The book , authored by acclaimed journalist Hugh O'Shaughnessy , provides a compelling exploration of one of Latin America's most unusual political transitions. Published in September 2009 by Zed Books, it chronicles the rise of Fernando Lugo , a former Roman Catholic bishop who broke the 61-year stranglehold of the Colorado Party on Paraguayan politics. Core Themes and Historical Context
The book examines Lugo as a unique participant in Latin America's shift toward left-leaning, social-democratic governments during the early 21st century.
The book is structured to trace both the individual life of Lugo and the broader evolution of the Paraguayan state: The Priest of Paraguay - Bloomsbury Publishing
A central focus of the book is Lugo's promise to address the "indefensible levels of poverty" and the concentrated land ownership, where a tiny elite controlled the vast majority of agricultural land. Table of Contents Highlights