Protests in Paraguay as losing candidates calls for recount

Supporters of presidential candidate Paraguayo Cubas try to stop a car outside Paraguay's Superior Court of Electoral Justice to demand a recount of votes, in Asuncion, Paraguay May 1, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar Olmedo

ASUNCION (Reuters) - Supporters of a right-wing candidate who came third in Paraguay's presidential election clashed with police outside the electoral court on Monday, amid complaints of fraud in a vote that the ruling Colorado Party won comfortably.

Police put up fences around the court's headquarters and fired rubber bullets at young protesters who were throwing stones, authorities said, after hundreds of supporters of Paraguayo Cubas gathered.Elsewhere, demonstrators blocked roads with burning tires and destroying billboards with the photo of President-elect Santiago Pena, a 44-year-old economist who won 43% of the vote on Sunday compared with 27% for runner-up Efrain Alegre.