Paraguay: Mr. Santiago Pena, a 44-year-old economist and former finance minister, has been elected as Paraguay’s president, bringing the conservative Colorado Party back into power after a closely fought election campaign that threatened to end its seven-decade rule.

According to the electoral body, Mr. Pena had secured 42.7 percent of the vote, with a lead of over 15 points over his centre-left opponent, Mr. Efrain Alegre, a 60-year-old lawyer from the Concertacion coalition. Some 4.8 million out of the 7.5 million eligible voters participated in the election.

“Thank you for this Colorado victory. Thank you for this Paraguayan victory,” Mr. Pena stated.

“We have a lot to do after the last years of economic stagnation and fiscal deficit; the task that awaits us is not for a single person or for a party,” Mr. Pena added in his victory speech, calling for “unity and consensus.”

Mr. Alegre had a narrow lead in the polls leading up to the vote, raising the possibility of unseating the Colorado Party, which has governed almost continuously since 1947.

The two leading candidates were socially conservative, with both defending strong anti-abortion rights and anti-gay marriage stances in the predominantly Catholic nation, even though they differed on economic and international policies.

After his win, Mr. Pena remarked that he was celebrating the victory of a people who had chosen the path of social peace, dialogue, fraternity, and national reconciliation. On the other hand, Mr. Alegre conceded defeat, saying that the effort was not enough.

Additionally, the leader of the Concertacion coalition had promised to reconsider Paraguay’s relationship with Taiwan, while Mr. Pena had vowed to maintain ties, as Paraguay is one of only 13 countries that recognise Taipei over Beijing.

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