The Paraguayan President, Luis Gonzalez Macchi, has dismissed a vote in the lower house of parliament to impeach him over alleged mismanagement and corruption.

He described it as a political manoeuvre by his opponents.

The internal party elections are due to held in eight days time. So I think this is simply an internal game and an opportunity for other parties to win votes

Luis Gonzalez Macchi

Fifty out of the 61 members of parliament voted in favour of impeachment, but Mr Gonzalez Macchi says he will stay in his post and expects the proposal to be defeated in the senate.

It is the latest blow for Mr Gonzalez Macchi, who in recent months has faced cabinet resignations and street protests over his handling of the economy.

Correspondents say he has become politically more isolated since the resignation of his vice-president, Julio Cesar Franco, in October.

After the vote, Mr Gonzalez Macchi said: "I am simply going to wait for a couple of weeks to see exactly what charges are brought against me by the senate. Obviously I will be preparing my defence."

He said his conscience was clear and he was confident he would overcome the allegations.

"The internal party elections are due to held in eight days time. So I think this is simply an internal game and an opportunity for other parties to win votes," he said.

Failed attempts

Prosecutors formally charged the president in April for his alleged role in a corruption scandal.

He is alleged among other things to have been involved in the illegal investment of $16m of state funds in high-interest accounts in the United States and the illegal purchase of a car reported to be stolen.

Both houses of parliament are dominated by the president's Colorado ruling party. Two previous attempts to impeach the president have failed.

Correspondents say the president is becoming increasingly unpopular, as Paraguay suffers its worst recession ever with soaring levels of poverty and unemployment.

Luis Gonzalez Macchi was appointed in 1999, when the then President, Raul Cubas, stepped down amid violent protests which followed the assassination of the vice-president.