National Order of Merit (Paraguay)

{{Infobox order
|established=8 April 1865
|image=[[File:Paraguay Order of Merit Grand Cross set of insignia.png|Paraguay Order of Merit Grand Cross set of insignia|250px]]
|caption=Grand Cross set of the order.
|awarded_by=the [[Republic of Paraguay]]
|type=[[Order of merit]]
|grades=1- Grand Cross ''(Presidential Collar of Marshal López)''<br>2- Grand Officer<br> 3- Commander<br>4- Officer<br> 5- Knight
|eligibility=
|awarded_for=
|campaign=
|higher= None (highest)
|lower=[[Order of Military Merit (Paraguay)|Order of Military Merit]]
|status=Currently awarded
|description=
|clasps=
|image2=[[File:National Order of Merit (Paraguay) - ribbon bar.png|100px]]
|caption2=Ribbon of the order
}}
The '''National Order of Merit''' (Spanish: '''''Orden Nacional del Mérito''''') of [[Paraguay]] is an award given by the government of Paraguay. The [[award]] was first established in 1865 and can be given to any person or organization that has contributed in some way to the benefit of Paraguay. 

It is the highest distinction awarded by the [[Republic of Paraguay]]. The President of the Republic of Paraguay holds as a lifetime honour (unless removed by [[impeachment]]) the Grand Cross of the Order, known as Presidential Collar (or Cordon) of Marshal López. <ref> Diario Hoy Paraguay: "Collar de oro para Franco: Justifican condecoración en base a ley stronista"- https://www.hoy.com.py/nacionales/justifican-condecoracion-de-franco-en-base-a-ley-stronista</ref>

== About ==
The National Order of Merit is given to a person or an organization who has contributed to the benefit of [[Paraguay]] in various fields of endeavor.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=21 November 2019|title=JICA receives a National Order of Merit from the Government of Paraguay: Contribution to the development of Paraguay spans over 40 years|url=https://www.jica.go.jp/english/news/press/2019/20191121_31.html|access-date=2020-06-24|website=JICA}}</ref> This can include through [[culture]], leadership, and science, among others.<ref name=":1" />

The medal was designed as a five-pointed star with the words "''honor et gloria''" on the front and "''premium meriti''" on the reverse.<ref name=":0" /> 

== History ==
The National Order of Merit was established on April 8, 1865 by [[Francisco Solano López]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Gillingham|first=Harrold E.|url=https://archive.org/details/southamericandec0000harr/page/n5/mode/2up?q=national+order+of+merit|title=South American Decorations and War Medals|publisher=The American Numismatic Society|others=Lenard L. Babin|year=1970|edition=Reprint|location=New York|pages=136–137|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> In 1867, López declared that women were eligible to earn the award.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Saeger|first=James Schofield|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ajLpDyIbcdIC&dq=%22national+order+of+merit%22+paraguay&pg=PA132|title=Francisco Solano López and the Ruination of Paraguay: Honor and Egocentrism|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7425-3755-2|location=Lanham|pages=161|language=en}}</ref> The award was based on the [[Legion of Honour|French Legion of Honor]] and had several different levels.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Washburn|first=Charles Ames|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h3cYAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22national+order+of+merit%22+paraguay&pg=PA45|title=The History of Paraguay: With Notes of Personal Observations, and Reminiscences of Diplomacy Under Difficulties|publisher=Lee & Shepard, Publishishers|year=1871|volume=2|location=Boston|pages=44–45|language=en}}</ref> The highest level was the Grand Cross.<ref name=":2" /> The other levels were Knight, Official, Commander and Grand Official.<ref name=":2" />

On September 7, 1956, Law No. 394 was passed with several provisions regarding the awarding of the National Order of Merit.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=16 January 2016|title=Insfrán recibirá en Paraguay la condecoración de la "Orden Nacional al Mérito" por apoyo a inundados – NF|url=https://www.noticiasformosa.com.ar/2016/01/16/insfran-recibira-en-paraguay-la-condecoracion-de-la-orden-nacional-al-merito-por-apoyo-a-inundados/|access-date=2020-06-24|website=Noticias Formosa|language=es}}</ref>

