Conservative Benitez wins Paraguay election

Asuncion, April 23 

Paraguay’s Mario Abdo Benitez, who represents the country’s long-dominant Colorado conservatives, was elected as president, landing the top job in one of Latin America’s poorest countries.

The US-educated son of a senior aide to the country’s late dictator, Abdo Benitez won slightly more than 46% of the vote, with his centrist opponent Efrain Alegre taking almost 43%  in a race that was far closer than expected.

Greeting thousands of excited supporters outside the party headquarters, Abdo Benitez pledged to win the trust of those who did not vote for him. Through the election, Paraguay had “set an example” and shown that “democracy is well established” in the country, he said, before paying homage to his father, whom he described as “a great member” of the Colorado party.

Landlocked Paraguay-sandwiched between Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil-has enjoyed consistent economic growth under tobacco magnate Cartes, but has failed to shake off persistent poverty, corruption and drug trafficking.

It remains a land of contrasts, still marked by the 1954-1989 dictatorship of General Stroessner. — AFP