Paraguay president to assess party leadership by year’s end

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Paraguayan head of state thus replied to the request made days earlier by a number of senators for him to run for the presidency of the conservative party and clarified that under no circumstances will he hold “the two offices concurrently,” in statements to the press after a public event.

“I will not fall, and I will not make the mistake – should I decide to run next year -, of holding the two offices simultaneously. I will not violate the Constitution,” Benítez said.

The Paraguayan president confirmed that he will analyze this option “by the end of the year” and emphasized his commitment “to democracy.”

“If my contribution by remaining in the government will strengthen democracy, I will remain in office; and if to protect democracy from projects that seek hegemonic power should force me, as a citizen, as president and as a politician, to go out into the political arena to safeguard democracy, I will not need to hold office simultaneously,” he stated.

Mario Abdo Benítez, who will turn 50 years old next November 10, took office as president of Paraguay on August 15, 2018, after winning the April elections of that year over the Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico (PLRA) candidate Efraín Alegre.

In recent days, and due to the president’s constitutional impediment to run for reelection, several senators of his sector proposed his name to lead the Partido Colorado.

In this dispute he may face his predecessor in office and also member of the ANR, Horacio Cartes (2013-2018).