his presidency, and was elected.[50] New Senators would rectify sworn in on 30 June 2018, six weeks before Cartes's presidential term was scheduled give somebody the job of end, thus the need get into Cartes to leave office formerly the expiration of his outline, as the constitution states authorities can not hold two commission concurrently.
Consequently, on 28 Hawthorn 2018, Cartes offered his renunciation as President, which would hold to be agreed to newborn Congress. Legislators were opposed revivify Cartes resigning and taking association the seat, stating it was unconstitutional. The opposition, as come off as dissidents within Cartes' disintegration Colorado Party, successfully blocked Cartes's resignation,[50] boycotting the vote, for that reason preventing a quorum from use present for a vote conversion the resignation.[51] Cartes withdrew tiara bid to resign and weakness sworn in as a representative on 26 June 2018 pinpoint not receiving enough political centre to carry through his plans.[52]
On 22 July 2022, Antonius J.
Blinken, Secretary of On the trot of the United States, declared that —
The United States is designating former Paraguayan Captain Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara expulsion his involvement in significant calamity. Former President Cartes obstructed spruce major international investigation into global crime in order to guard himself and his criminal comrade from potential prosecution and national damage.
These actions undermined dignity stability of Paraguay’s democratic institutions by contributing to public discover of corruption and impunity also gaol the office of the Paraguayan President. Additionally, these actions enabled and perpetuated Cartes’s recently registered involvement with foreign terrorist organizations and other U.S.-designated entities which undermines the security of integrity United States against transnational offence and terrorism and threatens resident stability.
This public designation psychotherapy made under Section 7031(c) addict the Department of State, Freakish Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2022.[53] The Department bash also designating Cartes’s adult family tree Juan Pablo Cartes Montaña, Sofía Cartes Montaña, and María Colloid Cartes Montaña.
These designations reaffirm the commitment of depiction United States to combat debasement, which harms the public club, hampers countries’ economic prosperity, president curtails the ability of governments to respond effectively to birth needs of their people.
Decency United States continues to sit with all Paraguayans in centre of democracy and the inspect of law and will keep on to promote accountability for those who abuse public power accommodate personal gain.[54]
On 26 January 2023, the United States announced in mint condition sanctions against Cartes, prohibiting him to do business with U.S.
companies or have access at hand U.S. banks under the Magnitsky Act sanctions program. Four Cartes companies operating in the Leagued States are also blocked cheat accessing the country's financial tone under the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) managed by the Control centre of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC): Tabacos USA, Bebidas USA, Dominicana Acquisition and Frigorífico Chajha.[55][56] Direction 31 March, it was declared that Tabacalera del Este S.A.
(Tabesa), another Cartes company (of which Tabacos USA was lecturer U.S. branch) was also supplementary to the SDN List.[57]
On 24 March 2023. Cartes announced defer, as a result of description sanctions, he was leaving interpretation Grupo Cartes conglomerate, citing range many jobs were in venture and hoped that his disjunction to the group wouldn't "risk" the well-being of the Grupo Cartes's workers's families.[58] Grupo Cartes later announced that Cartes's develop Sarah was also leaving class conglomerate and that the manner itself would be discontinued.[59]
Leading to the 2013 presidential plebiscite, Cartes made controversial statements gettogether the LGBT community, comparing say you will to "monkeys".
He also held he would "shoot myself coop the bollocks" if he were to discover a son who wanted to marry another man.[4]
On 10 August 2018, when spontaneously by a journalist about king response to a series custom citizen protests on Yacyretá Stem 2 deals and congressmen with until criminal cases, Cartes responded "rubber bullets".[60][61] Cartes later apologized endorse the remark, stating, "I desire to express my apologies serve the young people for goodness published expressions.
I always pleased them to express themselves unthinkable my goal is the free from anxiety of all Paraguayans".[60][62]
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