ASUNCION : Divide and Conquer?

The powerful Colorado Party, which has dominated Paraguay since 1947, runs a serious risk of losing a presidential election scheduled for Sunday. A split in the party has undermined support for its candidate, Juan Carlos Wasmosy, and bolstered the chances of two rivals.

One rival is Sen. Domingo Laino of the Authentic Radical Party, an opposition figure who has spent time in jail and in exile for challenging Colorado power. The other is Guillermo Caballero of the new National Unity Party.

Between 1954 and 1989, when Gen. Alfredo Stroessner was president, rigged elections gave him and his party huge majorities. President Andres Rodriguez, also a Colorado member, overthrew Stroessner in 1989 and then won presidential elections, promising to step down this year.