Paraguay’s long-ruling party takes big lead in early returns

By DÉBORA REY
Associated Press

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay (AP) — Paraguay’s long-governing Colorado Party appears headed to extending its hold on Paraguayan politics as early returns from Sunday’s election givea substantial lead to its presidential candidate, Santiago Peña. With almost two-thirds of voting places reporting, Peña has almost 45% of the vote. That compares to nearly 28% for Efraín Alegre, the candidate of the Pact for a New Paraguay, a broad-based opposition coalition that hoped to end Colorado’s reign. Before the vote, analysts had said the race looked to be tight because of public discontent. They predicted Alegre could have a chance of unseating South America’s longest-governing party, which has essentially ruled Paraguay uninterrupted since 1947.