== Notable recipients ==
[[File:Lote Schulz 2009.jpg|alt=Lotte Schulz, receiving her National Order of Merit in 2009.|thumb|[[Lotte Schulz]], receiving her National Order of Merit in 2009.]]{{Incomplete list|date=June 2020}}
* [[Augusto Roa Bastos]], Paraguayan writer.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hiller|first=Anna E.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Na8SAAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Orden+Nacional+al+M%C3%A9rito%22+paraguay&pg=PA164|title=Great Spanish and Latin American Short Stories of the 20th Century/Grandes cuentos españoles y latinoamericanos del siglo XX: A Dual-Language Book|date=2013-09-19|publisher=Courier Corporation|isbn=978-0-486-47624-7|pages=164|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Juan Crisóstomo Centurión]], [[Paraguayan Army]] officer.<ref name="Centurión">{{cite book|title=Memorias del coronel Juan Crisóstomo Centurión o sea reminiscencias históricas sobre la Guerra del Paraguay, vol. 4|last=Centurión |first= Juan C.|date=1901|publisher=Imprenta de Obras de J. A. Berra}}</ref>
* [[Graziella Corvalán]], Paraguayan academic<ref>{{cite report |editor-last1=Sánchez |editor-first1=Vidalia |title=CEDAW Comentarios Inusuales  |url=https://observatoriodegenero.csj.gov.py/media/uploadfiles/cedaw-comentarios-inusuales/CEDAW_ORIGINAL.pdf |publisher=Editorial Servilibro |access-date=24 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424162749/https://observatoriodegenero.csj.gov.py/media/uploadfiles/cedaw-comentarios-inusuales/CEDAW_ORIGINAL.pdf |archive-date=24 April 2023 |location=Asunción, Paraguay |chapter=Graziella Corvalán |pages=194–197 |language=Spanish |trans-title=CEDAW Unusual Comments |date=16 August 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Gildo Insfrán]], [[Argentines|Argentine]] politician.<ref name=":3" />
* [[Shinichi Kitaoka]], [[Japan|Japanese]] political scientist on behalf of the [[Japan International Cooperation Agency|Japanese International Cooperation Agency]] (JICA).<ref name=":1" />
* [[Eusebio Leal]], [[Cuba|Cuban]] historian.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Central|first=Redaccion|date=2018-10-04|title=Recibe Eusebio Leal orden nacional al mérito de la república de Paraguay|url=http://www.radioreloj.cu/es/noticias-radio-reloj/nacionales/recibe-eusebio-leal-orden-nacional-al-merito-la-republica-paraguay/|access-date=2020-06-24|website=Radio Reloj|language=es-ES}}</ref>
* [[Francisco Solano López]], president of Paraguay.<ref name="Centurión" />
* [[José Mujica]], [[Uruguay|Uruguayan]] politician and president.<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 August 2010|title=Lugo entrega a Mujica Orden Nacional al Mérito Mcal. Francisco Solano López|url=https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/lugo-entrega-a-mujica-orden-nacional-al-merito-mcal-francisco-solano-lopez-147502.html|access-date=2020-06-24|website=ABC Color|language=es}}</ref>
* [[Aloysio Nunes]], [[Brazil|Brazilian]] politician.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canciller Loizaga impuso la condecoración con la Orden Nacional al Mérito en el grado de Gran Cruz Extraordinaria al Canciller Nunes Ferreira del Brasil|url=https://www.mre.gov.py/index.php/noticias/canciller-loizaga-impuso-la-condecoracion-con-la-orden-nacional-al-merito-en-el-grado-de-gran-cruz-extraordinaria-al-canciller-n?ccm_paging_p=6|access-date=2020-06-24|website=Portal Oficial del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de la República del Paraguay|language=es}}</ref>
