According to newspaper sources, Abdo Benítez, President of the Republic, intends to place the businessman in place of Hugo Velázquez to dispute the presidential elections in December.
In a poll published on twitter, our media outlet asked users who they would prefer to run for president of the Republic among several outsiders (person outside politics), the winner turned out to be Luis Pettengill with 40%, among more than 1200 votes.
How do you see the 2023 presidential elections?
So far, I am from the Colorado Party, we are from a Colorado family and cerristas (laughs). So, what I see inside the party are two candidates who are trying to relocate and who are fighting for it.
With some concern because neither of them has a very important preponderance according to the polls so that he does not win. I mean, the fear is that, if we just continue like this, we may not win the 2023 presidential elections as the Colorado Party. That is the only fear most of us have right now.
If the scenario and circumstances are given, would you like to be president of the Republic?
I believe that there is no Paraguayan who would not like to be the President of the Republic. I don’t know if he is qualified or not, but wanting to be president of the Republic is a very important position that everyone would like to be.
Now I don’t know if everyone is enabled, if everyone is in a position to be. I think as a Paraguayan; why not? But either way, it’s not a very simple thing.
Do you consider that you have the necessary skills to lead a country?
Of course yes. It is not only the political part because Paraguay has its institutions already well established, it has a Judicial Power, a Legislative Power, an Executive Power, and the Executive is the one that has to manage the Government. Finally ends up managing the Government. Although it is true that there are many political problems along the way, that is why I say that it should not be very easy.
Because of the way politics is developed in Paraguay, but well, I don’t see any kind of impossibility, especially seeing who all the candidates are. So one says well, looking at all these candidates, I think it is very feasible that they can make the same effort.
If you have the skills, why not get involved?
Well, I think the cards are drawn on the political side. There are two main groups in the Colorado Party.
There are also other groups, there are 100 registered movements, but really, since we are not from this world, we are not very involved, but yes, as Paraguayans, of course, we are at the service of our country in case it is necessary, I will to give of my last years that I have left, let’s say, five years, they are not a few years, but I would be willing to give my five for Paraguay.
If you are successful, would you like to be part of the President’s team or be independent?
I don’t have any current. Not being political we have no current. As an entrepreneur we want institutionality, that public institutions function as well as the Judicial and Legislative Powers, that they make the laws and the Executive enforces the laws.
That is what we always want. Now entering the political arena is not worth it because you have the political actors who are dedicated to that.
We got the information, from a very good source, that Abdo thinks of you to be the ruling party’s candidate…
No, no knowledge, no approach, no nothing. I mean, we haven’t had any conversations, I’m not saying today, or yesterday or the day before yesterday, but rather in the previous months. I have no knowledge either.
With the electoral offer of the ANR can power be reached in 2023?
I believe that the Colorado Party continues to have a very important electorate, but it must be united. What we see is that it is divided into two parts, I am not saying in two equal parts but divided.
These very violent and strong divisions are very difficult to seal in a short time, why note that in December it is the internal one and in April, four months later, it is the general election. It is very difficult to heal wounds that bleed there, unity should be sought if the Colorado party wants to continue to function as a government, all Colorados concerned about their country who you ask will tell you the same thing. As we are, let’s die.
How do you take the fact that many people like your figure for president?
I take it with the concern that exists about this polarization and this deep division that is created, but the truth is that we talked about the fact that they would have to unite, I think that they will be looking for a consensus candidate that both parties may like in a way that they are not so strongly divided. That is the main concern of those of us who are outside of politics and this is transmitted through the surveys that are carried out.
I personally never ordered any survey, nor were they ever seen in surveys, because it depends on where you do it, what group of people you have, but I say that the concern is general. Not only mine, but many people, worried because, as we see, we don’t see the Colorado Party doing well in the general elections.
If your figure is promoted to unify the Colorado Party, how would you take it?
No, now that you ask me, I don’t know, I think they will look more in the political sphere, than in the business sphere, a complete outsider, I never had any conversation of this type. So we don’t even consider this situation, but we do consider the need for party unity.
