Paraguay's presidential candidate Blanca Ovelar (L) and Paraguay's President Nicanor Duarte (R) casts her vote during the primary elections of the Colorado in Asuncion December 16, 2007. REUTERSJorge Adorno

ASUNCION (Reuters) - A former education minister seeking to become Paraguay's first female president held a narrow lead on Monday in a race for the ruling party's nomination, but final results were not expected until January.

Blanca Ovelar, a former teacher and psychologist, is backed by President Nicanor Duarte Frutos of the Colorado Party, which has held power in Paraguay for 60 years and is one of the world's longest-ruling political parties.

With 91.5 percent of the ballots counted from Sunday's primary election, Ovelar had 45.3 percent of votes followed by former Vice President Luis Castiglioni with 44.2 percent.

Paraguayan electoral officials told local media the outcome was too close to call and they expected to declare a winner in early January after completing a final count. Paraguay's presidential election is scheduled for April 20.

Ovelar, 50, who vows to maintain Duarte's centrist policies, claimed victory on Sunday after exit polls showed her winning by three to five percentage points.

Duarte said on Monday: "We're celebrating a tight victory and awaiting confirmation from the party's tribunal ... the difference in our favor is between 0.9 and 1.1 percent. We'll see what happens, but I make a plea for calm."

Castiglioni, a 45-year-old civil engineer whose support base includes Paraguay's business leaders, said he was confident final results would show him the winner.

The Colorado Party candidate will face front-runner Fernando Lugo, a former Roman Catholic bishop who quit the priesthood to run for president. Lugo leads a coalition of opposition parties and leftist social groups.

Other contenders include retired army general Lino Oviedo, a charismatic center-right political leader popular with Paraguay's poor, and businessman Pedro Fadul.

Oviedo's candidacy has split the opposition looking to unseat the Colorado Party in Paraguay, a poor, landlocked country of 5.6 million people that produces beef and soybeans.

Top of Page

Post an instant comment or a suggestion to the above article or news

Note: You can use the above link to form a new discussion forum, place your opinion and discuss events, politics, articles, environment, fashion, health, internet, search engines, marketing, movies, music, religion and any other topic.