"During the almost 200 years of its history as an independent nation," said modern languages and literature professor Teresa Méndez Faith, "prior to August 15th there had never been a peaceful handover of the presidency from one party to another."

Professor Méndez Faith, who grew up in South America and now teaches Spanish at Saint Anselm College, knows about this peaceful transition particularly well: the new president of Paraguay is her cousin, Monsigńor Fernando Lugo Méndez.

View photos of Lugo's Inaguration »

President Lugo, known to many as "bishop of the poor," has politics in his blood and life, but has never before served in a political office. His father, Guillermo Lugo Ramos, was arrested and tortured several times for his relationship to then-dictator General Alfredo Stroessner's primary opposition leader. That opposition leader, Epifanio Méndez Fleitas, is Professor Méndez Faith's father, and Lugo's uncle. Ramos died of injuries sustained from torture, and one of Lugo's two older brothers died in exile.

"At 18 years old he [Fernando Lugo] had experienced first-hand the bitter taste of injustice, corruption, and gross abuse of power," Professor Méndez told the Crier by email from Paraguay.

"Fernando Lugo Méndez had completed the training for his obligatory military service with the highest grades; he was the top graduate of his class, and seemed to be heading toward a brilliant future as a member of the militia.

"However, 'orders from above' caused his records to be tampered with, his grades to be changed, and his service record adulterated," she continued. "As a result of this my cousin was demoted and very unjustly treated."

These early political experiences, Méndez recalls, led Lugo to begin his life-long vocation of teaching and the priesthood.

View photos of Mendez-Faith and Lugo »

"[H]e. . . was very happy with what he was doing: working among and for the poor since the late 70's, first as priest and later as a bishop in one of the poorest regions, San Pedro," Méndez said.

As the Roman Catholic bishop of San Pedro, Lugo worked with the landless on anti-poverty measures. Even today as president, he is noted for being humble and casual; Lugo "wears sandals to important meetings and wants to live in his own house rather than the presidential residence," writes the New York Times.

"He always worked with his people and lived among them, doing everything he could to get a better deal for the peasants," Méndez said.

After more than a decade as bishop, Lugo stepped down in 2005 to take the first steps towards a presidential run. He forged an alliance of opposition parties against the National Republican Association, or the Colorado party.

"Fernando achieved his victory entirely by appealing to the highest aspirations of the populace," Méndez Faith said. "He was chosen to lead the ticket by his political coalition precisely because he was well known already in the country as an honest, courageous defender of the poor."

"The citizens of Paraguay deserved and demanded this time a leadership that they could respect and admire, not the same old tired "politicos" who had been enriching themselves and their friends for so many years," she continued. "This time they had a chance to elect someone who not only could speak well, but who had proven by a life of sacrifice and service that he truly believed what he said."

The significance of Lugo's election is noted beyond the Méndez family. Lugo has avoided classification with other South American leftist leaders, such as Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Bolivia's Evo Morales, and considers himself moderate and independent.

For the Méndez family, social developments in Paraguay are more than just a political victory -- it is a most personal of victories. It is poetic justice, Méndez Faith said, to see her brother as leader of the same military that would not let him join -- and the same country that tortured her father and exiled much of her family.

"I also believe that the changes for Paraguay he [her father] had envisioned and fought for all his life but died without seeing, the hopes and dreams of living in a country without fear, without hunger, where honesty, equality, justice and security would be the rule for all, not the privilege of a few, will be furthered," Méndez Faith said.

Méndez Faith describes the election of her cousin as a "dream come true." But, she says, it is a dream realized by more than just herself.

"At a national level, Fernando becoming President is actually a dream come true for many people, for all those who voted for him and made possible what had seemed impossible, that a bishop would be elected president of a country for the first time in the history of humanity!"

This article was published on September 30, 2008 in the Saint Anselm Crier.