ASUNCION: Paraguayans on Sunday elected a president from the rightwing Colorado Party and rejecting a center-left challenger who had railed against corruption in the country. Former finance minister Santiago Pena won the polls, result suggested with 90 percent of ballots counted.
Santiago Pena wins election in Paraguay
According to AFP, Efrain Alegre of the Concertacion center-left party garnered 27.5 percent despite having had a narrow lead in opinion polls ahead of elections.
The rightwing Colorado Party has governed continually since 1947 — through a dictatorship and democracy, but has been contaminated by corruption claims.
Recently, former president and Colorado Party leader Horacio Cartes, was sanctioned by the US over graft.
Some 4.8 million of Paraguay’s 7.5 million populations were eligible to cast vote for a president to replace Abdo Benitez, leaving office following a constitutionally term, in a single-round, winner-takes all polls. They also voted for new legislators.
