Luis Ángel González Macchi

Infobox_President | name= Luis Ángel González Macchi


|order=50th President of Paraguay
term_start=March 29, 1999
term_end=August 15, 2003
predecessor=Raúl Cubas
successor=Nicanor Duarte
birth_date=Birth date and age|1947|12|13|mf=y
birth_place=
dead=
death_date=
death_place=
spouse=
party=Colorado Party
vicepresident=Julio César Franco

Luis Ángel González Macchi (born December 13, 1947) was the President of Paraguay from 1999 until 2003.

As the president of Paraguay's legislature, González Macchi succeeded to the office of president on March 29, 1999 following the assassination six days earlier of the Vice President, Luis María Argaña, and the subsequent resignation of President Raúl Cubas among accusations that the assassination was linked to Cubas's political movement.

As president, González Macchi attempted to create a coalition government to spur cooperation within Paraguay and repair the economy which had been damaged by the political crisis. This coalition did not last long, as the Authentic Radical Liberal Party left it in 2000, leaving González Macchi without a majority in the legislature. González Macchi became ever more unpopular as the economy sagged further and found passing legislation difficult because few legislators would vote on bills that he pushed for. There was a coup attempt in 2000 and an impeachment attempt in 2001, though both failed. González Macchi was able to hold on to his presidency until the elections of 2003, which Nicanor Duarte won. He left office on August 15, 2003.

On December 4, 2006, González Macchi was sentenced to eight years in prison for fraud and embezzlement. The sentence was appealed.

External links

* [http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5051704.stm Former Paraguay president jailed]