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☆ Paraguayan Lawmaker and Three Others Die in Plane Crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

ASUNCION (Reuters) - A Paraguayan lawmaker and three other people died in a plane crash in the South American country on Saturday, local police said. The plane crashed soon after takeoff some 180 km (112 miles) from Asuncion and killed Walter Harms, a legislator for the ruling Colorado party and three men who were part of his team, according to the police report. "I receiver with deep pain the sad news about the passing of our colleague, friend and brother of dreams Walter Harms," Paraguay's Vice-president Pedro Alliana said on the social media platform X. Images on social media showed burning wreckage in a field. According to the police report, the plane hit a tree during takeoff and erupted in flames while falling to the ground.

Persons: Walter Harms, Pedro Alliana, Daniela Desantis, Alexander Villegas, Daniel Wallis Locations: ASUNCION, Paraguayan, Asuncion, Colorado

☆ Paraguayan lawmaker and three others die in plane crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ASUNCION, Dec 2 (Reuters) - A Paraguayan lawmaker and three other people died in a plane crash in the South American country on Saturday, local police said. "I receiver with deep pain the sad news about the passing of our colleague, friend and brother of dreams Walter Harms," Paraguay's Vice-president Pedro Alliana said on the social media platform X. Images on social media showed burning wreckage in a field. According to the police report, the plane hit a tree during takeoff and erupted in flames while falling to the ground. Reporting by Daniela Desantis; Writing by Alexander Villegas; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Walter Harms, Pedro Alliana, Daniela Desantis, Alexander Villegas, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Thomson Locations: ASUNCION, Paraguayan, Asuncion, Colorado

Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Pena speaks during an interview with Reuters ahead of his inauguration, in Asuncion, Paraguay August 7, 2023. His party's diplomatic support for Taiwan has hurt local farmers' grains exports to China, which claims sovereignty over the self-governed island. Taiwan Vice President William Lai is in Paraguay for Pena's inauguration. Relations with the United States will also be in focus after the U.S. government accused Pena's political backer, former President Horacio Cartes, of corruption. Pena also wants to create 500,000 new jobs in five years to boost the South American country's farm-driven economy, dominated by soybeans and beef.

Persons: Santiago Pena, Cesar Olmedo, Pena, William Lai, Horacio Cartes, " Pena, Cartes, Santi, Daniela Desantis, Lucinda Elliott, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Colorado, Colorado Party, Pena's, U.S, American, Columbia University, IMF, Thomson Locations: Asuncion, Paraguay, ASUNCION, Taiwan, U.S, China, United States, Washington, Colorado

[1/5] Paraguay's new President Santiago Pena wears the presidential sash and holds the baton of command as he greets people with the first lady Leticia Ocampos during his inauguration, in Asuncion, Paraguay August 15, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar Olmedo Acquire Licensing RightsASUNCION, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Santiago Pena was sworn in on Tuesday as Paraguay's new president, promising to "build alliances" and show "firm and ethical leadership" for the next five years after his April election victory. "We will build alliances and cooperation with a geostrategic vision," the president said in his inaugural speech, adding that Paraguay's relationship with Taiwan "is an example of this and of Paraguay's friendly and cooperative spirit with nations." Despite pressure from farmers who want to open up Chinese markets, he has pledged to stick with Paraguay's decades-long diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Pena faces the additional challenge of shoring up relations with the United States after the U.S. government accused his political mentor, former President Horacio Cartes, of corruption.

