# 2013 Paraguayan general election

General elections were held in Paraguay on 21 April 2013. They resulted in a victory for the Colorado Party, which had ruled the country for 60 years before losing power in 2008. The presidential elections were won by the Colorado Party's Horacio Cartes, who defeated Efraín Alegre of the Paraguay Alegre alliance. The Colorado Party also won the most seats in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

## Background

In the previous general elections in 2008 Fernando Lugo was elected President. However, he was controversially impeached and removed from office in a 48-hour period in June 2012, following an eviction at a farm that led to the death of six police and eleven farmers. Lugo was replaced by his vice-president Federico Franco. Following the impeachment, Paraguay was suspended from Mercosur and Unasur, who denounced the impeachment as a Congressional coup.
Franco was barred from running for a full term in 2013. The Constitution of Paraguay does not allow a president to run for reelection, even if he serves a partial term.

## Candidates

Eleven candidates contested the presidential election:
| Presidential candidate | Vice-presidential candidate | Party |
| Efraín Alegre | Rafael Filizzola | Paraguay Alegre |
| Ricardo Almada | Librada Martinez | White Party |
| Eduardo Arce | Gloria Bareiro | Workers' Party |
| Aníbal Carrillo | Rafael Aguayo | Guasú Front |
| Miguel Carrizosa | Arsenio Ocampos | Beloved Fatherland Party |
| Horacio Cartes | Juan Afara | Colorado Party |
| Roberto Ferreira | Luis Vallejos | Paraguayan Humanist Party |
| Mario Ferreiro | Cynthia Brizuela | Forward Country |
| Atanasio Galeano | Digno Valdez | Partido Patria Libre |
| Lino César Oviedo Sánchez | Luis Villamayor | National Union of Ethical Citizens |
| Lilian Soto | Maguiorina Balbuena | Kuña Pyrenda |
Coalitions formed for the election included the:
$^c$ Forward Country (Avanza País), a centre-left alliance including, amongst others, the Revolutionary Febrerista Party and the Christian Democratic Party.
$^b$ Frente Guasú, a left-wing alliance including, amongst others, the Party for a Country of Solidarity and the Paraguayan Communist Party.
$^a$ Paraguay Alegre (lit. Happy Paraguay, alluding to their candidate's name), a centrist alliance including, amongst others, the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, the Democratic Progressive Party and the National Encounter Party.
On the night of 2 February 2013, Lino Oviedo Silva, the candidate of the right-wing National Union of Ethical Citizens, died in a helicopter accident near Puerto Antequera, in the Chaco region. His death was confirmed the following day, when the national police rescue team found the three burnt corpses of Oviedo, the plane's pilot, and a bodyguard. His candidacy was taken over by his nephew Lino Oviedo Sánchez.

## Campaign

Reporters without Borders said in April 2013 that "Paraguay continues to be a dangerous country for journalists, in part because of the links between politics and organized crime, which were widely criticized during the campaign." It noted that two television stations (the public TV Pública and private Canal 9 SNT) had refused to air a Frente Guasú campaign ad highlighting the role of candidates Cartes and Alegre in the impeachment of Fernando Lugo.
During the campaign Cartes made homophobic statements, comparing homosexuals to monkeys and saying he would shoot himself in the testicles if his son turned out to be gay.

