Former Paraguayan President Santiago Peña was expelled from the Colorado Party after its Conduct Tribunal ruled that his actions harmed the organization. (Foto: Instagram)
Paraguay’s former president Santiago Peña was expelled from the Colorado Party on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The party’s Conduct Tribunal, part of the National Republican Association, said Peña had engaged in conduct it considered harmful to the organization.
In its decision, the tribunal said Peña’s actions as president undermined the party’s ideological and moral principles. It cited the impeachment approved by Paraguay’s Congress on Nov. 6 and allegations of administrative misconduct. The tribunal said the cited events warranted ethical and party-level accountability, ordered Peña removed from the party’s membership, and said copies of the ruling would be sent to party leadership and the party’s electoral tribunal. The decision also said the conduct attributed to Peña harmed the Paraguayan people and the party’s reputation.
The expulsion came amid a political crisis linked to Ueno Bank. Paraguay’s Senate approved Peña’s impeachment by 44 votes, with one abstention. The process had been initiated in the Chamber of Deputies the previous day, after Peña submitted a resignation request. Congress called a joint session to consider the request, but the vote did not take place because there were not enough members present. After the impeachment, then-Vice President Pedro Alliana took over as president.
Peña is accused of involvement in irregularities concerning the allocation of public funds and of interfering with oversight of Ueno Bank. Suspicions have also involved members of Paraguay’s financial system. Peña was arrested on Friday, Nov. 6, initially under an order for house arrest. On Saturday, Nov. 7, a court ordered his pretrial detention following a request from Paraguay’s Public Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors also charged former Central Bank President Carlos Carvallo and asked that both men remain in custody.
