Paraguay's long-ruling party scores an easy presidential election win

Santiago Peña, presidential candidate of the Colorado ruling party, right, talks beside former President Horacio Cartes after the voting closed during general elections in Asuncion, Paraguay, Sunday, April 30, 2023. (Jorge Saenz/AP)

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — The long-governing Colorado Party remained the dominant force of Paraguayan politics as the vote count from Sunday's election gave an overwhelming lead to its presidential candidate, Santiago Peña, with nearly all votes counted.

With almost 99% of voting places reporting, Peña had 43% of the vote, compared to 27% for the closest challenger, Efraín Alegre, the candidate of the Pact for a New Paraguay, a broad-based opposition coalition that had hoped to end Colorado's reign.