## Opinion polls

| Agency/Source | Date | Horacio Cartes | Efrain Alegre | Mario Ferreiro | Lino Oviedo Sánchez | Aníbal Carrillo | Miguel Carrizosa | Lilian Soto | Eduardo Arce | None | "Don't know"/No answer |
| Asisa | 26 Feb 2013 | 29.3% | 22.1% | 19.8% | 7.1% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 1.6% | - | - | 13.7% |
| Ati Snead | 28 Feb 2013 | 36.7% | 37.1% | 5.6% | ? | 2.8% | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| First | 15 Mar 2013 | 37.3% | 30.3% | 9.5% | 3.1% | 1.9% | 3.2% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 13.2% |
| GEO | 15 Mar 2013 | 36.8% | 35.6% | 7.7% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 1.0% | 0.3% | - | 0.6% | 5.1% |
| Grau | 21 Mar 2013 | 42.7% | 29.2% | 9.6% | 6.2% | 2.7% | 0.5% | 0.2% | - | 1.1% | 7.8% |
| First | 4 Apr 2013 | 37.6% | 31.7% | 10.9% | 7.1% | 1.9% | 3.0% | 0.2% | - | 0.3% | 7.3% |
| Taka | 5 Apr 2013 | 41.7% | 27.5% | 12.1% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 5.7% | - | - | 1.2% | 5.9% |
| Ati Snead | 5 Apr 2013 | 36.4 | 37.9% | 8.5% | 4.0% | 2.7% | 3.0% | - | - | - | 6.0% |
| Grau | 11 Apr 2013 | 45.3% | 31.2% | 8.6% | 2.5% | 2.9% | 0.9% | 0.1% | - | 2.2% | 6.4% |
| GEO | 11 Apr 2013 | 34.8% | 36.7% | 9.9% | 1.6% | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 8.9% |

## Results
### President

| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| | Horacio Cartes | Colorado Party | 1,104,169 | 48.48 |
| | Efraín Alegre | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | 889,451 | 39.05 |
| | Mario Ferreiro | Avanza País | 141,716 | 6.22 |
| | Aníbal Carrillo | Guasú Front | 79,573 | 3.49 |
| | Miguel Carrizosa | Beloved Fatherland Party | 27,026 | 1.19 |
| | Lino César Oviedo Sánchez | National Union of Ethical Citizens | 19,416 | 0.85 |
| | Roberto Ferreira | Paraguayan Humanist Party | 4,264 | 0.19 |
| | Lilian Soto | Kuña Pyrenda Movement | 3,925 | 0.17 |
| | Eduardo Arce | Workers' Party | 3,011 | 0.13 |
| | Ricardo Almada | National Christian Union | 2,767 | 0.12 |
| | Atanasio Galeano | Partido Patria Libre | 2,416 | 0.11 |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,277,734 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,277,734 | 94.53 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 131,703 | 5.47 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,409,437 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 3,516,275 | 68.52 |
| Source: Justicia Electoral |||||

### Senate

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Colorado Party | 865,206 | 38.50 | 19 | +4 |
| | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | 588,054 | 26.17 | 13 | –1 |
| | Guasú Front | 238,313 | 10.60 | 5 | +4 |
| | Progressive Democratic Party | 144,691 | 6.44 | 3 | +2 |
| | Avanza País | 117,056 | 5.21 | 2 | +2 |
| | National Union of Ethical Citizens | 90,640 | 4.03 | 2 | –7 |
| | National Encounter Party | 78,460 | 3.49 | 1 | +1 |
| | Beloved Fatherland Party | 45,168 | 2.01 | 0 | –4 |
| | Youth Party – Young Force | 28,129 | 1.25 | 0 | New |
| | Social Democrat Party | 7,768 | 0.35 | 0 | New |
| | Independent Constitutionalist Movement | 7,509 | 0.33 | 0 | New |
| | 30 August Movement | 7,460 | 0.33 | 0 | New |
| | Kuña Pyrenda | 5,416 | 0.24 | 0 | New |
| | People in Action Movement | 3,673 | 0.16 | 0 | New |
| | United Democratic Movement for Victory | 3,662 | 0.16 | 0 | New |
| | Paraguayan Humanist Party | 3,484 | 0.16 | 0 | 0 |
| | Workers' Party | 2,840 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 |
| | Partido Patria Libre | 2,322 | 0.10 | 0 | New |
| | Participative Independent Democratic Movement | 2,007 | 0.09 | 0 | New |
| | National Christian Union | 1,961 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 |
| | Institutional Independent Movement | 1,917 | 0.09 | 0 | New |
| | Green Party | 1,541 | 0.07 | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 2,247,277 | 100.00 | 45 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,247,277 | 93.36 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 159,889 | 6.64 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,407,166 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 3,516,275 | 68.46 | | |
| Source: Supreme Electoral Justice Tribunal of Paraguay ||||||

