Paraguayan lawmaker Johanna Ortega questioned whether President Santiago Peña had left the country without notifying Congress during a Nov. 5 session. (Foto: Instagram)
Paraguayan lawmaker Johanna Ortega asked during a National Congress session on Thursday, Nov. 5, whether President Santiago Peña had left Paraguay for Argentina without formally notifying the legislature. At the time of her remarks, Peña still formally held the presidency, and Congress had not taken up his resignation or begun impeachment proceedings against him.
Ortega asked Congress President Basilio “Bachi” Núñez whether he had received any notice from the president. She said news reports were claiming that Peña had already arrived in Argentina while lawmakers were in session.
Ortega also questioned whether Peña could leave Paraguayan territory without following the procedure set out in Article 233 of the national constitution. She said that, if he had departed without informing Congress, it would amount to another constitutional violation. “Why are we discussing lifting the immunity of someone who is no longer in the country and who, in open violation of the Constitution, failed to notify the National Congress of his departure, if that is what happened?” she asked.
Núñez said officials would need to check whether the president had sent an official notice. The Senate’s General Secretariat later said it had consulted the relevant department and had not received an authorization request from Peña. That response did not confirm whether he was in Argentina.
Peña announced his resignation amid a crisis involving digital bank Ueno. The conservative politician faced an impeachment effort backed by opposition lawmakers and members of his own political base. The Paraguayan Central Bank intervened in the bank’s operations after identifying problems with its solvency indicators, leaving thousands of customers unable to access their accounts. Peña had been a shareholder in the group that controls Ueno, and opposition lawmakers accused him of tolerating alleged irregularities at the institution.
In a video announcing his decision, Peña said he was resigning to protect the country’s stability, social peace and democratic institutions. He also apologized to customers who had lost access to their money. “I am convinced that no position can be more important than Paraguay’s well-being. I also want to apologize to the people. If I failed at any point, I never intended to disappoint the trust you placed in me,” he said. Vice President Pedro Alliana is expected to take over as head of the executive branch. The Chamber of Deputies rejected an impeachment request against Alliana, clearing the way for the succession.
