In brief
Paraguayan lawmakers impeached President Santiago Peña after the collapse of digital bank Ueno, with 44 votes in favor in one report or a unanimous vote in another. Vice President Pedro Alliana took the oath as president, while former President Peña was subsequently placed under house arrest.
Paraguay’s Senate voted to impeach President Santiago Peña after the collapse of digital bank Ueno, and Vice President Pedro Alliana was sworn in as the new head of state in a hastily convened session that was streamed on the Chamber’s YouTube channel.
Two TASS reports published on November 7 provide the details of the impeachment. One account states that 44 senators voted in favor, with one member absent, finding Peña guilty of improper performance of his official duties. A second report notes that senators voted unanimously to remove Peña.
Both narratives agree that the Ueno Bank collapse prompted the Central Bank to impose external administration on the institution on November 1 (or November 3 in one report), freezing the accounts of roughly three million customers and triggering a broader political and financial crisis.
A brief statement from the Senate’s chairman, Basilio Nunez, announced that Peña would be removed from office and that Alliana would take the oath before both chambers of Congress.
According to Reuters, authorities said former President Peña was placed under house arrest on Friday, shortly after the impeachment. The head of the public prosecutor’s office will determine the final charges against him.
