2023-04-30 13:39:51
This Sunday, the 4.7 million Paraguayan citizens authorized to vote go to the polls to choose the new president who will occupy that position for the next four years and to renew the officials of Congress.
On this occasion, the victory is disputed between the official candidate, santiago penaand the opponent Ephraim Alegre, who is expected to surprise even though Peña is the favourite. In Paraguay there is no second roundTherefore, the person who obtains the most votes will take office as President on August 15.
The elections in Paraguayan territory began at 7 in the morning (08:00 in Argentina) and the candidate for the National Republican Association (ANR), better known as the Colorado partywas the official Santiago Peña, who voted around 9 in the morning in Asunción and affirmed that he hopes to win with 50% of the votes.
“My greatest ambition is to be able to win the majority of the Paraguayan vote”expressed upon arrival at the polling place, alleging that the Colorado Party “is at its best moment” and added: “I hope it’s a civic party”.
In turn, after casting his vote, Peña stated through his Twitter account: “I already voted. Today we Paraguayans choose what kind of country we want“. In addition, he encouraged citizens to go to the polls: “Your vote is important, I went out to vote to be better.”
santiago penathe official candidate, is a 44-year-old economist years that seeks to retain in power the Colorado Party, which governed 65 of the last 69 years. While his main opponent, Ephraim Alegreit’s a 60 year old lawyer who leads the Coalition National Coalition that brings together parties of the left, of the center and of the right.
Alegre voted shortly after his main rival, maintained that it is a “time for change” and assured “We need to address social problems”. “We know that continuity points to low participation to have an opportunity, high participation gives us the guarantee,” she explained.
“We are very enthusiastic, inviting people to come out and participate. We both started with a space for prayer, reflection, placing ourselves in God’s hands and hoping that the results are the best for Paraguay“he said for his part Soledad Nunezwho accompanies Alegre as a vice-presidential candidate.
Along the same lines, he added: “Our country needs us, democracy depends on participation and if we want a change in our country we have to go out and vote”.
Paraguayan opposition dreams of dethroning divided Colorado party for second time in 76 years
On the other hand, the candidate denounced the “kidnapping at gunpoint” of representatives of his political space in Yby Pytã, one of the districts that he pointed out as affected by organized crime and drug trafficking and made an urgent appeal to the security forces.
However, Commissioner Emilio Alfonso, head of Prevention of Canindeyú of the National Police, denied that Alegre’s complaint is true and, in dialogue with Monumental 1080 AM, stated: “There was a kind of blow-out discussion, but it didn’t go any further. As for the firearm, it is totally false.”
“We do not have any reports of attorneys kidnapped with a firearm”insisted
Scenario after the elections
More than 4.7 million citizens were empowered to vote in the 17 departments of Paraguay and it will be in their hands to define who will be the new president, the new governors and the next members of Congress.
According to several surveys, the vote will be very close between the official candidate, santiago penaand the opponent Ephraim Alegrewho is already on his third attempt to reach the presidential chair.
The difficult economic situation that affects many Paraguayan citizens as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise in prices due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, together with allegations of corruption, were the main issues on which the electoral campaign revolved.
The one who obtains the victory must face from August 15 to a adjustment to avoid a growth in the fiscal deficit, which was 3.0% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022 at the hands of a inflation of 8.1% and an economy that last year only grew by 0.2%.
For his part, Peña, who is part of a party that has governed for the past seven decades, with the exception of a brief period between 2008 and 2013, promised “more money in the pockets” of Paraguayans through job creation and the formalization of the economy.
On the other hand, Alegre, at the head of the center-left National Concertation alliance, assured that he will lower electricity rates, fight corruption and turn the country’s relations with Taiwan around, in favor of China. “We are going to defeat Pablo Escobar Gaviria from Paraguay and his Chili called Santiago Peña”held.
The polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. and are scheduled to close at 4:00 p.m. local time, which is equivalent to 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. in Argentina. In turn, the preliminary results they will be known from 6pm Paraguay (19:00 AR).
AS.
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