#### Elected Senators

| Name | Political Party | Political Alliance |
| Adolfo Marcelino Ferreira Sanabria | Revolutionary Febrerista Party | Avanza País |
| Arnaldo Euclides Giuzzio Benítez | Democratic Progressive Party | Democratic Progressive Party |
| Arnoldo Wiens Durksen | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Blanca Beatriz Fonseca Legal | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Blanca Margarita Ovelar de Duarte | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Blas Antonio Llano Ramos | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Carlos Alberto Amarilla Cañete | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Carlos Alberto Filizzola Pallarés | Party for a Country of Solidarity | Guasú Front |
| Carlos Núñez Agüero | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Derlis Ariel Alejandro Osorio Nunes | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Desirée Graciela Masi Jara | Democratic Progressive Party | Democratic Progressive Party |
| Eduardo Romalino Petta San Martín | National Encounter Party | National Encounter Party |
| Emilia Patricia Alfaro de Franco | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Enrique Fausto Bacchetta Chiriani | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Enzo Cardozo Jiménez | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Esperanza Martínez de Portillo | Party of Citizen Participation | Guasú Front |
| Fernando Alberto Silva Facetti | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez | Independent | Guasú Front |
| Gustavo Javier Alfonso González | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Jorge Antonio Oviedo Matto | National Union of Ethical Citizens | National Union of Ethical Citizens |
| José Manuel Bóbeda Melgarejo | National Union of Ethical Citizens | National Union of Ethical Citizens |
| Juan Carlos Román Galaverna Delvalle | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Juan Darío Monges Espínola | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Julio Antonio Quiñónez Daiub | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Julio César Ramón Franco Gómez | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Julio César Velázquez Tillería | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Lilian Graciela Samaniego González | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Luis Alberto Castiglioni Soria | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Luis Alberto Cayetano Wagner Lezcano | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| María Blanca Lila Mignarro de González | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Mario Abdo Benítez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Miguel Abdón Saguier Carmona | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Miguel Ángel Ignacio López Perito | April 20 Movement | Avanza País |
| Mirta Leonor Gusinky de Cubas | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Nelson Darío Aguinagalde Gallinar | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Óscar Alberto González Daher | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Óscar Hugo Richer Florentín | Popular Socialist Convergence Party | Guasú Front |
| Óscar Rubén Salomón Fernández | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Pedro Arthuro Santa Cruz Insaurralde | Democratic Progressive Party | Democratic Progressive Party |
| Ramón Gómez Verlangieri | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Roberto Ramón Acevedo Quevedo | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
| Silvio Adalberto Ovelar Benítez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Sixto Pereira Galeano | Tekojoja People's Party | Guasú Front |
| Víctor Alcides Bogado González | Colorado Party | Colorado Party |
| Zulma Ramona Gómez Cáceres | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party |
Source: Justicia Electoral

