As the Colorado Party prepares for the internal elections on June 7, a behind-the-scenes dispute gains momentum: who will be Vice President Pedro Alliana's running mate in the 2028 presidential race? Two names from the Honor Colorado (HC) movement stand out: the Minister of Urban Planning, Housing and Habitat (MUVH), Juan Carlos Baruja, and the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Raúl Latorre.
Baruja, who is said to have received the blessing of former President Horacio Cartes, focuses his campaign on the department of Paraguarí, where he needs to defeat Governor Norma Zárate de Monges, also a Cartes supporter. The minister uses the government's housing programs to expand his electoral base beyond the region. Although the dispute is still open, Baruja is already reaping the benefits of being the potential candidate: for months, the Chamber of Deputies has shelved a request for interpellation against him, related to the delivery of housing to political allies, such as former Senator Javier “Chaqueñito” Vera. The request, which was supposed to be rejected last week, was not voted on due to lack of quorum and did not even make it onto the agenda this Tuesday.
Raúl Latorre, also from HC, travels through the interior of the country. Over the weekend, he participated in events in Nueva Germania (San Pedro), invited by Deputy Leonardo Saiz and Governor Freddy D’Ecclesiis. Latorre had already signaled, along with the governor of Guairá, César “Cesarito” Sosa — another aspirant for the vice presidential slot — that after the internal elections, one of them would step aside in favor of the other. In his speech, Latorre preached the “republican embrace” after the internal elections and promised solutions to social problems that, according to him, the government of Santiago Peña has not addressed. “The only enemy of the ANR is hunger, lack of education, security, and employment,” he said.
The dispute reflects the Cartes faction's strategy of consolidating the presidential ticket based on performance in the municipal elections. While Baruja bets on Cartes' explicit support and the ministerial machinery, Latorre seeks to strengthen alliances with governors and deputies. The outcome of the June 7 internal elections will be a thermometer for defining the 2028 ticket.