Santiago Pena, the Colorado Party candidate, has been declared the winner of Paraguay’s presidential election held on Sunday, making him the country’s next president. Preliminary results indicate that Pena secured 42.9% of the vote while his primary rival, Efrain Alegre, the center-left opposition candidate, obtained 27.5%, with over 95% of the votes tallied.
In his victory speech, Pena expressed gratitude for the support and thanked the people for their “Colorado victory” and “Paraguayan victory.” The election was closely monitored to see if the conservative Colorado Party could keep its grip on power, which has lasted for several decades.
The election was also seen as a litmus test of Paraguay’s 70-year relationship with Taiwan, as some candidates proposed revisiting diplomatic ties. In a brief statement posted on its Facebook page, Taiwan’s embassy in Paraguay congratulated Pena on his victory and stated its intention to continue cultivating a “fruitful relationship of prosperity partners.”
Before the polls opened, both Alegre and Pena urged Paraguayans to vote, a message reiterated by the outgoing President, Mario Abdo Benitez, who is constitutionally restricted to a single term. Approximately 5 million people were eligible to vote in the general election, which included selecting a new president, Congress members, and governors. Voter turnout was placed at over 63% by election officials.
Paraguay is among the few countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a nation that China claims as its own. Most of Taiwan’s major supporters, including the United States, Germany, and all of NATO, have formal diplomatic ties with China, rather than Taiwan. Beijing demands that its prospective partners choose between it and Taipei.
Opposition leader Alegre criticized this relationship, which has made it difficult for Paraguay to export soy and beef to China, a major global buyer, amidst a slowing economy. Alegre also claimed that Latin America, which is heavily reliant on agriculture, does not receive enough benefits from Taipei.
On the other hand, the Colorado Party’s Pena has vowed to maintain ties with Taiwan.
For nearly 75 years, the Colorado Party has been the dominant force in Paraguayan politics, with only five years of non-rule since the 1950s.
Nonetheless, the party has been suffering from both economic troubles and accusations of corruption in recent times.
During several election rallies, Alegre highlighted the corruption allegations surrounding the Colorado Party. One figure he often mentioned was party leader Horacio Cartes, who resigned as vice president last year after being sanctioned by the US Treasury. However, Cartes has denied any involvement in corruption.