Persons: Santiago Pena, Leticia Ocampos, Cesar Olmedo, Pena, Spain, William Lai, Mario Abdo Benitez, Santi, Horacio Cartes, Cartes, Milda Rivarola, Rivarola, Daniela Desantis, Lucinda Elliott, Jonathan Oatis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, South, Taiwan's, Colorado Party, U.S, Ultima, Thomson Locations: Asuncion, Paraguay, Rights ASUNCION, William Lai . Paraguay, China, Taiwan, Paraguayan, United States

☆ Cocaine cartels encroach on Unification Church’s Paraguayan paradise
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Puerto Casado | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +20 min

Many of the runways are on land owned by the Unification Church of South Korea, founded by Rev. The Unification Church is a major power in this unruly region. Byun, the Unification Church lawyer, provided Reuters with an April 2022 document the church sent to Paraguayan anti-narcotics prosecutors, urging an investigation into potential illicit activity. Trouble in paradiseThe alleged drug-running on its land isn’t the only trouble the Unification Church has faced in the Chaco. Byun, the church lawyer, acknowledged the tensions with locals in Puerto Casado but declined to comment on the Myungs or the fire.

Persons: Sun Myung, Michelle Byun, ” Byun, “, Moon, God, ”, Miguel Ángel Servín, Servín, Rodrigo Alvarez, Elva Cáceres, Marco Alcaraz, Cynthia Tarrago, Tarrago, Raimundo Va, Rodrigo Alvarenga Paredes, Byun, Alvarenga, “ Alvarenga, Rodrigo Álvarez, Álvarez, Pedro Juan Caballero, ‘ Lawless, –, Marcelo Pecci, José Carlos Acevedo, ” Acevedo, Pecci, Acevedo, Mario Abdo Benítez, James Laverty, Hak Ja, ” –, Carlos Casado, Anger, Locals, Lorenzo Myung, Martin Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Dora Irrazábal, Irrazábal, Alberto David Gauto, Gauto, Emilio Camacho, Moon’s, Hyun Jin, Preston, Hak, Hyung Jin, Sean, Massimo Introvigne, Sean Moon, Preston Moon, Puerto Casado, Virgilio Chamorro, Gabriel Stargardter, Daniela Desantis, Feilding, Tomas Bravo, John Emerson, Brian Thevenot Organizations: Unification Church of, Rev, Authorities, Reuters, Unification Church, Holy Spirit Association, South Korea’s Unification, Belgian, Sting, South, International Association of Parliamentarians, Peace, U.S . Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado Party, Yorker, U.S, Attorney, FBI, Capital Command, PCC, United Nations Office, Drugs, U.S . Drug, Carlos Casado SA, Salesian, Supreme, FARC, Peace Foundation, Center for Studies, New, Iron Ministries, Preston, Tomas Bravo Graphics Locations: Paraguayan, Unification Church of South Korea, SENAD Paraguay, Chaco, Paraguay, Korea, Bolivian, Peruvian, Atlantic, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Europe, Argentine, Manhattan, “, Antwerp, Europe’s, Servín, Asunción, Seoul, New York City, United States, New Jersey, Tarrago, Va, U.S, Byun, Alvarenga, Chile, Ecuador, Colombian, Bolivia, American, South America, America, Puerto Casado, Gauto, Preston, Turin, Italy, Pennsylvania, Puerto

☆ One Secret to a Latin American Party’s Dominance: Buying Votes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Jack Nicas | María Magdalena Arréllaga | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Espinillo Indigenous community is 13 miles from the nearest polling station — and no one in the village has a car. “We want to look after them,” he said, standing watch with six young men he called colleagues. Then, after dark, The Times found a distinctive type of vote-buying, developed over decades, on blatant display. Mr. Paredes, 65, and his colleagues gathered some of the Indigenous people and took down their identification numbers. The young men then walked the Indigenous people through a simulation of Paraguay’s voting machines on a phone, guiding them to vote for Colorado candidates.

