The governor of the Central Department, Ricardo Estigarribia, has formalized his pre-candidacy for the Presidency of Paraguay for the 2028 elections under the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA). In a video posted on his social media, he stated: "I want to be president of the Republic, but not to be just another candidate."
Estigarribia made a direct appeal to all opposition sectors to form a broad forum for unity with clear rules and a transparent process, in which the population would decide who will represent the opposition in the presidential elections. "First unity, then candidacies, and I will compete as just another candidate," he said.
He announced he will formally ask the PLRA president, Alcides Riveros, to convene this dialogue table after the municipal elections on October 4. The goal is to build a unified proposal to bring the opposition to national government in 2028.
In his speech, the governor highlighted his political trajectory, mentioning projects carried out in the administration of the department where one-third of Paraguay's population lives. He also recalled actions during the pandemic as mayor of Villa Elisa, including the construction of pavilions for the sick and the installation of an oxygen plant with his own resources.
Estigarribia's pre-candidacy occurs in a context of internal dispute within the PLRA and the opposition in general, where Miguel Prieto of the Yo Creo party also stands out. This early move breaks a supposed agreement among opposition forces to discuss presidential tickets only after the municipal elections.
Reports from the newspaper La Nación, which have not been independently corroborated, question Estigarribia's management, citing alleged irregularities in public tenders that would have benefited family businesses. The material describes his economic rise after assuming public office, contrasting his origins as a lottery ticket seller with the expansion of his family's businesses during his tenure as mayor of Villa Elisa. A recent tender for the acquisition of cameras by the Central Department's governorship was suspended after the National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP), the government procurement regulatory body, detected alleged irregularities in the process.