On election day this week, Paraguay's President Federico Chaves puffed his black cigars and puttered about his two-story house on a jacaranda-shaded street in Asunción. Don Federico could celebrate his 71st birthday and his second presidential victory with calm assurance, for it was a one-man election, Paraguay's fourth since 1948.* Through the day, most of the 200,000 registered voters dutifully visited the polls (under threat of fine) to cast their ballots for him as the candidate of the Colorados, the country's only legal political party.
Almost by default. Chaves has become boss...
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