Conservative Economist Wins Paraguay Presidency, Pledging to Maintain Taiwan Ties

• Paraguay's ruling conservative Colorado Party candidate Santiago Peña won Sunday's presidential election, vowing to preserve diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
• Peña, a former central bank director, defeated center-left candidate Efrain Alegre, who had promised to reconsider Paraguay's Taiwan alliance.
• The U.S. has accused Peña's political ally and Colorado Party leader Horacio Cartes of corruption and links to Hezbollah, complicating ties with Washington.
• Peña campaigned on creating jobs, lowering energy prices and clearing drug addicts from the streets, appealing to Paraguay's social conservatives.
• Paraguay is under economic strain and pressure from China and farmers to abandon Taiwan for Beijing, but Peña said he will maintain Taipei ties.

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