LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Mexican opposition party leader teases Colosio run

Polls show Mexico's fragmented political opposition struggling to coalesce around a candidate who could best leading MORENA hopefuls, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and Marcelo Ebrard, currently the country's foreign minister. Pundits tout Colosio, 37, as a fresh face and also point to a sympathy factor: he is the son of 1994's leading presidential candidate of the same name who was gunned down just ahead of that year's election.

The latest in Latin American politics today: Mexican opposition party boss does not rule out Colosio run

MEXICO CITY - The lineup for Mexico's presidential election next year is still open, but the head of one of the country's smaller opposition parties offered fresh clues to who could be its choice to take on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's favored MORENA party. The national leader of Mexico's Citizen Movement party, Dante Delgado, told Reforma newspaper that Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia will not run, but that Luis Donaldo Colosio might.

Delgado added that Colosio, mayor of Mexico's third-biggest city Monterrey, should not be "pressured" into announcing a bid. Polls show Mexico's fragmented political opposition struggling to coalesce around a candidate who could best leading MORENA hopefuls, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and Marcelo Ebrard, currently the country's foreign minister.

Pundits tout Colosio, 37, as a fresh face and also point to a sympathy factor: he is the son of 1994's leading presidential candidate of the same name who was gunned down just ahead of that year's election. In Paraguay, calls for change test dominant Colorado Party

ASUNCION - Paraguay's ruling Colorado Party - a conservative political machine that has dominated government in Asuncion for some eight decades - could be facing a major challenge at the ballot box next month. Voters say they want change and are fed up with internal party squabbles and allegations of graft - opening up the door for a broad opposition alliance to win power.

The single-round election on April 30 will choose the president, legislators, and regional governors. Opinion polls suggest the presidential contest will be a close battle between Colorado party economist Santiago Pena and lawyer Efrain Alegre from the opposition Concertacion Nacional, sitting well ahead of a large but fragmented field of opponents.

Brazil's Lula gets back to work after pneumonia BRASILIA - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will return to his duties at the presidential palace on Wednesday, after recovering from a bout of mild pneumonia, according to his press secretary, Paulo Pimenta.

Lula was diagnosed on Thursday night and has been working from the Alvorada Palace since then. On Saturday, it was confirmed that the president also had influenza, which led to the cancellation of his trip to China, which has yet to be rescheduled. Blinken holds meeting with Paraguay's foreign minister

WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Monday with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Julio Arriola to discuss collaboration in fighting corruption and other regional security challenges, according to the U.S. Department of State. Both diplomats spoke about bilateral trade opportunities while Blinken highlighted progress made on the regulatory recertification of Paraguayan beef for export to the U.S.

Blinken also expressed appreciation for Paraguay's "principled commitment" to Taiwan, and for voting on what he described as difficult issues, including those touching on Russia, China, Nicaragua and Venezuela. (Compiled by Steven Grattan; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Tomasz Janowski)

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