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Lugo eyes united continent

Paraguayan president-elect Fernando Lugo, center, juggles a soccer ball while children cheer him on at the entrance of his house in Lambare, Paraguay, on Monday. Lugo was declared the winner with nearly 41 percent of the vote. PHOTO: AFP

Paraguayan president-elect Fernando Lugo, a leftist former bishop who ended Colorado Party’s 61 years in power, said in an interview that he dreams of a united Latin America in which his country plays an important role.

“I will continue to dream of a greater Latin America, integrated and respected, without borders,” Lugo said on Monday, a day after he won the presidency.

“A great homeland that is respected on an international level. And I dream of a Paraguay that is respected by other nations,” he said in the studios of local radio station Faith and Happiness.

Lugo, 56, a follower of Liberation Theology who was suspended from his religious duties two years ago by the Vatican for taking up politics, said he also hopes to link up with fellow leftist leaders in the region after he takes office on Aug. 15.

“I’m still dreaming with the Latin American people,” he said, rattling off the names of the region’s leftist presidents, “with the people of [Ecuador’s Rafael] Correa, of [Chile’s Michelle] Bachelet, of [Uruguay’s] Tabare [Vazquez].”

“And also of [Bolivia’s] Evo [Morales], who called us at 2am, as soon as he found out the result of Sunday’s election, to put himself at our disposal,” he said. “The same with [Argentina’s Cristina] Kirchner ... and [Venezuela’s Hugo] Chavez ... and Nicaragua,” whose President Daniel Ortega ended the list.

“We’ll be weaving relations that will be quite positive in the future,” he said. “Paraguay cannot be an island apart, it must join the rest of the continent.”

Branded by religious authorities as “a dagger thrust into the Church’s body” and by business leaders as a dangerous, Chavez-style left-winger, Lugo outlined his initial plan of action in office.

“My first measure is one that is dear to my heart: our indigenous people ... the historic debt we owe them,” he said.

“They are the true original owners of this land,” he said.

“No more natives dying of hunger, tuberculosis or lack of medical attention,” he added.

On Sunday Lugo ended the Colorado Party’s uninterrupted stint in power and dashed its candidate Blanca Ovelar’s hope of becoming Paraguay’s first woman president.
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