TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Just five days out from the country's national election, leading candidate Efrain Alegre has said Paraguay is not receiving fair treatment in its relationship with Taiwan, with whom the South American country is a formal diplomatic partner.
Throughout his campaign, Alegre has repeatedly expressed that he will switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China if elected on April 30. Alegre said on Monday (April 24) that while he has not made a decision on the relationship, he is actively “analyzing it,” and that Paraguay has lost "many opportunities" of national interest by maintaining relations with Taiwan, according to Spanish language media.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign (MOFA) affairs provided Taiwan News a statement on Tuesday (April 24) that said that no matter the outcome of Paraguay’s April 30 election, the government will continue to work with the new Paraguay government, and keep pursuing the greatest wellbeing for peoples of both countries.
Alegre has maintained a slim but persistent lead over his main opponent, the incumbent Colorado Party's Santiago Pena, according to polling data. If successful in his presidential race, Alegre would lead only the second non-Colorado administration Paraguay has seen in the last 80 years.
In recent years, the Colorado Party administration has been embroiled in multiple corruption scandals, and faced increasing complaints from the soy and beef industries about lack of access to the Chinese market. Outgoing President Mario Abdo Benítez, who supports continuing relations with Taiwan, is not eligible to stand for reelection due to term limit restrictions.
Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez participates in a welcome ceremony during his trip to Taiwan in mid-February, 2023. Abdo expressed firm commitment to his country's ongoing relationship with Taiwan during the visit. (CNA photo)
On Monday, Alegre also rejected reports that Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu had sought clarification over the candidate's official position on Taiwan, though said he had received communication from Taiwan’s ambassador to Paraguay expressing Taiwan's concern. MOFA did not respond to Taiwan News’ request for comment on this issue.
If Paraguay does cut ties with Taiwan after the April 30 election, Taiwan would no longer have any allies in the region. Honduras is the most recent South American country to make the switch to formal recognition of China, ending an 82-year relationship between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the President of Taiwan's Central American ally Guatemala is in Taiwan for a state visit, and on Tuesday expressed a firm commitment to his country's formal relationship with Taiwan.
The Paraguayan economy is based largely on soy, maize, and beef production, having overcome the issue of having a large black-market economy based on drugs, weapons, and illicit electronics products in the early 2000s. Taiwan has provided significant development assistance to the South American nation since it established bi-lateral relations in 1957 in the form of loans, technical assistance, and funding for various development projects.