Paraguay ruling party candidate wins presidential election
Both candidates are conservatives and the election was closer than the 20-point edge that opinion polls had given Abdo going into the election. Alegre, a 55-year-old lawyer who also finished second in the last presidential election, declined to concede, saying he would wait for the final count, though electoral officials said there were not enough ballots left to be counted to change the result.
The new president begins a five-year term
Abdo, a 46-year-old marketing expert, campaigned on a promise to continue the business-friendly policies of outgoing President
After the results were announced, Abdo promised an "unwavering commitment" to being a good manager of the government.
"We built an electoral project with a dialogue of reconciliation and pardon among all Paraguayans," he said.
The top two candidates had similar platforms, promising to attract foreign investment to create jobs in an economy that has been one of the fastest-growing in the region but that still suffers from high poverty levels, extreme inequality and endemic corruption.
Both also are social conservatives who criticized sex education and abortion rights.
Election officials reported no serious disturbances during the balloting, though a woman was detained for hitting Abdo in the shoulder while he was at the polling place. Police said her motive was unclear.
Sunday's voting also elected all seats in
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