☆ OAS says no reason to put into doubt Paraguay's election results
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

May 2 (Reuters) - The Organization of American States (OAS) said on Tuesday that its electoral observation mission saw no reason to put into doubt Paraguay's election results, following protests by supporters of a right-wing candidate who came in third. The statement follows clashes on Monday between police and supporters of Paraguayo Cubas amid complaints of fraud in a vote that the ruling Colorado Party won comfortably. President-elect Santiago Pena won 43% of the vote on Sunday compared with 27% for runner-up Efrain Alegre. Cubas, who surprised observers by winning nearly 23%, called in a post on Instagram for a recount and asked his supporters to protest. Reporting by Carolina Pulice; Editing by Sarah MorlandOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Paraguay's conservatives score big election win, defusing Taiwan fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Paraguayan presidential candidate for the Colorado Party, Santiago Peña (C), celebrates with his wife, Leticia Ocampos de Pea (R), and Paraguayan former President Horacio Cartes, after winning the presidential election in Asuncion on April 30, 2023. Norberto Duarte | AFP | Getty ImagesParaguay'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. "Thank you for this Colorado victory, thank you for this Paraguayan victory," Pena said in a speech. Colorado and right-wing party candidates also performed strongly in congressional elections and governor races, with some provinces recording a historic Colorado majority over opposition rivals. The Colorado Party has dominated politics in the landlocked South American country since the 1950s.

[1/4] Paraguayan presidential candidate Santiago Pena from the ruling Colorado Party gestures next to his wife Leticia Ocampos at the party headquarters as he and his running mate Pedro Alliana won Paraguay's presidential race, according to the preliminary official count, in Asuncion, Paraguay April 30, 2023. Still, Pena will be able to keep a cool head amid the tumult, his supporters say. "I think what characterizes him is that he has infinite tranquility," said Lea Gimenez, who served as Pena's deputy when he was finance minister and was later finance minister herself. Throughout the campaign the Colorado Party candidate has vowed to extend Paraguay's decades-long diplomatic relations with Taiwan, despite pressures to open up to China and its huge consumer demand for soybeans and beef. He became finance minister in 2015.

[1/5] Cipriano Gomez and Ambrosio Pedraza share a laugh as they chat the day after the general elections, where Santiago Pena, from the ruling Colorado Party, was elected as the new Paraguayan President, in Asuncion, Paraguay May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Agustin MarcarianASUNCION, May 1 (Reuters) - Paraguayans on Monday were mixed about the prospects of another five years of conservative Colorado party rule, but hoped President-elect Santiago Pena could reboot the country’s farm-driven economy. Pena, a 44-year-old economist, secured a 15-point lead over his opposition rival with 42.7% of the vote, cementing another five-year term for the ruling Colorado Party. "For me personally, Santiago Pena is a person who could contribute a lot to the economy of our country (by) putting things in place in macroeconomic terms,” Candia told Reuters. Resident Victor Barrios also felt Pena was the right choice: "I think Santiago Pena is the ideal president for now … five years on we’ll see what he does and how we judge him," he said.

☆ Paraguay Picks a New President: What You Need to Know
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Jack Nicas | Laurence Blair | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Colorado incumbent, President Mario Abdo Benítez, cannot run again because of term limits — and surveys show he is one of Latin America’s most unpopular leaders because of his handling of the pandemic. Representing the Colorado Party at the polls will be Paraguay’s former finance minister. In January, the U.S. government placed financial sanctions on the Colorado Party’s leader, the former president Horacio Cartes, accusing him of bribing his way to power. The sanctions have complicated the party’s financing. Some recent polls have shown that the leading opposition candidate — a conservative who is still to the left of the Colorado Party’s contender — holds a narrow lead.

ASUNCION, April 30 (Reuters) - Paraguayans are readying to head to the polls on Sunday in what could be the biggest electoral challenge to the ruling conservative Colorado Party in over a decade and with the country's near 70-year ties with Taiwan potentially at stake. In the streets and news debates, the political build-up has been dominated by the economy, corruption allegations and the candidates' views on Taiwan. Paraguay is one of only 13 nations to maintain formal diplomatic ties with the democratically-governed island that China claims as its own. Pena has said he would maintain ties with Taiwan. In final campaign events, Alegre took aim at corruption charges that have dogged Colorado Party leader Horacio Cartes, who was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury this year.

