Paraguay ruling party faces tough election challenge

[Judi Lynn]

Paraguay ruling party faces tough election challenge
Fri 28 Mar 2008, 17:56 GMT
By Kevin Gray

ASUNCION, March 28 (Reuters) - No political party in power in the world has governed as long as Paraguay's Colorado Party, which has held a tight and sometimes brutal grip on this poor South American country for more than six decades.

But the center-right party is now facing one of its strongest challenges ever in the country's April 20 presidential election.

The emergence of a former Roman Catholic bishop and political neophyte as the front-runner in the race, bitter in-fighting and lukewarm support for its presidential candidate are all threatening the Colorado Party's hold on power.

"For the first time in 20 years, the Colorados are facing the possibility of losing and they're worried," said Marcelo Lacchi, a political analyst at the Center for Studies and Popular Education in Asuncion.

For the vast majority of Paraguayans, the Colorado Party is the only government they've known.

It has ruled since 1947, including the 35-year dictatorship of Gen. Alfredo Stroessner, which was marked by repression, torture and rampant corruption. Human rights group say some 900 people were kidnapped and killed under Stroessner, many of them suspected of being communist sympathizers.

More:
http://africa.reuters.com/commodities/news/usnN28428570.html?rpc=401&