Ex-bishop Fernando Lugo shakes up politics in Paraguay

[Judi Lynn]

Ex-bishop Fernando Lugo shakes up politics in Paraguay




Jorge Saenz, Associated Press
Fernando Lugo is seen as an agent of change by supporters and as a leftist fanatic by critics.

By Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
April 20, 2008

VILLARRICA, PARAGUAY -- A sense of new possibilities courses through the crowd even before "the bishop of the poor" shows up in the plaza of this sugar-cane farming center.

"I'm not here to hand out beer, liquor, sausages," Fernando Lugo advises, alluding to the traditional giveaways of Paraguayan pols on the stump. "I'm here to share the hope of change with the people."

Tiny, landlocked Paraguay, still recovering from the stultifying legacy of the 35-year dictatorship of Gen. Alfredo Stroessner, will cast ballots today to elect a new president. The stunning emergence of Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop, as the leading presidential candidate has turned the place upside down.

The so-called pink tide of left-leaning leaders has altered the face of Latin America. But there has been no candidate quite like Lugo. Supporters see him as the embodiment of hope amid gloom. Critics warn of an impending conflagration if the arm-waving orator wins.

More:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-lugo20apr20,1,6732132.story?track=rss

[Judi Lynn]

1. Key facts on Paraguay's presidential vote

Key facts on Paraguay's presidential vote
By The Associated Press
1 hour, 1 minute ago

Key facts about Paraguay's general election.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: Paraguayans will elect a president and vice president on a single ticket, along with a 45-member Senate and 80-member lower House of Deputies, all for five-year terms. Also up are 17 governors, 18 members of the Mercosur trade bloc's parliament and local officials.

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WHO VOTES: About 2.8 million Paraguayans over 18 are registered to cast ballots. Voting is mandatory for eligible voters under age 60.

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POLLING HOURS:

Some 14,000 voting stations across the South American country open at 7 a.m. EDT and close at 5 p.m. EDT. Counting starts after polls close, with official results to be certified in 10 days. The biggest vote-getter wins outright with no runoff.

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RECENT HISTORY:

Paraguay, a landlocked agrarian nation with soybean, cotton and other farm exports, emerged from the 35-year military dictatorship of late Gen. Alfredo Stroessner in 1989. Periodic political unrest and chronic economic malaise has since shaken its fragile democracy. Some 43 percent of its 6.5 million citizens live in poverty. It is the second poorest country in South America after Bolivia.