Taiwan pledges stronger ties with Paraguay after ally’s presidential election

Pro-Taiwan ruling party candidate Santiago Pena won convincing election victory, vowing to maintain formal ties with the island

Taipei said Beijing went all out to snatch away South American ally after Honduras switched official ties to China in March

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Paraguayan president-elect Santiago Pena celebrates in the capital Asuncion on Sunday after winning the poll. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:07pm, 1 May 2023Updated: 8:24pm, 1 May 2023

Taiwan has pledged to strengthen ties with its sole South American ally Paraguay after the country’s pro-Taipei ruling party candidate was elected president, suggesting formal relations between the two sides would remain intact.

Results of the Paraguayan presidential election on Monday showed that voters there chose the ruling conservative Colorado Party’s candidate Santiago Pena as their new leader.

Pena, who had pledged to maintain Paraguay’s long-standing relations with Taipei, won 43 per cent of the vote, a 15 point margin over his centre-left challenger Efrain Alegre, who had opted for switching official recognition to Beijing if elected.

“In his election campaign, President-elect Santiago Pena had promised to promote trade and foreign relations, establish free nursery schools, attack narcotics, reduce poverty, create job opportunities, and assist youth employment,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

“Based on shared values such as democracy and freedom and the traditional friendship between our two countries, we will continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges with the new government of Paraguay in order to maximise the benefits and well-being of our two sides,” the statement said.

The ministry stopped short of saying in what ways Taiwan would deepen its cooperation and exchanges with Paraguay, or how Taipei would help Pena fulfil his campaign promises.

Through its embassy in the capital Asuncion, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen congratulated Pena, 44, on his victory immediately after the vote results were known. Tsai also congratulated Paraguay on its smooth election, the ministry said.

In a congratulatory statement to Pena, Tsai’s office wished Paraguay robust national development and a smooth administration under the new president.