International

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.

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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.

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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”.

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International

Young Spanish Woman Receives Euthanasia After Legal Battle, Sparking Debate

A 25-year-old Spanish woman, Noelia Castillo, received euthanasia on Thursday following a prolonged legal dispute with her father.

She passed away at a care center in Sant Pere de Ribes, about 40 kilometers from Barcelona, where she had been living for some time, according to Spanish media reports.

In an interview broadcast a day earlier on Antena 3, Castillo expressed her exhaustion after enduring prolonged suffering. She indicated that her decision was influenced by a combination of personal circumstances and health-related challenges, including family conflicts and a condition of paraplegia following a previous incident that left her with lasting physical consequences.

Spain legalized euthanasia in 2021, becoming one of the few countries that allow patients under strict conditions to seek medical assistance to end their lives in order to avoid what the law defines as unbearable suffering.

The case has reignited debate in Spain over the ethical, legal, and family dimensions surrounding euthanasia, as well as the broader issue of support for individuals in vulnerable situations.

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International

Over 300 U.S. Troops Wounded Since Start of Iran Conflict, CENTCOM Says

More than 300 U.S. service members have been injured since the start of the conflict with Iran on February 28, the United States Central Command confirmed on Friday.

“Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 303 U.S. service members have been wounded. The vast majority of these injuries are minor, and 273 troops have already returned to duty,” said U.S. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to AFP, indicated that 10 American troops remain seriously injured.

According to the latest figures, an additional 13 U.S. service members have been killed since the conflict began, including seven in the Gulf region and six in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Iran’s armed forces warned on Friday that hotels hosting U.S. troops in the region could be considered legitimate military targets.

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“When U.S. forces enter a hotel, from our perspective that hotel becomes American,” said armed forces spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi in remarks broadcast on state television.

International

Iran rejects negotiations as tensions escalate with United States

Iran has no intention of entering negotiations and will continue to resist, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday night, dismissing recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about possible talks.

Speaking to state television, Araghchi argued that Washington’s call for negotiations reflects a position of weakness. He added that the Islamic Republic seeks to end the war on its own terms, ensuring that such a conflict does not recur in the future.

Meanwhile, the White House issued a stark warning, stating that Trump would “unleash hell” on Iran if it refuses to accept a deal to end the conflict. Despite Tehran’s rejection, U.S. officials maintained that discussions remain ongoing.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reinforced the administration’s position, warning that failure to acknowledge what she described as Iran’s military defeat would result in even stronger action from Washington.

The increasingly aggressive rhetoric from both sides has diminished hopes for a near-term de-escalation in the conflict, which began following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

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As tensions continue to rise, the prospect of a diplomatic resolution remains uncertain amid conflicting narratives and escalating threats from both governments.