ASUNCION, Paraguay (AFP) – Paraguay’s leftist opposition coalition and long-ruling, conservative Colorado Party held primary elections on Sunday to pick their candidates for the April 2023 vote to replace outgoing President Mario Abdo Benitez.
Economist Santiago Pena, 44, was elected to lead the Colorado Party, which has been in power for more than 70 years, except for one term from 2008-2012.
The leftist opposition coalition, led by the Liberal Party, chose veteran politician Efrain Alegre, 59.
President Abdo Benitez of the Colorado Party, elected to a five-year term in 2018, is not allowed by law to stand for re-election — a taboo concept in the South American country since the 35-year dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner ended in 1989.
Riots broke out in the country in 2017 when the legislature attempted to remove presidential term limits, with police shooting dead one opposition activist while hundreds of others were injured.
Pena had been supported by former president Horacio Cartes, a rival of Abdo Benitez within the Colorado Party.
“Let’s be magnanimous and let’s embrace with all Colorados,” said Cartes in a message of unity directed at Abdo Benitez after the vote.
Opposition spokesman Carlos Filizzola pointed to a likely major campaign theme leading up to the April 30, 2023 election: corruption allegations made by the United States against Cartes and incumbent Vice President Hugo Velazquez.
“In April, Paraguayans have two options, either they vote for a narco-state, with corrupt launderers linked to organized crime, or they vote for a clean country, for the country we want,” he said.
In addition to the presidential vote next year, Paraguay will also hold congressional, gubernatorial and local elections.
© Agence France-Presse