Center-Right Cartes Wins Paraguayan Presidential Election

Horacio Cartes won Paraguay's presidential election Sunday, succeeding former Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo, who was impeached last year for poor performance.

Cartes, a business magnate who made his fortune in banking and tobacco, has vowed to create jobs in a nation where nearly 40 percent of the population lives below the poverty level.

Cartes' election marks a victory for the center-right Colorado Party over challenger Efrain Alegre's leftist Liberal Party, which previously controlled the government. Cartes took 46 percent of the vote to Alegre's 37 percent.

The incoming president will face challenges such as repairing the ailing economy, creating jobs, and combating drug trafficking, smuggling and corruption.

Liberal Federico Franco has led the landlocked, South American country since last June after Lugo was ousted from office.

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