Known as the “the bishop of the poor,” Fernando Lugo, gave up the priesthood in 2006 for a presidential bid. Running on a platform of progressive social and economic change, Lugo beat his Colorado Party’s opponent, Blanca Ovelar. by 10 percent. Ovelar was the first woman to run for the president and could have been Paraguay’s first female president if she was elected.

Once it was determined that Fernando Lugo had won the election, his supporters began pouring into the streets of the capital of Asunción to celebrate his victory by honking their horns, shooting off firecrackers and chanting Lugo’s name. From his headquarters, Lugo stated:

“Today we can affirm that the little ones are also qualified to win… We have completed one stage and today we begin the other one, that of a commitment to transforming Paraguay. This is the Paraguay of which I dream, with many colors, with many faces, the Paraguay of everyone.”

Recently, many have complained about the negative campaigning that has marred the Democratic Primary; however, this is mild in comparison to the vicious smear campaign that took place in Paraguay. According to Jack Chang of of Inside South America – a blog operated by McClatchy Newspapers – the Colorado Party were not shy accusing Lugo being “a kidnapper, a killer and a traitor to God.” Chang wrote:

The Colorados have accused Lugo of being in on the kidnapping and killing of the daughter of former President Raúl Cubas. Of course, no one has proved any of this, but no matter – make the accusation and then run with it. A golden oldie. The Colorados have even run TV ads of the slain woman’s mother tearfully accusing Lugo of being in cahoots with the kidnappers and predicting ruin for Paraguay if the kidnapping priest wins.

Lugo and his supporters where not shy hitting back, calling the current administration as “one of the most corrupt governments ever.” One campaign poster used by the Lugo and APC campaign depicted the current Paraguay President Nicanor Duarte Frutos, presidential candidate Blanca Ovelar and other Colorado Party members as mosquitoes flying into a cloud of ibug spray. The campaign poster reads, “Con tu voto eliminamos esta plaga” (With your vote, we’ll eliminate this plague).

Lugo promised to bring about land reform, has pledged to fight endemic corruption in Paraguay and promised to renegotiate the Itaipú treaty, under which Paraguay sells to Brazil for the power it imports from the Itaipú hydroelectric plant at a pittance.

Although Lugo is not scheduled to take office until August, the changes Lugo promised are already taking place. Soon after the election, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva agreed to begin formal negotiations with Paraguayan president-elect Fernando Lugo on “how to implement” a price adjustment. Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said:

Brazil, “as the largest Latin American economy,” should help its poorest neighbours, Amorim said he thought “it is absurd that Paraguay, being a partner of one of the largest hydroelectric dams in the world,” should have “such a poor electricity supply in Asuncion” and that it not be able to invest in [as published] due to the lack of transmission lines that allow the regular supply of electricity.

Its no surprise people here in the US are trying to portray Fernando Lugo as Paraguay’s next Hugo Chávez and Bolivia’s Evo Morales. These attacks began last year. In a Christian Science Monitor commentary, Carlos Sabino, wrote that a Lugo win would mean that “democracy may be reversed.”

Now that Lugo won, other provocative and bombastic reports are now making its rounds throughout the news media and blogosphere. Pajama’s Media Bridget Johnson, Latin America’s Latest Marxist Leader Takes Power in Paraguay, feels Lugo campaign was funded by Chávez and is now “allies-in-waiting.” The Latin Business Chronicle is urging Lugo not to follow Venezuela’s path.

How Lugo will lead is country out of it’s economic misery is still uncertain, however, he will not be alone in this fight. Mercedes Lugo, Fernando Lugo’s older sister, will focus on humanitarian projects in the indigenous communities and slums. Lugo will also be helped in fulfilling his objectives by the fact that both left-leaning and indigenous candidates have been elected to Paraguay’s congress for the first time ever.

This victory is first step at restoring hope to South America’s second-poorest country.

Fernández is the second woman to be elected leader of a South American nation in two years, after Michelle Bachelet, who became Chile’s president last year.

According to official results from the ministry of interior, Fernández had 45 percent of the votes, ahead of Elisa Carrio, a center-left congresswoman, who had 23 percent, and Roberto Lavagna, a former finance minister, who had 17 percent. This would be the widest margin a candidate has obtained since democracy returned in Argentina in 1983.

Fernández started her political career in the Peronist Youth movement of the Justicialist Party in the 1970s. She was elected Deputy to the provincial legislature of Santa Cruz in 1989, and subsequently re-elected in 1993. In 1995, she was elected to represent Santa Cruz in the Senate and in 1997 in the Chamber of Deputies. In 2001, she won again a seat in the Senate.

Cristina was born in a middle-class family in the city of La Plata, the capital of the province of Buenos Aires, on Feb. 19, 1953, a few months after the death of Eva Duarte (Evita), the wife of the former President Juan Domingo Perón (1946-1955 and 1973-1974), who became a powerful leader in her own right as first lady and was his vice president and became president after his death.

Cristina’s parents who were also involved in Argentina’s political parties during her childhood. Her father was a bus driver and her mother a homemaker. He belonged to the Radical Civic Union (UCR) and she to the Justicialista (Peronist) Party – the two forces that governed Argentina throughout the 20th century.

After beginning her studies in psychology, she entered law school at the University of La Plata where she met Néstor and where both were activists in the Peronist movement. They later moved to Mr. Kirchner’s home province of Santa Cruz, in Patagonia, where Fernández was elected a senator before her husband began his political career.

It has been said that Cristina is considered to be combative, which in a patriarchal world would be seen as being cold. It also has been said that she avoids contact with people and is not easily moved. If she cries, she does so in private. It interesting how these qualities are admired with men, but seen as a flaw for women.

Olga Wornat, author of the authorized biography, titled “Queen Cristina,” describes Fernández as indomitable, intelligent, controversial, bold in challenging the status quo, and “ambitious like no other woman since Evita.” When it comes appearance and intelligence, Cristina told Wornat that “the idea that if you are attractive you have to prove that you are intelligent always irritated me.”

Declaring victory late on Sunday, Cristina said she felt a responsibility not only to lead her country, but “an immense responsibility for my gender.”

“I want to reach out to all women – to those who have stayed at home, to the factory workers, to the university students, to the professionals and the business women,” she said. “I know that we can accomplish great work with the special skills that we have.”

Her election extends the trend of left-leaning elected governments in Latin America, although she is more moderate than the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez. Mrs Kirchner is expected to maintain her husband’s friendly relations with Chavez.

Fernández has vowed to continue the work of her husband after winning a presidential election widely seen as a referendum on his economic policies. She has fiercely rejected the pro-market policies of the 1990s, which she blames for the 2001 crisis. She also backs a weak peso to help “re-industrialize” Argentina and boost exports. She has called for a broad “social pact” between the government, big business and unions on how to sustain growth, and share its benefits, in the longer term.

Congratulations Cristina Fernández de Kirchner!