2008 Paraguayan general election

Presidential candidates and campaigning

The following candidates ran for president:

• Fernando Lugo, Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC)
• Lino Oviedo, National Union of Ethical Citizens (UNACE)
• Blanca Ovelar, Colorado Party (ANR-PC)
• , Beloved Fatherland Party (PPQ)

The incumbent president, Nicanor Duarte Frutos, was barred by the Constitution from running for reelection and instead supported his education secretary, Blanca Ovelar. Initial results in the Colorado Party's December 2007 primary showed Ovelar defeating former Vice President Luis Castiglioni, but the result was disputed, leading to a recount. On 21 January 2008, the Colorado Party electoral commission announced that Ovelar had won with 45.04% of the vote against 44.5% for Castiglioni, although Castiglioni continued to claim victory, alleging that 30,000 votes in his favor were "stolen", and said that he would take the matter to court. Ovelar said that her campaign would shift its focus from the "cruel primary campaign" to the general election and that her platform prioritized "fight against poverty and to the creation of jobs".

Lugo is a former bishop who resigned from the priesthood in December 2006 in preparation for his presidential bid. As a priest, he required a permit from the Vatican to become directly involved in politics prior to 2006. However, the Paraguayan constitution prohibits ministers of any faith from standing as a political candidate. Despite his resignation, the Vatican regards priesthood as a lifelong commitment but has suspended him from his duties.

As bishop of San Pedro, a poor region, for ten years beginning in 1994, his support for landless peasants earned him a reputation as "the bishop of the poor". According to Lugo, he believes "in the people's self-determination and in recovering sovereignty and independence". Lugo is backed by the Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC), which includes both left and right wing groups, notably the conservative Authentic Radical Liberal Party. President Duarte caused controversy just before the election by telling the Ultima Hora newspaper that Lugo "probably sells himself" for money from Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

Ovelar, the Colorado candidate, said that she knew "what the people need and what has to be done". She said that she would focus on job creation and the strengthening of agricultural cooperatives, hoping to reduce the number of Paraguayans who emigrate for economic reasons. According to Ovelar, Paraguay has "new needs that were not obvious before ... and they require the touch of a woman". If elected, Ovelar would have been Paraguay's first female president.

Lino Oviedo's conviction for 1996 mutiny was overturned by the Supreme Court in October 2007, leaving him free to run for president. In January 2008 he was nominated as the candidate of his party, the National Union of Ethical Citizens, without opposition.

Ovelar held her last campaign rally in Asunción on 16 April. Along with Oviedo and Fadul, she participated in a last televised debate in the early afternoon of 17 April; Lugo did not participate, and Ovelar criticized him for this. Lugo held his last rally in Asunción later that night, with about 15,000 supporters present.

Opinion polls

A poll from September 2007 saw a three-way race develop between Lugo, Oviedo and the ANR-PC candidate.

A poll from November 2007 saw Lugo lead with over 40%, with Oviedo in second place and Castiglioni or Ovelar (it was still undetermined which of the pair would run) in third place.

A poll from March 2008 saw two way developing with Lugo in the lead with 31%, Ovelar in second place with 27% and Oviedo in third place with 24%. A poll from 5 April 2008 saw Lugo and Ovelar in a statistical dead heat with Lugo in the lead with 30.9%, Ovelar in second with 30.1%, and Oviedo in third with 21.4%. More than 10% remained undecided.

Results

Shortly after the election, with results from 13,000 of 14,000 polling stations counted, Lugo had 41% of the vote against 31% for Ovelar and 22% for Oviedo. Lugo's supporters celebrated in the streets of Asunción, and he declared that "today we've written a new chapter in our nation's political history". Ovelar conceded defeat, acknowledging that Lugo's lead was unassailable.

In the gubernatorial election, the ANR won nine departments, the PLRA seven and the APC one.

In August, shortly before taking office, Lugo struck a deal with Oviedo, enabling him to govern with a parliamentary majority. Together, the Authentic Liberal Radical Party and National Union for Ethical Citizens will hold 25 out of 45 Senate seats and 44 out of 80 House of Representatives seats.

Lugo was sworn in as president on 15 August 2008.

President

Chamber of Deputies

Senate

References

References

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2. "OAS mission highlights Paraguayan voters great participation – People's Daily Online".
3. [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/08DD092B-1D22-4E63-A95E-B43AC626DE2F.htm "Opposition wins Paraguay polls"], Al Jazeera, 21 April 2008.
4. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/17/america/LA-POL-Paraguay-Election.php "Woman leads Paraguay ruling party's presidential primary"], Associated Press (''International Herald Tribune''), 17 December 2007.
5. [http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/2008/01/14/139039/Once-jailed-Paraguayan.htm "Once-jailed Paraguayan army chief nominated for opposition run for president"] {{Webarchive. link. (1 February 2014 , Associated Press (''The China Post''), 14 January 2008.)
6. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/22/news/Paraguay-Presidential-Race.php "Paraguay nominates first woman for president, ruling party schism threatens bid"], Associated Press (''International Herald Tribune''), 22 January 2008.
7. (17 December 2006). "Polls & Research: Lugo-Oviedo is Preferred Ticket in Paraguay". Angus Reid Global Monitor.
8. James Painter. (17 April 2008). "Paraguay election: Key candidates". BBC News.
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10. [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A30DEB57-3D42-477A-B8C9-9769BE06944B.htm "Paraguayans head to the polls"], Al Jazeera, 20 April 2008.
11. Faries, Bill. (11 February 2015). "Paraguay's Oviedo Cleared to Run for Presidency, Nacion Says".
12. (15 February 2013). "Lino Oviedo: Politician who helped lead the 1989 coup in Paraguay".
13. {{usurped
14. {{usurped
15. "Lugo Ahead of Ovelar and Oviedo in Paraguay: Angus Reid Global Monitor".
16. "Lugo Barely Ahead as Paraguay Vote Looms: Angus Reid Global Monitor".
17. "Nicanor reconoce la derrota del Partido Colorado".
18. "Archived copy".
19. Pedro Servin, [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hI2vMWrG_uH7XSdxS98hHUoFIZJwD92HIJJ00 "Paraguay prez-elect makes deals for majority"], Associated Press, 13 August 2008. {{dead link. (May 2016)
20. [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hqFLYrBs7ry_miqB_KSjyiqy2J_Q "Latin America's leftwing swells with new Paraguay president"] {{webarchive. link. (2 March 2009 , AFP, 15 August 2008.)