Presidential Office congratulates Santiago Peña on election as president of the Republic of Paraguay
The Republic of Paraguay held presidential and parliamentary elections on April 30, with Santiago Peña, candidate of the Asociación Nacional Republicana (Colorado Party), elected as the country's next president. Presidential Office Spokesperson Olivia Lin (林聿禪) said on May 1 that President Tsai Ing-wen offers her sincere congratulations on behalf of Taiwan's people and government to President-elect Peña on his election victory and looks forward to smooth policy implementation, robust national development, greater prosperity, and the continued deepening of Taiwan-Paraguay relations under the incoming Peña administration.
Spokesperson Lin pointed out that with 99.89 percent of the vote counted, Paraguay's electoral court announced that Peña and vice-presidential candidate Pedro Alliana had received 42.74 percent of the vote, leading the second-placed Efraín Alegre, candidate of the opposition Concertación, who received 27.48 percent. The spokesperson added that President-elect Peña has given an acceptance speech acknowledging his electoral victory.
Spokesperson Lin said that the Presidential Office offers its sincerest congratulations to Taiwan's ally Paraguay on a successful democratic election. She added that as soon as the election results were announced, Ambassador to Paraguay Han Chih-cheng (韓志正) conveyed congratulations on behalf of President Tsai, Vice President Lai Ching-te, and Taiwan's people and government to the president and vice president-elect of Paraguay, and applauded the Paraguayan people for their engagement in the democratic process that brought this election to completion.
Spokesperson Lin said that Paraguay is an important ally of Taiwan in Latin America, and that our two countries have cooperated closely in areas including women's empowerment, agriculture and fisheries, public health and medicine, education, and cultural affairs. She said that President-elect Peña's campaign platform includes promoting economic and trade diplomacy, establishing free childcare centers, combating drugs, eliminating poverty, creating jobs, and helping the youth enter the workforce. The spokesperson then said that, based on our shared values of democracy and freedom as well as our longstanding, friendly relations, Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges with the incoming administration to create the greatest benefit for both our peoples.