Paraguay's ex-president expects party unity regardless of election results

Former Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez cast his vote in Asunción for the municipal internal elections, stressing the critical need for transparency and unwavering respect for the popular will expressed at the ballot box. He affirmed his sector's confidence in the electoral system, warning against any challenges to the legitimacy of the results. "We must ensure that the sovereign's will, which is the will of the people, is not doubted in any way," Abdo Benítez stated.

Addressing concerns about party unity, Abdo Benítez confirmed that the Colorado Party will remain united, irrespective of the outcomes of the internal elections. "Yes, definitely," he responded when asked about potential unity following the elections. He recalled his own presidential candidacy experience, where his faction won in only 20 municipalities compared to others, yet they were later able to build a national political project that led to the presidency.

Abdo Benítez cautioned against interpreting the municipal election results as a direct projection for the general elections in 2028. He explained that his movement, Colorado Añeteté, is fielding candidates in approximately 80 municipalities, with no contenders in over half of the districts. "In more than 160 municipalities, we do not have candidates. You can imagine what the result will be this afternoon," he noted.

Therefore, he emphasized that the analysis should focus on the total votes the "dissidence" within the Colorado Party receives. "For me, the important thing would be for the dissidence as a whole to receive a good number of votes," Abdo Benítez concluded, indicating his expectation for a significant vote count for his faction.