☆ Paraguay Voters Elect Conservative Economist as President
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Jack Nicas | Laurence Blair | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

POZO COLORADO, Paraguay — Paraguayans elected Santiago Peña, a 44-year-old conservative economist, as their new president on Sunday, keeping the South American nation in the control of the right-wing Colorado Party that has run the country for all but five of the past 76 years. The result means that Paraguay, a landlocked nation of seven million people, has resisted the leftward shift across Latin America in recent years. Instead, Paraguayans delivered victory to a right-wing candidate who made vague promises to add jobs, lower energy prices and clear drug addicts from the street. Mr. Peña had 43 percent of the vote with 99 percent of the ballots counted, defeating two challengers who split the opposition vote. Mr. Peña is a political protégé of a former Paraguayan president, Horacio Cartes, who is one of its richest men and the president of the Colorado Party.

☆ Paraguay's women battle to break political glass ceiling
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Lucinda Elliott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But there are signs of change, with seven female candidates out of 26 this time around. Nunez is the vice presidential candidate for the main opposition coalition, hoping to unseat the ruling Colorado Party. The more right-wing Colorado party has also approved gender parity plans for the cabinet, though two men are on its ticket. Some women are worried that may work against female candidates, who often contend with having less political apparatus and campaign funding. "By insisting on gender parity, it opens up the debate further," Martinez said.

The ruling Colorado Party has dominated Paraguayan politics for the last three-quarters of a century, in power for all but five years. "We never talked about politics before, because a win for the Colorado Party was a done deal," 40-year-old bank worker Gustavo Vera told Reuters in the capital. "There's more corruption in Paraguay than work... All I know is we have to work much harder to make ends meet." The U.S. Treasury earlier this year imposed sanctions on party chief Horacio Cartes and Vice President Hugo Velazquez, citing "rampant corruption." Alegre, on his third presidential campaign, has pulled together a broad alliance of independent parties to challenge the powerful Colorado political machine.

But Pena, who has powerful party backing, is able to keep a cool head amid the tumult, his supporters say. "I think what characterizes him is that he has infinite tranquility," said Lea Gimenez, who served as Pena's deputy when he was finance minister and was later finance minister herself. Opinion polls suggest either Pena or center-left opposition leader Efrain Alegre could triumph and most analysts predict a close race. "He matured very quickly, being a young father... he became an adult very quickly," a former colleague told Reuters. He became finance minister in 2015.

☆ Taiwan or China? Paraguay's dilemma puts election race in the spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lucindaalice Elliott | Daniela Desantis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Paraguayan presidential candidate Santiago Pena from ruling Colorado Party, attends his campaign rally, in Asuncion, Paraguay April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar OlmedoASUNCION, April 24 (Reuters) - From Paraguayan capital Asuncion to Taipei and Washington, diplomats, officials - and farmers - are closely watching a tight election race that could determine Paraguay's future ties with Taiwan. "How can I deny a relationship that is beneficial for all Paraguayans, a people that need development, need investment, need industry?" China has long argued that democratically-ruled Taiwan is part of its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei strongly rejects. 'WHEN, NOT IF'Among diplomatic circles in Asuncion there is a sense a switch is inevitable - regardless of the election outcome.

☆ Exclusive: Paraguay opposition leader plans state 'austerity' vs tax hikes on farmers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Daniela Desantis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Soy exports currently face no levies, boosting competitiveness, but the country's diplomatic ties with Taiwan have closed doors to China. Peña, the ruling party candidate, has said publicly he wants to crack down on tax evasion and have more people working in the formal economy. Alegre has criticized Paraguay's current diplomatic relations with Taiwan going back over 60 years, which have made it hard to sell soy and beef to China, a major global buyer. "We are going to solve this based on national interests and of course also based on our alliances in international politics. The current relationship is insufficient, we have a critical position to what we have today," he said.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington called self-ruled Taiwan "an inalienable part of China" and said the one-China principle was an "overwhelming trend" internationally. When Taiwan temporarily averted a split with Honduras after President Xiomara Castro took office in January 2022, U.S. State Department officials remained wary. The Biden administration is also keeping a close eye on tiny Belize for any cracks in its Taiwan relationship. Two U.S. officials said Washington was putting less stock in Taiwan maintaining its diplomatic allies in favor of efforts to increase its participation in international organizations. While denied a seat in the United Nations, Taiwan is a member of the WTO and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

