Santiago Peña is the new president of Paraguay: who is the politician, and what does he propose?

By Daniel Salazar Castellanos

Paraguayans elected this Sunday the candidate of the ruling Colorado party, Santiago Peña, as their new president in an election marked by crossed accusations of vote inducement and in which continuity prevailed.

Peña, 44 years old, defeated liberal opponent Efraín Alegre in the eighth election since the end of Alfredo Stroessner’s dictatorship (1954-1989).

This was the third attempt by Alegre, a lawyer from the Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, to become President of Paraguay, a landlocked country of about 6.7 million inhabitants.

In 76 years, the Colorado party has only once lost a presidential election, when former bishop Fernando Lugo won in 2008.

However, he was ousted in 2012 amid a political crisis in that country.

Paraguay’s economic growth has averaged around 1.2% in the last five years, and nearly a quarter of its 7.5 million inhabitants live in poverty.

After the results were released, the country’s president, Mario Abdo Benítez, wrote on Twitter:

“Congratulations to the Paraguayan people for their great participation in this election day and to president-elect Santiago Peña.”

“We will work to initiate an orderly and transparent transition, strengthening our institutions and the country’s democracy.”

Paraguayans voted for the new president of the Republic as well as governors, senators, and deputies.

An estimated 4.8 million Paraguayans were called to vote.

Polls opened at 7:00 am local time and closed at 4:00 pm.

During the day, Efraín Alegre denounced that armed people, “who are of course backing continuity,” took over an armed polling station in Yby Pytá.

WHAT IS THE TRAJECTORY OF SANTIAGO PEÑA, THE NEW PRESIDENT OF PARAGUAY?

From 2000 to 2009, he was part of the Department of Monetary Studies and the Department of Open Market Operations of the Central Bank of Paraguay.

From 2009 to 2012, he was a member of the African Department and an analyst at the Industrial Development Fund of the International Monetary Fund in Washington.

Santiago Peña was the Minister of Finance of Paraguay (2015-2017) during the Administration of Horacio Cartes. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP).

Paraguay’s new president is a Catholic University of Asuncion graduate and holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University in the US.

Peña came to the polls with a technocrat image, and his figure represents a renewal for his party amid the questioning of several of its main figures.

In January of this year, the US sanctioned the country’s current vice-president, Hugo Velázquez, and former president Horacio Cartes (2013-2018) for their “involvement in systematic corruption that has undermined democratic institutions in Paraguay”, according to the US State Department.

Cartes allegedly took advantage for over a decade of his “illegitimately acquired wealth and influence to expand his political and economic power in Paraguayan institutions,” specifically to allegedly bribe legislators.

Velazquez was also associated with bribery and influence peddling “to interfere in legal proceedings and protect himself and his criminal associates from criminal investigations, including by bribing and threatening those who might expose his criminal activity.”

WHAT ARE SANTIAGO PEÑA’S PROPOSALS IN PARAGUAY?

Peña proposes to generate 500,000 new jobs in the country and improve the healthcare system by creating five large regional hospitals and a free daycare program for women mothers.

According to his government program, he also proposes a program to combat addictions that includes education, rehabilitation, reinsertion, and prosecution of the centers of sale.

In addition, the candidate announced the “Che Roga Pora” program, which will seek more families to have access to their own homes through flexible loans and social housing.

He has also pledged to lower the price of products such as gas, which would positively impact food prices.

Santiago Peña promised to preserve the alliance with Taiwan, which dates back to 1957.

“We have a historic relationship with Taiwan, a bond that does not have to change.”

“Our challenge is to continue opening up to the world so that Paraguayans are better off,” said the politician.

WHO IS FORMER CANDIDATE EFRAIN ALEGRE?

Alegre, current president of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, has a master’s degree in Political Science from the National University of Asuncion and completed a postgraduate course in Community Law at the University of Salamanca, Spain.

From 1991 to 1993, Alegre was the judge and coordinator of the Misdemeanor Courts of the Municipality of Asunción.

From 2008-2013 he was elected senator, although he retired to serve as Minister of Public Works and Communications until 2011.

The 60-year-old politician has an extensive academic career as he was a professor for almost a decade at the Universidad del Norte (Uninorte) in the chairs of Political Law and Constitutional Law.

He also lectured at the University of Salamanca.

He ventured into the business world in 2013 with the fish breeding company Pypces SA.

Efraín Alegre’s program for the Presidency included promoting inclusive economic growth, strengthening economic and social institutions, effective social policies, and prioritizing Information and Communication Technologies, according to his government program.

He pledged to preserve macroeconomic stability, ensuring fiscal performance (tax and tariff collections) “is related to broad-based growth, the generation of quality jobs and sustainable public debt management”.

He also promised to “implement an adequate supervision of the financial system to ensure its solvency, cleanliness, competitiveness and inclusiveness”, diversify national production, and optimize public spending.

With information from Bloomberg