### Chamber of Deputies

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | Colorado Party | 919,625 | 40.99 | 44 | +14 |
| | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | 656,301 | 29.25 | 27 | 0 |
| | National Union of Ethical Citizens | 147,534 | 6.58 | 2 | –13 |
| | Guasú Front | 122,440 | 5.46 | 1 | +1 |
| | National Encounter Party | 108,662 | 4.84 | 2 | +2 |
| | Avanza País | 84,826 | 3.78 | 2 | +2 |
| | Beloved Fatherland Party | 63,662 | 2.84 | 1 | –2 |
| | Progressive Democratic Party | 30,579 | 1.36 | 0 | –1 |
| | Youth Party | 28,543 | 1.27 | 0 | New |
| | Chaqueña Passion Alliance | 15,656 | 0.70 | 1 | – |
| | Civic Awakening Movement | 9,661 | 0.43 | 0 | New |
| | Kuña Pyrenda | 8,153 | 0.36 | 0 | New |
| | 30 August Movement | 7,080 | 0.32 | 0 | New |
| | Social Democrat Party | 7,062 | 0.31 | 0 | New |
| | Independent Constitutionalist Movement | 5,063 | 0.23 | 0 | New |
| | Paraguayan Humanist Party | 4,225 | 0.19 | 0 | 0 |
| | People in Action Movement | 3,107 | 0.14 | 0 | New |
| | United Democratic Movement for Victory | 2,702 | 0.12 | 0 | New |
| | National Christian Union | 2,677 | 0.12 | 0 | 0 |
| | Citizens in Power Action Movement | 2,017 | 0.09 | 0 | New |
| | Participative Independent Democratic Movement | 1,905 | 0.08 | 0 | New |
| | Green Party | 1,826 | 0.08 | 0 | New |
| | Concertacion todos por Concepcion | 1,822 | 0.08 | 0 | New |
| | Partido Patria Libre | 1,625 | 0.07 | 0 | New |
| | Alianza Alto Paraguay Alegre | 1,597 | 0.07 | 0 | New |
| | Institutional Independent Movement | 1,575 | 0.07 | 0 | New |
| | Workers' Party | 1,338 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 |
| | Movimiento Propuesta por la Soberania Nacional | 783 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| | Moviemiento para el Pueblo Encarnacion | 656 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| | Liberal Party | 579 | 0.03 | 0 | New |
| | Another Paraguay Movement | 251 | 0.01 | 0 | New |
| | Workers' Regional Movement | 189 | 0.01 | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 2,243,721 | 100.00 | 80 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 2,243,721 | 93.50 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 155,905 | 6.50 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,399,626 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 3,516,275 | 68.24 | | |
| Source: Supreme Electoral Justice Tribunal of Paraguay ||||||