☆ In Paraguay, calls for change test Colorado Party's political machine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Daniela Desantis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ASUNCION, March 28 (Reuters) - Paraguay's ruling Colorado Party - a conservative political machine that has dominated government in Asuncion for some eight decades - could be facing a major challenge at the ballot box next month. Many voters say they feel it is time for something new. Pena may also be impacted by a U.S.-led graft probe into Horacio Cartes, a former Colorado president who led the country from 2013 to 2018. However, the Colorado party retains a powerful election campaign machine and supporter base that goes back generations. Adelina Caceres, director of a public school in the town of Guarambare, on the outskirts of the capital, said she supported the Colorado party mainly because "her grandfather had been Colorado," and despite being often frustrated by them.

☆ Paraguay president seeks to calm China jitters on Taiwan trip
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and visiting Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez attend a welcome ceremony in front of the Presidential building in Taipei, Taiwan, February 16, 2023. Paraguay is one of only 14 countries to have formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Beijing has been stepping up efforts to get those remaining allies to abandon Taipei. "Nobody is going to dare to go ahead with a process of diplomatic rupture with the Republic of China, Taiwan," he said, referring to Taiwan's official name. Santiago Pena, the ruling Colorado Party candidate, has said Paraguay's relations with Taiwan would remain intact if he wins on April 30. China views Taiwan as one of its provinces, with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei hotly disputes.

☆ Destiny unites us, Paraguay leader says as Taiwan ties hang in balance
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and visiting Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez arrive at the welcome ceremony in front of the Presidential building in Taipei, Taiwan, February 16, 2023. Speaking at a welcome ceremony in Taipei attended by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, Abdo said the Taiwanese people deserve the highest admiration, respect, and affection from his country. Tsai, recalling her two trips to Paraguay as president, said the two sides continued to deepen their friendship. Paraguay's Taiwan ties have been under pressure in recent years, especially from the country's beef producers and farmers, who see the relationship as an obstacle to gaining access to the world's largest market for their products. China views Taiwan as one of its provinces, with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei hotly disputes.

☆ Paraguay president to visit Taiwan ahead of election that could end ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Paraguay is one of only 14 countries to have formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Beijing has been stepping up efforts to get those remaining allies to abandon Taipei. Paraguay would cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and open relations with China if the opposition wins the election, its presidential candidate Efrain Alegre has said, hoping to boost economically important soy and beef exports. "Taiwan and Paraguay have had diplomatic relations for more than 65 years and a deep friendship," the ministry added. Santiago Pena, the ruling Colorado Party candidate, has said Paraguay's relations with Taiwan would remain intact if he wins on April 30. China views Taiwan as one of its provinces, with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei hotly disputes.

☆ Exclusive: Paraguay election race puts Taiwan ties on a knife-edge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Daniela Desantis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Paraguay is one of only 14 nations globally that retains diplomatic ties with Taiwan and the only South American country to do so. "Paraguay must have relations with China," Alegre said in a recent interview after being named presidential candidate. "We hold this critical position towards relations with Taiwan because we don't think we get enough back from this relationship." Santiago Pena, the Colorado Party candidate, said Paraguay's over six decades of ties with Taiwan would remain intact if he won the April 30 vote. "What we produce is enough for a neighborhood in a city in China, but what interests (Beijing) is us breaking ties with Taiwan.

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