Horacio Cartes

Horacio Cartes was a leader in Paraguay.

He owned many big businesses. He sold drinks and meat.

He also ran a soccer club. Later, he became the president. He wanted to help end poverty. Some people in other lands said he was not honest. They made new rules for his money. He is still a leader in his party today.

He has worked in many ways to lead.

Horacio Cartes is a leader from Paraguay.

He was a very wealthy businessman. He owned about 25 companies. These businesses made things like soft drinks and meat. He also ran a soccer club.

Cartes joined the Colorado Party in 2009. He became the president of Paraguay in 2013. He wanted to help end poverty in his country. He also wanted to bring more jobs to the people. During his time as leader, there were many protests. Some people wanted to change the rules so he could lead again. This led to some angry crowds in the city.

Some leaders in the United States accused him of being corrupt. They said he was involved in crime. Because of this, the United States put sanctions on him. Sanctions are rules that stop him from using U.S. banks. He is still a leader in his political party today.

Horacio Cartes is a prominent politician and businessman from Paraguay.

He was born on July 5, 1956. Before entering politics, he built a very large business group called Grupo Cartes. This group included about two dozen different companies. They made many things like soft drinks, meat, and tobacco products. He also owned a bank called Banco Amambay. In 2021, records showed his net worth was about $490 million. This made him one of the richest people in his country.

Cartes started his career in business quite young. His father owned a company that sold Cessna aircraft. Because of this, Horacio studied aviation mechanics in the United States. At age 19, he began a business exchanging money. This small business grew into a major bank. Over time, he helped start or buy 25 different companies. One of these was Tabesa, which is the largest cigarette maker in Paraguay. He also spent time leading sports organizations. He was the president of Club Libertad football club from 2001 to 2012. He also helped lead the national team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

His journey into politics began later in his life. He was not a registered voter until 2008. In 2009, he joined the conservative Colorado Party. He wanted to help stop the rise of left-wing politics in Latin America. In 2013, he ran for president as the Colorado candidate. He promised to create more jobs and modernize public companies. He also said he would bring in more international investment. On April 21, 2013, he won the election with 45.80% of the votes. He took office on August 15, 2013. This was a rare moment when power moved peacefully to a new leader.

During his time as president, many things happened in Paraguay.

He worked to create new rules for retirement and pensions. He wanted to protect people's money from fraud. In 2015, many students held large protests. They wanted the government to spend more money on education. In 2017, there were also big protests in the city. These happened because some leaders tried to change the rules to let him run for president again. This caused a lot of tension and some people were hurt during the unrest. Cartes later said that trying to change the rules was a mistake.

In recent years, Cartes has faced serious legal challenges. Between 2022 and 2023, the United States government labeled him as "significantly corrupt." The U.S. accused him of being involved with criminal and terrorist groups. Because of this, the United States put sanctions on him. These sanctions make it hard for him to use U.S. banks or do business with U.S. companies. Despite these issues, he remains a powerful figure in his country. Since 2023, he has served as the president of the Colorado Party. His influence is known as "Cartismo" in Paraguayan politics.

Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara is a prominent Paraguayan politician and businessman. He served as the President of Paraguay from 2013 to 2018. Currently, he holds the position of president of the Colorado Party. His influence on the country is so significant that it created a political movement called Cartismo. This movement has shaped the direction of the Colorado Party and Paraguayan politics. Cartes is recognized as one of the wealthiest individuals in Paraguay. An affidavit from 2021 estimated his net worth at $490 million, or ₲3.6 trillion.

Before entering politics, Cartes built a massive business empire. He managed a conglomerate known as Grupo Cartes. This group included approximately two dozen different businesses. His interests spanned several industries, including tobacco, soft drinks, meat production, and banking. He also held leadership roles in sports. From 2001 to 2012, he was the president of Club Libertad, a football club. He also served as president of the Paraguayan Football Association during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification process.

Cartes's business career began with aviation and currency exchange. His father owned a company that held a Cessna aircraft franchise. Because of this, Cartes studied aviation mechanics in the United States. At age 19, he started a currency exchange business. This venture eventually grew into Banco Amambay, a major bank. Over his career, he bought or helped establish 25 companies. This included Tabesa, which is the largest cigarette manufacturer in Paraguay. He also owned a major fruit juice bottling company.

His early business years included several legal investigations. In 1986, he spent 60 days in jail during an investigation into currency fraud. Prosecutors accused him of obtaining a central bank loan at a preferential rate to move money through his exchange business. The case was eventually dropped. In 1989, he was jailed for seven months on similar charges but was later cleared by a court. In 2000, police seized a plane carrying drugs on his ranch. Cartes denied any involvement, stating the plane had made an emergency landing.

Cartes entered politics later in life, joining the conservative Colorado Party in 2009. He ran for president in 2013 as the party's candidate. His campaign focused on modernizing public enterprises and attracting international investment. He promised to raise private capital to improve the country's infrastructure. On April 21, 2013, he won the election with 45.80% of the votes. His inauguration on August 15, 2013, was a rare moment of peaceful power transfer in Paraguay's 202-year history.

During his presidency, Cartes faced various social and political challenges. In 2015, massive student protests occurred regarding the education budget. Students demanded that spending reach 7% of the national GDP, as requested by UNESCO. At the time, spending was only 3.9%. In 2017, tension rose when supporters attempted to pass a constitutional amendment for re-election. This led to protests and a fire at the Congress building. One protester was killed during the unrest. Cartes later admitted that attempting the amendment created an unnecessary climate.

In recent years, Cartes has faced serious international sanctions. Between 2022 and 2023, the United States government classified him as "significantly corrupt." U.S. officials accused him of involvement in transnational crime and terrorist organizations. Consequently, the United States imposed economic sanctions under the Magnitsky Act. These sanctions prohibit him from doing business with U.S. companies. They also block his access to U.S. banks. Four of his companies are also on the SDN List, which prevents them from accessing the U.S. financial system.