The party was established in 2002, although its predecessor, the Unión Nacional de Colorados Éticos, was founded in 1996 as a faction within the ruling Colorado party. It first contested national elections in 2003,[4] when it won 10 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and seven in the Senate, becoming the joint-third largest party. Its candidate in the presidential election, Guillermo Sánchez, finished fourth with 13.9% of the vote.
In January 2008, Lino Oviedo, who was released from prison in September 2007, was nominated unopposed as the party's presidential candidate for the April elections.[5] In the elections the party won 15 seats in the Chamber and nine in the Senate, whilst Oviedo finished third with 22.8% of the vote.