Dhe candidate of the long-standing governing party has won the presidential election in Paraguay. Santiago Peña (44) from the conservative Colorado party achieved 42.8 percent of the votes after counting almost all ballot papers, the national elections authority announced on Sunday (local time).
MP Efraín Alegre (60), who was nominated by several opposition parties and who was about the same in polls, came up with 27.5 percent. The candidate Payo Cubas (61), who appeared as a critic of the system, took third place, all other applicants were far behind.
Colorada Party almost always in power
In the past 76 years, the Partido Colorado has lost just one election in the South American country. She was not in power from 2008 to 2013. Five years ago, Alegre lost to Mario Abdo Benítez, the outgoing incumbent. Abdo Benítez was not allowed to stand again for constitutional reasons. The president is only allowed one term.
Peña used to be finance minister and above all wants to promote the country’s economic development. Opposition candidate Alegre had tried to score points with allegations of bribery against the ruling party’s leadership.
Paraguay has almost seven million inhabitants and, along with Bolivia, is the only country in South America without access to the sea. The main exports are soy, electricity and beef. During the corona pandemic, numerous opponents of vaccination emigrated from Germany to Paraguay.
Paraguay does not recognize the People’s Republic of China
Paraguay is the only country in South America that does not have diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, but with the Republic of China, as Taiwan’s official state name is. In the run-up to the election, there had been speculation as to whether a new government could change this.
In addition to the president, the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies and the governors were also newly elected on Sunday. According to the electoral authority, the Colorado party also appeared to have defended its majority in parliament.
