Connect with us

International

Santiago Peña takes office as president of Paraguay, promises prosperity and international presence

Santiago Peña takes office as president of Paraguay, promises prosperity and international presence
Photo: AP

August 16|

Economist Santiago Peña took office on Tuesday as Paraguay’s new president with a promise to promote prosperity for all in his country and lead the South American nation to become a protagonist on the international scene.

Peña, 44, became the youngest president since the return to democracy and maintains the continuity in power of the conservative Colorado Party in Paraguay, a country that has faced allegations of corruption in the spheres of power and is the last South American nation to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

“Success is to make all Paraguayans better off and for the world to witness the resurgence of a giant,” the new president said at a ceremony in the Paraguayan capital.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by leaders from neighboring countries, including Luis Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Alberto Fernández of Argentina and Gabriel Boric of Chile, to whom he said he will seek to make Paraguay a key country for South American integration, and will therefore seek to improve the functioning of the Mercosur sub-regional bloc.

Advertisement
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
previous arrow
next arrow

The ceremony was also attended by the King of Spain, Felipe VI, and the Vice President of Taiwan, William Lai, who traveled to Paraguay as part of a tour that will also take him to San Francisco and New York, at a time when China is seeking to increase the isolation of the autonomous island.

Regarding Taiwan, Peña said that their relationship is a sign of Paraguay’s policy of “alliances and cooperation with a geostrategic vision”.

Paraguay is one of 12 countries that still maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, mostly small and poor nations in Africa and the Caribbean.

“At the international level three global challenges generate geopolitical tensions: access to water, food security and energy sufficiency,” he said. “Paraguay being a power in those three major issues, we are called to be protagonists in the concert of nations.”

On the local level, he noted that his commitment is to “build a society where everyone can prosper,” he said, and pledged to generate at least 500,000 new jobs. In Paraguay, poverty reaches 24% of the little more than seven million inhabitants.

Advertisement
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
previous arrow
next arrow

Peña is a US-trained economist who worked for the International Monetary Fund.

In recent months, the issue of corruption in power circles has shaken the South American country. The United States accused former president Horario Cartes (2013-2018) of corruption and froze his assets. Cartes, considered Peña’s political “godfather”, owns a conglomerate of companies ranging from tobacco to cattle ranching and large media outlets, and has denied the charges.

In his speech as new president, Peña thanked Cartes, current president of the Colorado Party, for what he called his perseverance “in building consensus and seeking agreements over differences”.

On corruption, Peña said he had “the conviction” that it is solved “with an independent, impartial and fast justice, with sufficient resources to ensure an adequate and homogeneous administration throughout the national territory”.

Advertisement
20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL
previous arrow
next arrow
Continue Reading
Advertisement
20250701_dengue_300x250_01
20250701_dengue_300x250_02
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-300x250
20250901_vacunacion_tetravalente-300x250
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-300x250
20250701_vacunacion_vph-300x250
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_300x250
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_300x250
20231124_etesal_300x250_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_300X250
MARN1

International

Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima

Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.

“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.

“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”

On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.

Advertisement

20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL

previous arrow
next arrow

During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.

The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.

Continue Reading

International

Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima

Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.

“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.

Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”

Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.

“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.

Advertisement

20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL

previous arrow
next arrow

The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”

“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”

Continue Reading

International

Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.

“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.

As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.

According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.

“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.

Advertisement

20250701_dengue_728x90
20250901_vacunacion_vsr-728x90
20250901_minsal_tetra_-728x90
20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90
20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90
20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90
20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90
20231124_etesal_728x90_1
20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90
domfuturo_netview-728x90
20240604_dom_728x90
CEL

previous arrow
next arrow

Priority Municipalities

The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.

Continue Reading

Trending

Central News