* [[Domingo Antonio Ortiz]], Paraguayan naval officer of the [[Triple Alliance War]].<ref name="Memorias">{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/memoriasdelaguerracontralatriplealianza/posts/2843183065915064/|title=CAPITAN DE NAVÍO DOMINGO ANTONIO ORTIZ|website=Facebook|access-date=2 January 2024}}</ref>
* [[Berta Rojas]], Paraguayan musician.<ref>{{Cite web|date=12 January 2017|title=La guitarrista Berta Rojas recibe la máxima condecoración de la Cancillería paraguaya|url=https://www.efe.com/efe/america/cultura/la-guitarrista-berta-rojas-recibe-maxima-condecoracion-de-cancilleria-paraguaya/20000009-3147050|access-date=2020-06-24|website=Agencia EFE|language=es}}</ref>
* [[Luis Szarán]], Paraguayan musician.<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 October 2016|title=El canciller paraguayo condecora al director de orquesta Luis Szarán y al pintor Koki Ruiz|url=https://www.efe.com/efe/cono-sur/cultura/el-canciller-paraguayo-condecora-al-director-de-orquesta-luis-szaran-y-pintor-koki-ruiz/50000756-3067292|access-date=2020-06-24|website=Agencia EFE|language=es}}</ref>
*[[Lotte Schulz]], Paraguayan artist.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cáceres|first=Rocío|date=24 January 2016|title=El arte paraguayo está de luto con la partida de la gran artista Lotte Schulz|url=https://www.ultimahora.com/el-arte-paraguayo-esta-luto-la-partida-la-gran-artista-lotte-schulz-n961498.html|access-date=2020-06-22|website=Ultima Hora|language=es-ES}}</ref>
*[[Peter Tomlinson (admiral)|Peter Tomlinson]], [[South Africa|South African]] admiral.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=December 2012|title=Obituaries|url=https://www.bishops.org.za/magazine/Dec2012/OD.pdf|journal=Old Diocesans Union|pages=144}}</ref>
*[[Augusto Pinochet]], Chilean dictator.<ref name="PinochetOrders">{{Cite web|title=Biografía de los miembros de la Junta de Gobierno |url=http://www.memoriachilena.cl/archivos2/pdfs/MC0053665.pdf |website=memoriachilena.cl|access-date=13 January 2015}}</ref>
* [[Fumihito, Prince Akishino]], Japanese Crown Prince.<ref name="The Nikkei">{{Cite news|author=|url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUE0533E0V01C21A0000000/|title=眞子さま、パラグアイから勲章 外国から初めて|newspaper=[[The Nikkei]]|publisher=|date=2021-10-05|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005090712/https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUE0533E0V01C21A0000000/|archivedate=2021-10-05}}</ref>
* former [[Mako Komuro|Princess Mako of Akishino]], Japanese Princess.<ref name="The Nikkei"/>


<gallery>
File:Paraguay Order of Merit Grand Cross breast star.png|Grand Cross grade of the order.
File:Paraguay Order of Merit Grand Cross set.png|Set of insignia of the Grand Cross.
File:Paraguay Order of Merit Grand Cross badge (obverse).png|Grand Cross badge (obverse).
File:Paraguay Order of Merit Grand Cross badge (reverse).png|Grand Cross badge (reverse).
File:Cordon of Francisco Solano López (Paraguay) - Memorial JK - Brasilia - DSC00452.JPG|[[Collar (order)|Collar]] of the order of [[Francisco Solano López]].
</gallery>

== References ==
<!--- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes on how to create references using <ref></ref> tags, these references will then appear here automatically -->
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.medals.org.uk/paraguay/paraguay002.htm Republic of Paraguay: National Order of Merit]

<!--- Categories --->
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1865 establishments in South America]]
[[Category:Awards established in 1865]]
[[Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of Paraguay]]
[[Category:Orders of merit]]