By Canadian Press

Paraguay’s long-ruling party takes big lead in early returns

Apr 30, 2023 | 5:25 PM

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay (AP) — The long-governing Colorado Party appeared headed to extending its hold on Paraguayan politics as early returns from Sunday’s election gave a substantial lead to its presidential candidate, Santiago Peña.

With almost two-thirds of voting places reporting, Peña had almost 45% of the vote, compared to nearly 28% for Efraín Alegre, the candidate of the Pact for a New Paraguay, a broad-based opposition coalition that hoped to end Colorado’s reign.

Before the vote, analysts said the race looked to be tight because of public discontent and predicted Alegre could have a chance of unseating South America’s longest-governing party, which has essentially ruled Paraguay uninterrupted since 1947.

Paraguay doesn’t have a runoff, so whoever of the 13 candidates received the most votes would be the next president.

Voters were also casting ballots for members of Congress.

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“Today is the day we have to be protagonists in the construction of the future of the nation,” outgoing President Mario Abdo Benítez said after casting his ballot.

The opposition sought to capitalize on widespread anger over high levels of corruption and deficiencies in the health and education systems that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Paraguay has a relatively stable economy, but with high levels of poverty.

Peña was finance minister in the 2013-2018 government of powerful former President Horacio Cartes, who has been accused of corruption and links to terrorism by the United States.

Appealing to voters Sunday by highlighting his party’s experience in governing, Peña said, “The choice is between a Paraguay that plans for the great leap forward into the future it needs or a country that is navigated by improvisation.”

Alegre, a lawyer who heads the Liberal party, the second-largest political force in Congress, was making his third bid for the presidency, though this time he represented a mix of political parties.

Paraguay is the only remaining country in South America to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and those ties also became an issue in the election.

Alegre called for the relations to be reviewed, saying they are too costly. Peña defended Paraguay’s relationship with Taiwan, but said he would seek more trade with China, without explaining how that would come about.

Peña’s presidential campaign was hampered by U.S. sanctions on Cartes for alleged bribery and ties to Hezbollah, which Washington designates as a terrorist group. The sanctions blocked Cartes, who is president of the Colorado Party, from the U.S. financial system and cut off funding and loans for the party’s campaign.

“Cartes was the financing chief of the Colorado Party. The cash box was left empty,” said Diego Abete Brun, a political science professor who heads the Latin American and Hemispheric Studies program at George Washington University. He had expected a close contest.

Peña called the accusations against Cartes “groundless,” while Alegre sought to turn the claims against the Colorado Party.

“Our adversary is not the Colorado Party but the dirty money of organized crime,” Alegre told reporters.

There appeared to be a big turnout Sunday with long lines at polling stations. Some people complained of delays and difficulties with the electronic voting system.

“Generally, we Paraguayans like to stay in our homes and watch TV. But surprisingly and at such an early hour there are many people, obviously there is an expectation,” Jorgelina Bogarín said after voting at a school in Asunción.

Bogarín said she thought many people were weary of Colorado. “It is the same, the same model whatever the color. The same corrupt structure,” she said.

Débora Rey, The Associated Press