In brief
Paraguay’s Senate approved the removal of President Santiago Peña on November 7, citing his alleged ties to the collapse of Ueno Bank, which froze 3 million accounts. The vote, with 44 in favor and one absent, was followed by Vice President Pedro Allana assuming the presidency, as the Constitution requires. The impeachment was prompted by an earlier lower‑house vote on October 5 and a Central Bank takeover of the bank on November 1.
On November 7, the Senate of Paraguay voted to remove President Santiago Peña from office after the collapse of Ueno Bank, a decision announced by the Upper House and broadcast live on its YouTube channel, according to a report by TASS.
The electorate of the upper house cast 44 votes in favor of the impeachment, with a single senator absent, resulting in a guilty verdict. The vote was recorded by Chairman Basilio Nunez, who stated that Peña was found guilty of improper performance of official duties and was therefore removed from the presidency by law.
Basilio Nunez, chairman of the Senate, said:
"44 votes were cast in favor of issuing a guilty verdict; one senator was absent. According to the voting results, the accused Santiago Peña Palacios is found guilty of improper performance of his official duties and, as a result, is removed from the office of president of the Republic of Paraguay by law."
Following the vote, Nunez convened an extraordinary session of both houses of parliament for the next hour to oversee the oath of office for Vice President Pedro Allana, who will assume the presidency under the constitution.
The impeachment process had already been initiated by the Chamber of Deputies on October 5, which voted to launch a formal inquiry into Peña’s conduct before the Senate carried out its final vote.
The trigger for the crackdown was the collapse of Ueno Bank, which on November 1 the Central Bank imposed external administration and froze the accounts of about 3 million customers, sparking a political and financial crisis across the country.
Paraguayan law stipulates that former presidents become life senators unless they are impeached, a provision that will affect Peña’s political status after the removal.
The decision comes amid growing public and legislative pressure on Peña, who has faced accusations of a conflict of interest due to alleged ties with Ueno Bank. His resignation at the meeting was rejected by the Senate when a quorum was not reached, leading to the final removal vote that will formally transfer power to Allana.
