World IN BRIEF : PARAGUAY : Elected Civilian President Sworn In

Construction engineer Juan Carlos Wasmosy, 54, was sworn in as president and promised to live up to the challenge of being the first elected civilian leader to rule Paraguay in 39 years. A member of the Colorado Party in power since 1947, Wasmosy won a narrow victory in May 9 elections that were hailed as the most democratic in Paraguay’s 183-year history, marked by long periods of dictatorship and military-backed authoritarian rule. Wasmosy, beginning a five-year term, is the first elected civilian to rule Paraguay since President Federico Chaves was ousted by President Gen. Alfredo Stroessner in a May, 1954, coup.