Camilo Pérez, from the Honor Colorado movement, won by a wide margin the internal elections of the National Republican Association (ANR) held this Sunday, June 7, and will be the Colorado Party's candidate for the mayoralty of Asunción in the October municipal elections.
With 97% of the votes counted by the Preliminary Electoral Results Transmission System (TREP) of the Superior Electoral Court (TSJE), Pérez received 78,137 votes, compared to 41,770 for Senator Arnaldo Samaniego, representing the Fuerza y Causa Republicana por Asunción movement. The third-place finisher, Danilo Gómez, from the Universitario Estudantil movement, garnered 1,485 votes. In total, 129,987 Colorado Party members turned out to vote, representing a turnout of 49.77%.
The margin of more than 36,000 votes between the two leading candidates consolidated the victory of the Cartista ruling faction over the Colorado dissident wing. Pérez, president of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee since 2011 and a member of the International Olympic Committee since 2018, will face opposition candidate Soledad Núñez in the race for control of the capital, currently administered by Luis Bello, who took over after Óscar Nenecho Rodríguez resigned amid an intervention that uncovered irregularities in his administration.
In his victory speech, Pérez called for party unity. "From now on, another great journey begins, one we will undertake the same way we have done over all these months, seeking harmony, seeking the unity of all Colorados and all Asuncenos," he said. The candidate reported having received congratulatory calls from ANR president Horacio Cartes, President of the Republic Santiago Peña, Vice President Pedro Alliana, and Samaniego himself, with whom he said he is in talks about the future of Lista 1.
Samaniego acknowledged his defeat and confirmed that he called Pérez to congratulate him. "As democrats and Colorados, we come to recognize the results. I called candidate Camilo Pérez to wish him luck, to acknowledge our defeat," said the former mayor of Asunción. Despite the loss, Samaniego stressed that the more than 43,000 votes obtained by the dissident wing represent an important current of opinion within the party. Congressman Daniel Centurión and Senator Lilian Samaniego also highlighted the strength demonstrated by the dissident sector and argued that building unity must involve integrating these voters.
Before the vote, Pérez had expressed confidence in a peaceful day and dismissed risks to Colorado unity. "I am sure that the unity of the Colorado Party was never at risk," he said. Vice President Pedro Alliana visited Pérez's campaign headquarters during the vote count to monitor the electoral oversight and control structure set up by the movement.
Raúl Latorre, president of the Chamber of Deputies and Pérez's campaign manager, attributed the victory to collective work and the support of grassroots leadership. When asked about speculation that he could join the presidential ticket in 2028 as Pedro Alliana's running mate, Latorre declined to comment and stated that he would follow the decisions of the Honor Colorado movement.