Asuncion: The ruling candidate in Paraguay, 44-year-old Santiago Pena, secured a decisive victory in the nation's presidential vote on Sunday, strengthening the Colorado Party's hold on political power and allaying concerns that diplomatic relations with Taiwan would be severed.

With more than 99 percent of the votes counted, Pena, who promised to maintain Paraguay's long-standing relations with Taiwan, led center-left rival Efrain Alegre by more than 15 points with 42.7 percent of the vote. Alegre has argued for switching allegiance to China.

Pena expressed gratitude in a speech, saying, "Thank you for this Colorado victory, thank you for this Paraguayan victory." Alegre accepted the outcome. As "president-elect," Mario Abdo, the current president, as well as the presidents of Brazil and Argentina, congratulated Pena.

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In the congressional and governor elections, Colorado and right-wing party candidates also fared well, with some provinces recording a historically large Colorado victory over the opposition.

After the election, Pena will have to work to revive Paraguay's agricultural economy, reduce a sizable fiscal deficit, and deal with mounting pressure from soy and beef producers to abandon Taiwan in favour of China and its sizable markets.

In his victory speech, Pena urged "unity and consensus," saying, "We have a lot to do, after the last years of economic stagnation, of fiscal deficit, the task that awaits us is not for a single person or for a party."

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It also emphasises the dominance of the Colorado Party, which has had a strong campaign machine and controlled government for all but five of the previous 75 years, despite growing discontent among some voters over the weakening economy and corruption allegations.

After the election, Pena will have to work to revive Paraguay's agricultural economy, reduce a sizable fiscal deficit, and deal with mounting pressure from soy and beef producers to abandon Taiwan in favour of China and its sizable markets.

In his victory speech, Pena urged "unity and consensus," saying, "We have a lot to do, after the last years of economic stagnation, of fiscal deficit, the task that awaits us is not for a single person or for a party."

It also emphasises the dominance of the Colorado Party, which has had a strong campaign machine and controlled government for all but five of the previous 75 years, despite growing discontent among some voters over the weakening economy and corruption allegations.

"Criminal activity worries me. As a busload of voters arrived at the inner-city polling place, 34-year-old mother of three Maria Jose Rodas said, "All the candidates are the same to me. There won't be any changes.

Ramona Oddone was among the first in queue at the Mariscal Francisco Solano López school in the nation's capital Asuncion to cast her ballot in anticipation of a new direction.

The participation of so many young people, the 79-year-old retired teacher told Reuters, "shows people want change." "They need jobs, and I need a better pension."

Since the 1950s, the landlocked South American nation has been ruled by the Colorado Party. However, a sluggish economy and corruption allegations have hurt its popularity.

The economy, allegations of corruption, and the candidates' positions on Taiwan have dominated the run-up to the election. Only 13 countries, including Paraguay, have formal diplomatic ties with the democratically run island that China claims as its own.

Taiwan's foreign ministry announced that Pena received congratulations from Taiwan's ambassador to Asuncion on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen.
According to the ministry, "our country will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges with the new government of Paraguay based on shared values such as democracy and freedom and the traditional friendship between the two countries."

These ties, which have made it difficult to sell soy and beef to China, a significant global buyer, had drawn criticism from Alegre. Pena had pledged to keep in touch with Taiwan.

Alegre stated on Sunday that he would not "give in" to attempts to suppress voter turnout and warned that there have been reports of voter intimidation in the nation's north.

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The 23-year-old ice cream vendor Fiorella Moreno felt that none of the candidates represented hope for her generation.

She said, "I didn't want to vote because I feel like everything is falling apart." But by not casting a ballot, I contribute to the issue