Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes said Monday he will no longer seek re-election next year, after his bid to change the constitution triggered deadly riots.

Cartes said in a statement he will "in no event" try to run in the April 2018 vote, amid a political crisis unleashed by a push to allow presidents to stand for re-election -- a taboo in the South American country since the 35-year dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner ended in 1989.