South America

Paraguay

Source:https://theheartofsouthamerica.weebly.com/a-brief-history-of-paraguay.html

Pre Colonization to Independence

Indians speaking Guaraní—the most common language in Paraguay today, after Spanish—were the country’s first inhabitants. In 1526 and again in 1529, Sebastian Cabot explored Paraguay when he sailed up the Paraná and Paraguay rivers. From 1608 until their expulsion from the Spanish dominions in 1767, the Jesuits maintained an extensive establishment in the south and east of Paraguay. In 1811, Paraguay revolted against Spanish rule and became a nominal republic under two consuls.

Early Democracy

Paraguay was governed by three dictators during the first 60 years of independence. The third, Francisco López, waged war against Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina in 1865–1870, a conflict in which half the male population was killed. A new constitution in 1870, designed to prevent dictatorships and internal strife, failed to do so, and not until 1912 did a period of comparative economic and political stability begin. The Chaco War (1932–1935) with Bolivia won Paraguay more western territory.

Post World War Two

After World War II, politics became particularly unstable. Alfredo Stroessner was dictator from 1954 until 1989, during which he was accused of the torture and murder of thousands of political opponents. Despite Paraguay’s human rights record, the U.S. continuously supported Stroessner.

Stroessner was overthrown by army leader Gen. Andres Rodriguez in 1989. Rodriguez went on to win Paraguay’s first multicandidate election in decades. Paraguay’s new constitution went into effect in 1992. In 1993, Juan Carlos Wasmosy, a wealthy businessman and the candidate of the governing Colorado Party, won a five-year term in free elections.

Raúl Cubas Grau was elected president in May 1998. In 1999, Cubas was forced from office for his alleged involvement in the assassination of Vice President Luis María Argaña. The vice president had criticized Cubas for refusing to jail his mentor, Gen. Lino Oviedo, who had been convicted of leading a failed 1996 coup against Wasmosy. Oviedo was finally arrested in 2004 and jailed.

Modern Times

In 2010, Paraguay experienced the greatest economic expansion in South America. Its economy was the 2nd fastest expanding economy in the world, after Qatar. Paraguay had a GDP growth rate of 14.5% by the end of 2010. Part of the expansion was due to long-term growth in the country’s industrial sector, after years of declining production. Another reason was that rise of Paraguay’s pharmaceutical industry, which supplied 70% of domestic consumption in 2010 and even begun exporting drugs. The country also showed rapid growth in the areas of steel, meat processing, organic sugar, and edible oils.1

Paraguay People Groups from The Joshua Project

Paraguay. Data from The Joshua Project (https://www.joshuaproject.net)

People Reached Language Population Bible Religion Adherents Evangelical
Japanese Unreached Japanese

7,000

Complete Bible Buddhism

1.5

0.5

Jew Spanish-speaking Unreached Spanish

1,100

Complete Bible Ethnic Religions

0.2

0.0

Arab Lebanese Minimally Reached Arabic-North Levantine Spoken

600

Portions Completed Islam

32.0

0.5

Chamacoco Minimally Reached Chamacoco

2,100

New Testament Ethnic Religions

45.0

2.0

Chulupe Minimally Reached Nivacle

16,000

Complete Bible Ethnic Religions

40.0

2.0

Deaf Superficially Reached Paraguayan Sign Language

54,000

Portions Completed Christianity

96.3

Emok Superficially Reached Spanish

1,400

Complete Bible Christianity

80.0

1.0

Enxet Superficially Reached Enxet

7,500

Complete Bible Christianity

70.0

2.0

Greek Superficially Reached Greek

3,200

Complete Bible Christianity

91.0

0.4

Guana Kaskiha Superficially Reached Guana

300

Unspecified Christianity

60.0

1.0

Guarani Mbya Superficially Reached Guarani-Mbya

19,000

Complete Bible Christianity

80.0

2.0

Italian Superficially Reached Italian

43,000

Complete Bible Christianity

82.0

1.1

Pilaga Toba Superficially Reached Pilaga

300

New Testament Christianity

95.0

2.0

Polish Superficially Reached Polish

2,900

Complete Bible Christianity

90.0

0.3

Russian Superficially Reached Russian

900

Complete Bible Christianity

67.0

1.2

Ache Partially Reached Ache

1,700

New Testament Christianity

55.0

8.0

Afro-Paraguayan Partially Reached Spanish

72,000

Complete Bible Christianity

100.0

6.0

Angaite Partially Reached Angaite

4,700

Translation Needed Ethnic Religions

10.0

3.0

Enlhet Partially Reached Enlhet

9,300

Complete Bible Christianity

75.0

3.0

German Partially Reached German-Standard

63,000

Complete Bible Christianity

64.0

2.1

Guarani Ava Partially Reached Guarani-Ava

8,300

Complete Bible Christianity

85.0

10.0

Guarani Eastern Bolivian Partially Reached Guarani-Eastern Bolivian

2,900

Complete Bible Christianity

70.0

5.0

Han Chinese Mandarin Partially Reached Chinese-Mandarin

11,000

Complete Bible Non-Religious

10.0

5.7

Latin American general Partially Reached Spanish

145,000

Complete Bible Christianity

97.0

6.0

Maka Partially Reached Maka

2,000

New Testament Ethnic Religions

30.0

7.0

Maskoy Pidgin Partially Reached Guarani-Paraguayan

7,300

Complete Bible Christianity

100.0

5.0

Mennonites Partially Reached Plautdietsch

47,000

Complete Bible Christianity

93.0

6.0

Pai Tavytera Partially Reached Pai Tavytera

15,000

Translation Needed Christianity

65.0

3.0

Paraguayan Guarani-speaking Partially Reached Guarani-Paraguayan

6,320,000

Complete Bible Christianity

97.0

8.4

Portuguese Partially Reached Portuguese

192,000

Complete Bible Christianity

94.0

3.0

Sanapana Partially Reached Sanapana

7,900

Portions Completed Christianity

95.0

4.0

Tapiete Partially Reached Nandeva

2,600

Portions Completed Christianity

90.0

4.0

Ukrainian Partially Reached Ukrainian

43,000

Complete Bible Christianity

79.0

3.8

Americans U.S. Significantly Reached English

3,600

Complete Bible Christianity

78.0

28.9

Anglo-Australian Significantly Reached English

2,900

Complete Bible Christianity

70.0

14.0

Ayore Significantly Reached Ayoreo

3,000

New Testament Christianity

55.0

20.0

Brazilian Mestizo Significantly Reached Portuguese

43,000

Complete Bible Christianity

91.0

26.0

Chorote Manjuy Significantly Reached Chorote-Iyo’wujwa

700

New Testament Christianity

80.0

14.0

Korean Significantly Reached Korean

8,200

Complete Bible Christianity

31.0

16.8

Toba Qom Significantly Reached Toba

1,600

Complete Bible Christianity

95.0

50.0

Toba-Maskoy Significantly Reached Toba-Maskoy

2,500

Portions Completed Christianity

95.0

15.0