Conservatives seen keeping power as Paraguay goes to the polls

ASUNCION: Paraguay is picking a new president in an election on Sunday, with the Colorado Party expected to keep power but lose seats in Congress, which could complicate its pro-business agenda and raise the risk of higher taxes on the country´s key farm sector.

Mario Abdo, a 46-year-old former senator who campaigned for the Colorado Party on an anti-corruption platform, supports current low-tax policies aimed at stimulating foreign investment and agricultural production in Paraguay, the world´s No. 4 soybean exporter and a major supplier of beef. Abdo, who set the stage for governing with a minority in Congress by calling for dialogue with opposition parties, has promised to fight pressure to raise taxes despite calls from the opposition for a levy on soybean exports. Pre-election opinion polls showed him 18 to 20 points ahead of candidate Efrain Alegre, a lawyer from the center-left GANAR coalition. Outgoing president Horacio Cartes, who tried but failed to change the constitution to allow him to seek a second consecutive term, is running for a Senate seat.

Abdo is the son of the late private secretary of dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled Paraguay with an iron hand for 35 years. Abdo, who was 16 when Stroessner´s regime ended in 1989, has vowed to respect human rights and democratic institutions if elected.

“I am going to lead a wide national dialogue,” Abdo told reporters before going to cast his ballot. Later he visited the tomb of his father, as he did on the day of the primary election in December when he won the nomination of the Colorado Party. Abdo´s conservative policies and family history are a concern to some voters who have doubts about his commitment to clean up government.