EXTRA: Reports of election fraud in Paraguay

[Judi Lynn]

Source: DPA

EXTRA: Reports of election fraud in Paraguay
Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:08:04 GMT

Asuncion, Paraguay - Election observers in Paraguay have accused the Partido Colorado, which has ruled the country since 1947, of election fraud in Sunday's presidential election, national media reported. Observers from the Organization of American States and the Paraguay section of the non-government organisation Transparency said that persons not on electoral rolls were allowed to vote, ballot papers were provided that already had the ruling party crossed in, personal IDs was "bought," and voters were escorted into voting booths by Colorado supporters.

The opposition and independent observers in the capital Asuncion in the past days had warned of possible fraud by the Partido Colorado.

Opinion polls showed that Colorado candidate Blanca Ovelar would run a neck-and-neck race with opposition former bishop Fernando Lugo. However, one poll said that the majority of voters assumed Ovelar would win.

"There is a prevailing mood of pessimism in the country, because everyone assumes election fraud," high school teacher Tomas Palau told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.


Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/200163,extra-reports-of-election-fraud-in-paraguay.html

[diane in sf]

1. No wonder the bushites think they will feel at home in Paraguay--they're probably

running the fraud.

[Turbineguy]

2. Conservatives

involved in election fraud? What's the world coming to?

Oh, wait, never mind.

[bluesmail]

3. when a party can't win on their own merits

steal the election!

[Peace Patriot]

4. I wonder about the source of the poll the Earth Times cites. Poll reports I've read

put Fernando Lugo from 5% to 10% ahead of Ovelar up until just a few days ago. How could he drop 5% to 10% in the polls in a couple of days?

Something's not right with that. Ovelar has NEVER been "neck and neck" with Lugo. He's been ahead from the day he announced--way ahead. Lugo should win with 35% to 40%. Ovelar should get 25% to 30%. And the third major candidate, Oveido, should be in her range. That's how it's been going. A big poll change like this, on or just before election, must be suspected of fraudulent polling.

Anybody seen Mark Penn lately?

[Peace Patriot]

7. Contradictory report on how the election is going...

The London Times has a VERY STRANGE post in which paragraph 2 is directly contradicted by the headline (and in the newspaper biz, reporters often have to yield titling to special title writers or the editors).

The 2nd paragraph:

"All opinion polls indicate Paraguay's 2.8 million voters will elect Fernando Lugo, a former Catholic bishop, as their new president. If he wins he will be the first opposition leader to take power peacefully since the country's independence from Spain in 1811."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3785445.ece

But the headline of the article reads: "Paraguay election is 'too close to call'".

How do you figure that? The article contains no info on poll results. It is described as having been posted an hour ago.

In any case, this Times 2nd paragraph contradictions whatever poll the Earth Times is citing. It says "all polls" indicate a Lugo win.

I'll check out some more news sources.

[Judi Lynn]

9. The story is from Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Hamburg. I'll be looking for other stories. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

10. EIN News: "Lugo seen winning Paraguay presidency: exit polls"

http://www.einnews.com/paraguay/

But DAMN--it requires you to fill out a long form to get the news. I'll do that now. I hate the spam price you pay at some news sites.

-------------------

NOPE, they want MONEY! Forget that. I can wait. I'll look elsewhere.

[AlphaCentauri]

5. No surprise

the elitist RWers would not let their power go democratically.

[The Doctor.]

6. Is anyone surprised?

The will of the people will always be subverted by profiteering despots.

I sometimes wish the good guys would resort to the same dirty tricks.

[Canuckistanian]

8. Some would say it's the Bushes and Reverend Moon responsible

But what do I know?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3183814

[Judi Lynn]

11. Thanks for the link! DU'er "Eleny" just posted an article indicating LUGO won

according to exit polls.

Check Post #29:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3183814#3184769

Article: Leftist ex-bishop ends Colorado Party rule in Paraguay: exit polls
14 hours ago

ASUNCION (AFP) — Leftist coalition leader and former bishop Fernando Lugo won Paraguay's presidential vote Sunday, trouncing rival Blanca Ovelar by 43-37 percent and ending her Colorado Party's 61-year rule in the country, according to exit polls.

Lino Oviedo, 64, a retired army chief who helped stage a coup that ended the 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner, was in third place with 16 percent of the vote, according to the poll by ABC/Nanduti radio.

An Ultima Hora/Coin/Telefuturo exit poll gave Lugo's Patriotic Alliance for Change 40.1 percent of the vote to 37.2 for Ovelar.

There is no runoff vote in Paraguay.

More:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hL-uFf-4fkRqLVv2lRQCSaMpJXuA

[Peace Patriot]

12. Thanks! By 6%, eh? That means he actually won by about 15%, given all the

Colorado Party fraud we're already hearing about. That puts him over 50% as to his actual mandate (in a 3-way race). I think the third major candidate, Oviedo, did more poorly than expected. Last poll I saw, he and Ovelar were about even, and Lugo was quite a bit ahead of them. Oviedo got only 16%. A lot of his votes went to Lugo, apparently.

Here's hoping the exit polls hold up. That will be another test of election fraud. And don't forget, they DOCTORED the exit polls here, in 2004, after the first reports came in, showing a Kerry win--they forced them to match the results of Bushite-controlled "trade secret" voting machines.

[Canuckistanian]

13. Good news! Thanks back!

Looks like REAL democracy is making a comeback in South America.

And I was really heartened to hear of the "Banco del Sur" movement, replacing the IMF and World Bank.