In brief
On Nov. 7 the Paraguayan Senate impeached President Santiago Peña after the collapse of Ueno Bank, which froze the accounts of more than 3 million customers. The vote, 44 in favor with one senator absent, officially removed Peña and cleared the way for Vice‑President Pedro Allana to assume the presidency. While Peña claimed he was resigning during the session, the lack of quorum prevented a formal acceptance of his resignation.
At 10 a.m. on Nov. 7, the Paraguayan Senate voted to remove President Santiago Peña after the collapse of Ueno Bank froze the accounts of more than 3 million depositors, the chamber announced.
The 44‑to‑none vote, with one senator absent, officially found Peña guilty of improper performance of his official duties and stripped him of the presidency, lawmakers said. The condemnation was announced during a livestreamed session of the upper house.
Chairman Basilio Nunez declared the verdict during a televised session, stating:
"44 votes were cast in favor of issuing a guilty verdict; one senator was absent."
Nunez also called for an extraordinary joint session of both houses a hour later to take the oath of office from Vice‑President Pedro Allana. Per the constitution, former presidents become life senators unless removed by impeachment.
Supporters of Peña’s removal allege a conflict of interest arising from his alleged ties to the collapsed bank. In the legislative session, Peña said he was resigning, but an absent quorum prevented Congress from accepting or rejecting his resignation. The Central Bank exposed the crisis on Nov. 1 by imposing external administration on Ueno Bank, freezing its 3 million accounts.
