Hsieh Tracy的譯世界

Paraguay Congress Set on Fire as Election Protests Turn Deadly

巴拉圭爆發政治衝突，國會陷入火海

Paraguay’s parliament building was set on fire on March 31^st in the capital, Asuncion, during a violent protest against a bill to lift presidential term limits.

巴拉圭首都亞松森於3/31爆發暴力衝突，抗爭者反對國會延長總統任期限制的提案，甚至放火焚燒國會大樓。

Protesters were photographed smashing in windows of the congress building and setting fire to the interior. And police was reported to use rubber bullets, mounted units and water cannons to disperse the crowd, causing a number of casualties, including opposition activist Rodrigo Quintana, 25.

流傳出的照片可見抗爭者砸破國會大樓的窗戶，並在內部縱火。警方據報使用橡膠子彈、騎兵部隊與水槍來驅散群眾，造成許多傷亡，其中包含25歲的反對份子羅德里戈．昆塔納。

Paraguay was controlled by military ruler General Alfredo Stroessner, from 1954 until 1989. The new constitution in 1992 created the modern government but there has been a long period of political instability and party infighting, as well as a failed coup attempt. According to current laws, Sitting President Cartes' term is due to end in 2018, but the bill, if passed, would allow him to run for re-election.

巴拉圭在1954到1989年間由軍閥艾爾佛列多．史托斯納爾統治1992年推出新憲後，現代政府制度才成形，政局仍然不穩定，政黨內鬥和政變問題嚴重。根據現行制度，現任總統歐拉西歐．卡提斯的任期只至2018年，但法案若是通過，他將能再次競選連任。

President Cartes stated on Twitter that “democracy is not conquered or defended with violence” and that the government will put effort into maintaining order. Opponents said that the bill will weaken the country's democratic institutions and invited people to join their rally.

卡提斯總統在推特上表示，暴力無法征服或捍衛民主，政府將持續致力於維護秩序。反對者則認為法案將削弱民主制度，並呼籲人民加入他們的抗爭。

Word List:

congress 國會、protest 抗爭、disperse 驅散、casualty 傷亡、military 軍事的、

constitution 憲法、instability 不穩定、infighting 內鬥、coup 政變、

conquer 征服、maintain 維持、rally 抗爭