(21 Apr 2008) 1. Losing presidential candidate Blanca Ovelar arriving at news conference 2. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Blanca Ovelar, losing presidential Candidate: "The result is irreversible and we recognise the triumph of Fernando Lugo. We salute the candidate of the Alliance for his triumph, but that we lose the elections does not mean that we are ever going to renounce our faith in the people's freedom." 3. Top shot of supporters of winning presidential candidate Fernando Lugo's cheering 4. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Fernando Lugo, President elect: "This is the Paraguay I dream about. A Paraguay of many colours, of many faces. A Paraguay for everybody." 5. Lugo hugging supporters 6. Various of people celebrating in the streets 7. Lugo arriving at news conference and hugging Federico Franco, candidate for vice-president 8. Wide of news conference 9. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Fernando Lugo, President elect: "We have nothing left to say but that we have received with happiness what the exit polls unanimously have stated, that we are the virtual winners of these elections." 10. Cutaway of media 11. Lugo leaving news conference, UPSOUND: (Spanish) "Thank you very much and long live Paraguay." 12. Lugo walking trough crowd of supporters 13. Lugo supporters celebrating victory 14. Wide of Lugo speaking 15. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Fernando Lugo, President elect: "You have decided that Paraguay is going to be an independent and free country. Thanks, thanks to you all." 16. Various of celebrations STORYLINE: Former Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo won a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election on Sunday, ending more than six decades of one-party rule with a mandate to help the nation's poor and indigenous. His rival, Blanca Ovelar, conceded defeat after a closely fought race to lead this poor, agrarian nation where Ovelar's Colorado Party is the only ruling party most people have ever known. "The result is irreversible and we recognise the triumph of Fernando Lugo,"said Ovelar. News of the win by Lugo, dubbed the "bishop of the poor," set off massive parties in cities across Paraguay with horn-honking caravans of cars blaring music. Others stamped on torn-down banners of the Colorado Party, which many Paraguayans blame for decades of corruption by political elites. The triumph by Lugo's eclectic opposition alliance also marked the latest in a series of election wins by leftist, or centre-left, leaders in South America. "We have nothing left to say but that we have received with happiness what the exit polls unanimously have stated, that we are the virtual winners of these elections," said Lugo. "This is the Paraguay I dream about. A Paraguay of many colours, of many faces. A Paraguay for everybody,'' he told supporters earlier. Lugo's triumph shattered the 61-year grip on national power by the Colorado Party, which had endured through dictatorship and democracy to become the region's longest-ruling party. "You have decided that Paraguay is going to be an independent and free country," said Lugo. In Paraguay's long-volatile politics, Lugo still awaited final official returns confirming his landmark triumph, which would make him he first former Catholic bishop elected as a head-of-state. Eight months ago, Lugo welded leftist unions, Indians and poor farmers into a coalition with Paraguay's main opposition party to form the Patriotic Alliance for Change. A bishop since 1994, he resigned the post in December 2006 to sidestep Paraguay's constitutional ban on clergy seeking office. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/bf9d59bf58125d90604c07366ccfc859

• published: 21 Jul 2015
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