Paraguayan investigators searching former President Santiago Peña’s home found a concealed passage leading to a heavily secured door, which remained unopened Sunday night. (Foto: Instagram)
Paraguayan authorities searching the home of former President Santiago Peña on Sunday, Nov. 8, found a concealed passage and an armored door secured by multiple measures. The search is part of an investigation into alleged financial fraud involving Banco Ueno.
Videos published by Paraguayan media showed investigators from the Public Prosecutor’s Office locating an entrance hidden in one of the residence’s walls. After entering the passage, they encountered a door protected by at least four security steps: a password, facial or iris recognition, a fingerprint scan and multilock keys. Investigators had not opened the door as of Sunday night and did not know what was behind it.
The search was still underway that evening at Peña’s residence in San Bernardino, a major summer destination in Paraguay. The house is also under scrutiny by Paraguayan authorities. According to information reported by local media, its construction may have cost about 6 million Brazilian reais, based on the current exchange rate between the Paraguayan currency and the Brazilian real. Investigators are examining the money transfers used to pay for the property and suspect they may have followed loans granted by Banco Ueno.
Peña was impeached Friday, Nov. 6, and is in preventive detention as authorities investigate alleged fraud involving Banco Ueno, which was liquidated in Paraguay. He is being investigated on suspicion of breach of trust, influence peddling and using public administration for personal benefit.
The Central Bank of Paraguay ordered Banco Ueno’s closure after identifying liquidity problems. The central bank’s president and two other directors resigned. Carlos Carvallo, who headed the central bank at the time, is also in custody and under investigation. He previously led Banco Ueno before Peña nominated him to head the monetary authority. Peña, meanwhile, was a shareholder in the bank’s controlling holding company during the first two years of his term. At least eight Banco Ueno executives are also in custody and under investigation.
