Lugo's Victory Ends
61-Year Reign of
Paraguay's Ruling Party
The victory of former
Catholic bishop Fernando
Armindo Lugo Mendez in
Paraguay's presidential
election Sunday marks
the end of the Colorado
Party's rule of more
than six decades in the
South American country.
Lugo, from the Patriotic
Alliance for Change, won
40.7 percent of votes, a
lead of 10 percentage
points over closest
rival Blanca Ovelar, a
formal education
minister from the ruling
Colorado Party,
preliminary electoral
results showed.
Analysts say a number of
factors contributed to
Lugo's victory,
including the Colorado
Party's poor execution
of policies and cracks
within its ranks, as
well as Lugo's personal
charisma.
The Colorado Party has
governed Paraguay since
the 1940s. However, its
rule of more than half a
century did not produce
economic prosperity and
social progress for the
country.
Recent years, in
particular, have seen
remarkably slow economic
growth, making Paraguay
one of the least
developed nations in
South America.
The gap between the rich
and the poor has
continued to widen, with
the latter making up as
much 40 percent of
Paraguay's population.
Moreover, charges of
corruption among
government officials
have heavily damaged the
reputation of the
Colorado Party for
voters.
Dissatisfied with the
present situation, the
people of Paraguay have
given a strident call
for change by unseating
the ruling party.
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