Conservative economist wins Paraguay's presidential election

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Economist and former Finance Minister Santiago Pena from the right-wing Colorado Party won Paraguay´s presidential election Sunday, beating center-left opposition candidate Efrain Alegre.

With more than 99% of the votes counted, the results showed Pena winning with 42.7%. Alegre, from the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, came in second with 27.4%. There is no run-off election in Paraguay, which means the president and vice president are elected by the majority of votes. Nearly 5 million people were eligible to vote in Sunday's general election, in which members of Congress and governors were also elected.

With this victory, the ruling conservative Colorado Party will maintain its decades-long hold on power, despite internal conflicts and corruption allegations against the country's former president and current party leader, Horacio Cartes.

"Thanks to those who gave us their dreams, trusted in this project, placed their hopes so that we could be better off, and we are going to be better off," said Pena. “Thank you for this Colorado victory, thank you for this Paraguayan victory,” he added.

Alegre admitted defeat.

"We have not been able to reach the requested goal of change," he said.

Current President Mario Abdo Benitez also congratulated Pena on Twitter.

"Congratulations to the Paraguayan people for their great participation in this election day and to president-elect Santiago Pena. We will work to initiate an orderly and transparent transition that strengthens our institutions and the country's democracy," he said on Twitter.

Pena will be inaugurated on Aug. 15 for a five-year term.

The presidential campaign touched on controversial foreign policy issues, including the South American country's relations with Taiwan.

Alegre criticized this relationship, saying it has made it tough for the country to export soy and beef to China, a major global buyer.

However, Taiwan's embassy in Paraguay congratulated Pena on his election win.

"We will continue to work on this fruitful relationship of prosperity partners," the embassy said in a short statement on its Facebook page.

Paraguay is one of just 13 nations that maintains ties with Taiwan and its only diplomatic ally in South America.