ASUNCION, Paraguay ¨C Paraguay¡¯s ruling candidate Santiago Pena, 44, scored a big win in the country¡¯s presidential election on Sunday, tightening the conservative Colorado Party¡¯s political grip in the country and defusing fears about the end of diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Pena, who has pledged to maintain Paraguay¡¯s long-standing Taiwan relations, had 42.7% of the vote with over 99% of ballots counted, a more than 15-point lead over center-left rival Efrain Alegre, who has argued for switching the country¡¯s allegiance to China.
¡°Thank you for this Colorado victory, thank you for this Paraguayan victory,¡± Pena said in a speech. Alegre acknowledged the result. Current President Mario Abdo congratulated Pena as ¡°president-elect,¡± as did the leaders of Brazil and Argentina.
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