#### Elected Deputies

| Name | Political Party | Political Alliance | Department |
| Agustín Amado Florentín Cabral | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Cordillera |
| Alsimio Casco Ayala | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Concepción |
| Andrés Retamozo Ortiz | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Alto Paraná |
| Antonio Gustavo Cardozo | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Alto Paraná |
| Asa Javier González Ortiz | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Misiones |
| Atilio Penayo Ortega | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Bernardo Villalba Cardozo | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Concepción |
| Blanca Marina Vargas de Caballero | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Alto Paraná |
| Carlos Alberto Núñez Salinas | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Carlos Antonio Portillo Verón | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Alto Paraná |
| Carlos Manuel Maggi Rolón | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | San Pedro |
| Celso Kennedy Bogado | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Caaguazú |
| Celso Maldonado Duarte | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Central |
| Celso Troche Álvarez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Caazapá |
| César Ariel Oviedo Verdún | National Union of Ethical Citizens | National Union of Ethical Citizens | Central |
| Clemente Ramón Barrios Monges | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Paraguarí |
| Concepción Quintana López | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Alto Paraná |
| Cornelius Sawatzky Sawatzky | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Boquerón |
| Cynthia Elizabeth Tarragó Díaz | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Distrito Capital |
| Dany Edgar Xavier Durand Espínola | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Distrito Capital |
| Del Pilar Eva Medina de Paredes | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Dionisio Oswaldo Amarilla Guirland | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Central |
| Eber Osvaldo Ovelar Benítez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Caaguazú |
| Edgar Acosta Alcaráz | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Central |
| Edgar Isaac Ortiz Riveros | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Itapúa |
| Elio Cabral González | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Alto Paraná |
| Enrique Antonio Concepción Buzarquis Cáceres | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Caaguazú |
| Enrique Javier Pereira Thalmann | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Esmérita Sánchez de Da Silva | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Caaguazú |
| Eusebio Alvarenga Martínez | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Guairá |
| Fabiola Elvira Oviedo Melgarejo | National Union of Ethical Citizens | National Union of Ethical Citizens | Distrito Capital |
| Félix Fernando Ortellado Zorrilla | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Guairá |
| Freddy Tadeo D’Ecclesiis Giménez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | San Pedro |
| Héctor Lucio Lesme Delgado | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Central |
| Hércules Pedro Lorenzo Alliana Rodríguez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Ñeembucú |
| Horacio Víctor Carísimo Ocampo | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Itapúa |
| Hugo Adalberto Velázquez Moreno | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Hugo Leandro Rubín Godoy | National Encounter Party | National Encounter Party | Central |
| Jorge Ignacio Baruja Fernández | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Paraguarí |
| Jorge Ramón Ávalos Mariño | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Paraguarí |
| José Domingo Adorno Mazacotte | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Alto Paraguay |
| José Gregorio Ledesma Narváez | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | San Pedro |
| José María Ibáñez Benítez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Juan Bartolomé Ramírez Brizuela | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Amambay |
| Julio Enrique Mineur de Witte | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Chaqueña Passion Alliance | Presidente Hayes |
| Juan Félix Bogado Tatter | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Distrito Capital |
| Julio Javier Ríos Bogado | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Distrito Capital |
| Karina Andrea Rodríguez Carámbula | Movement for Socialism Party | Avanza País | Distrito Capital |
| Luis Alberto Larré del Puerto | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Itapúa |
| Marcial Lezcano Paredes | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Amambay |
| María Cristina Villalba López | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Canindeyú |
| María Nimia Carísimo Sosa | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Central |
| María Rocío Casco Arce | Movement for Socialism Party | Avanza País | Central |
| Mario Duilio Casco González | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Itapúa |
| Mario Walberto Soto Estigarribia | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Caaguazú |
| Miguel Ángel del Puerto Silva | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Caaguazú |
| Miguel Tadeo Rojas Meza | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Mirta Ramona Mendoza Díaz | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Concepción |
| Nazario Tomás Rojas Salvioni | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Cordillera |
| Néstor Fabián Ferrer Miranda | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Central |
| Olga Beatriz Ferreira de López | Beloved Fatherland Party | Beloved Fatherland Party | Distrito Capital |
| Olimpio Rojas Villalba | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Caazapá |
| Óscar Luis Tuma Bogado | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Distrito Capital |
| Óscar Venancio Núñez Giménez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Presidente Hayes |
| Pablino Acasio Rodríguez Aria | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Misiones |
| Pastor Alberto Vera Bejarano | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | San Pedro |
| Pedro David Britos Espínola | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Guairá |
| Pedro Milciades Duré Argüello | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Cordillera |
| Perla Teresa Beatriz Acosta de Vázquez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | San Pedro |
| Purificación Morel Alfonso | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Canindeyú |
| Ramón Duarte Jiménez | Popular Unity Party | Guasú Front | Itapúa |
| Ramón Romero Roa | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Alto Paraná |
| Ricardo González Escobar | National Encounter Party | National Encounter Party | Central |
| Salustiano Salinas Montanía | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Central |
| Sergio Roberto Rojas Sosa | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Central |
| Tomás Fidelino Rivas Benítez | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Paraguarí |
| Víctor Luis González Segovia | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Cordillera |
| Víctor Óscar González Drakeford | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Alto Paraná |
| Víctor Ríos Ojeda | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Authentic Radical Liberal Party | Ñeembucú |
| Walter Enrique Harms Céspedes | Colorado Party | Colorado Party | Itapúa |
Source: Justicia Electoral

## Reactions

The defeated candidate Alegre conceded to Cartes a short time after preliminary results were announced. Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner congratulated the Paraguayan people, describing the election as "exemplary" and announced her endorsement of a re-admission of the country to the Mercosur community. José Mujica, the president of Uruguay, congratulated Cartes as well and invited him to the Mercosur summit that is to take place in his country in June. The European Union's high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton lauded the high turn-out, orderly and calm conduct of the election. Among the first felicitators was also Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.