MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan ruling party leads in polls

Paraguay's presidential election next April 27 has become a tight race with the candidate for the ruling Colorado Party leading followed two points behind by the main opposition figure according to the latest opinion poll published by “ABC Color”, one of the capital Asunción main newspapers.

Mr. Nicanor Duarte has 26,8% of vote intention; Authentic Liberal Radical Party candidate Julio César Franco 24,7% and businessman Pedro Fadul an independent candidate 23,7%. The poll included 1,187 interviews done February 15/21 both in urban and rural areas.

Mr. Duarte and Mr. Franco's strongholds are in rural areas, while Mr. Fadul's support is concentrated in the capital Asunción and the immediate area, with undeclared backing from the Catholic Church. In a fourth distant place with 9,9% comes Senator Guillermo Sánchez from the National Union of Ethical Citizens, a group that really represents the followers of former General Lino Oviedo who has been banned from political activity for ten years following a coup attempt in 1996. Mr. Oviedo currently lives in Brazil and Paraguay has repeatedly requested his extradition.

However Mr. Gutierrez and his 9,9% could be crucial for a possible alliance with the Liberal's and ensure Mr. Franco's victory. Previous voting in Congress does not rule such a scenario.

Next April 27 Paraguayans will be voting president Luis González Macchi successor and the renewal of Congress, 45 senators and 80 deputies plus authorities in the 17 counties of the country.