Weekly Report - 27 March 2013 (WR-13-12)

Horacio Cartes, the presidential candidate for the Asociación Nacional Republicana-Partido Colorado (ANR-PC), is opening up a lead ahead of general elections on 21 April, although opinion polls differ dramatically over the margin of this lead. His main rival Efraín Alegre, who is running for the ruling Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico (PLRA), intensified his attacks on Cartes during the latest televised debate, which covered issues ranging from health and education to combating poverty and protecting the environment.