THE OPPOSITION LEADER IN SUNDAY'S PARAGUAY ELECTION, DR.ERNESTO GAVILAN, HAS CONCEDED DEFEAT TO GENERAL ALFREDO STROESSNER, PRESIDENT AND "STRONGMAN" SINCE HE CAME TO POWER IN A COUP IN 1954.WITH HALF THE VOTES COUNTED BY MONDAY, THE RESULTS STOOD AT 234,531 FOR THE GENERAL'S COLORADO PARTY, 25,680 FOR DR.GAVILAN'S LIBERAL PARTY FACTION, AND 13,992 BLANK VOTES.THE OTHER LIBERAL FACTIONS HAD URGED THEIR SUPPORTERS TO CAST BLANK VOTES IN PROTEST AT THE BAN ON THEIR CANDIDATES.

DESPITE THEIR MEAGRE VOTE, THE LIBERALS ARE ASSURED OF 20 SEATS IN THE 60-SEAT, ONE-CHAMBER CONGRESS.

WOMEN FLOCKED TO THE POOLS ON SUNDAY TO VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A PARAGUAYAN GENERAL ELECTION.IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST FOR 34 YEARS IN WHICH THE OPPOSITION TOOK PART.THE LAST TIME AN OPPOSITION PARTY TOOK PART THE ELECTIONS DEGENERATED INTO PARAGUAY'S DEADLIEST CIVIL WAR IN WHICH THOUSANDS WERE KILLED.