The national government and Argentine political leaders congratulated Santiago Peña today for his victory in Paraguay’s presidential elections and called for regional integration in Latin America.

President Alberto Fernandez spoke by telephone with Peña to congratulate him on his victory and then expressed on his Twitter account: “I warmly greet all in our brother nation, and I wish them a great future. Latin America must unite, integration is the way.”

Me comuniqué telefónicamente con el presidente electo @SantiPenap, a quien felicité por su triunfo en Paraguay.

Saludo afectuosamente a todo nuestro pueblo hermano y les deseo un gran futuro. Latinoamérica debe unirse, la integración es el camino. pic.twitter.com/4ULrDz4GjT

— Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) April 30, 2023

In the same vein, the Argentine Foreign Ministry praised “the people and the government of the Republic of Paraguay for the concluded election day while extending our congratulations and greetings to the President-elect.”

“We ratify our commitment to work to strengthen the bilateral agenda,” they said.

Argentina felicita al pueblo y al gobierno de la República del Paraguay por la jornada electoral llevada a cabo, al tiempo que extiende sus felicitaciones y saludos al Presidente electo @SantiPenap

Ratificamos nuestro compromiso de trabajar para fortalecer la agenda bilateral.

— Cancillería Argentina 🇦🇷 (@CancilleriaARG) May 1, 2023

Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, from the opposition coalition Juntos por el Cambio (JxC), commended “our Paraguayan brothers for a great democratic day and Santiago Peña for the triumph.”

“As I have just told the president-elect, I am confident that we will be able to work together from December onwards to deepen our relations and promote a region that is more integrated into the world,” he said. 

Larreta is one of the several JxC politicians vying for the presidential candidacy, which is expected to be defined in the primary elections in August. He was the first to officially launch his bid on February 22. 

Felicitaciones a nuestros hermanos paraguayos por una gran jornada democrática y a @SantiPenap por el triunfo. Como le acabo de manifestar al presidente electo, confío en que podremos trabajar juntos a partir de diciembre para profundizar nuestras relaciones y promover una región…

— Horacio Rodríguez Larreta (@horaciorlarreta) April 30, 2023

Patricia Bullrich, former head of the PRO party which is key within the JxC said: “We are sure that we have the same ideas of development and progress to work as a team.”

Bullrich is currently at loggerheads with Larreta over obtaining the JxC presidential candidacy.

Former President Mauricio Macri also sent his good wishes to Peña and the Colorado Party for the victory, which he considered “good news for the region” on his Twitter account.

Felicitaciones a @SantiPenap, Presidente electo de Paraguay y al Partido Colorado por este triunfo!!! Buenas noticias desde Paraguay para la región

— Mauricio Macri (@mauriciomacri) April 30, 2023

Peña obtained 42% of the votes over Alegre’s 27% and will succeed President Mario Abdo Benítez on August 15.

The Colorado party has ruled Paraguay almost without interruption for the last 70 years. The only exception to its hegemony occurred during the government of the center-left Fernando Lugo (2008-2012), who was impeached by Congress one year before the end of his term.

—Herald/agencies