The demonstrations occurred in response to a constitutional amendment that would permit President Horacio Cartes to run for re-election,[2] a move described by the opposition as "a coup".

[7] In order for the amendment to be ratified, it needed to pass in the lower house, on paper a likely outcome in a chamber where the Colorado Party controlled 44 of 80 seats.

[7] On 28 March, a discussion in the Congress ended with shouts in the corridors of the Legislative Palace of Asunción between left-wing senators and conservatives of the Colorado Party that were divided into two factions: government officials, who support the re-election of Cartes, and dissidents, who reject it.

This also coincided with a meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank in Asunción, which brought thousands of foreign business people and government officials to the Paraguayan capital.

[4][12][13] As in Asunción, in the early hours of 1 April 2017, Ciudad del Este was the scene of police repression against anti-amendment protesters who congregated at the head of the Friendship Bridge.

[14] In the early hours of 1 April 2017, members of the mounted group of the National Police of Paraguay attacked the headquarters of the ABC Color newspaper with both rubber and live ammunition.

[30][31] The Governor of the Presidente Hayes Department Antonio Saldívar condemned and lamented "the terrible act of the security organisms" that killed Quintana.

"[34] In the Sunday mass in the Catholic church of the city of Acahay, the pastor Elamidio Sandoval questioned the last events registered in the country because of the "ambition" of re-electionists.

[36] Conversely, President Cartes released a statement on Twitter, in response to the protests: "Democracy is not conquered or defended with violence and you can be sure this government will continue to put its best effort into maintaining order in the republic.

[38][39] Much like President Cartes, the Colorado Party blamed opposition politicians and the media for the protests in the Congress, the subsequent acts of violence, and the death of Quintana.

[42][43] Former President of Paraguay and Senator Fernando Lugo issued a statement via YouTube where he criticized the events in Congress, appealed for peace and made a nod to the referendum.

"[48] On 1 April, President Cartes dismissed Interior Minister Rojas and Commander of the National Police Críspulo Sotelo after the death of Quintana.

[57][58] On 3 April 2017, hundreds of protesters demonstrated in the Plaza de Armas near the Paraguayan Congress, demanding the withdrawal of the constitutional amendment proposed by the Colorado Party, while also denouncing the violence that occurred on 31 March.

[60][61] Students gathered in the Plaza de las Américas of Asunción to march to Mburuvicha Róga, the official residence of the President of Paraguay.

[61][62] On 5 April, a student assembly took place in Itacurubí del Rosario, San Pedro Department, where, despite heavy rain, they expressed their rejection of the proposed constitutional amendment promoted by Cartes' supporters.

[64] A group of citizens placed a plaque in one of the pillars of a new "super viaduct" located between the avenues Madame Lynch and Aviadores del Chaco in Asunción to "name" it in honor of Quintana.

[65] Hundreds of Paraguayan citizens took to the streets of several cities in the interior of the country simultaneously to raise their voice of protest against the constitutional amendment that plans to implement the presidential reelection.

[66][67] Members of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) demonstrated peacefully by closing roads en route to Yasy Cañy, Canindeyú Department.

[68] Paraguayan singer Andrea Valobra decided not to act in front of President Cartes as part of the Assembly of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) that is being held in Asunción.

Many legislators have been surprised in parks and shopping malls where people have spontaneously shown up to express their disgust and discontent for the support to the constitutional amendment.

[73][74] On 17 April 2017, President Cartes announced through a note sent to the metropolitan archbishop of the Archdiocese of Asunción, Monsignor Edmundo Valenzuela, that he would not run for a second term even if the amendment passed.

[76] Despite President Cartes' statements, on 19 April, 44 deputies from the lower house of the Congress of Paraguay voted in favor of continuing to give legal course to the constitutional amendment of presidential reelection, which was reported to have aroused complaints among Paraguayan citizens in social networks.