LatinNews Monitor: Brazil & Southern Cone - 10 December 2015

The municipal elections held in Paraguay on 15 November produced a major setback for the nationally ruling Asociación Nacional Republicana- Partido Colorado (ANR-PC) and President Horacio Cartes. In the face of the persistent ANR-PC party divisions, Cartes was counting on a solid performance from the ruling party in the municipal elections to shore up in-party support for his administration [RBS-15-11]. However, the ANR-PC suffered some painful loses including in the capital, Asunción. With the poor electoral results giving rise to renewed signs of in-party dissent within the ANR-PC, Cartes has been forced to adopt a more conciliatory stance amid concerns that his imperious leadership may lead the ANR-PC to an even more painful defeat in the 2018 general elections.