Pedro Alliana Assumes Presidential Duties After 44-Senator Vote Ousts Predecessor
Pedro Alliana was sworn in as Paraguay's 53rd president on Friday following the sudden collapse of Ueno Bank and the impeachment of Santiago Pena.
By Nadia Rahman ·
Forty-four senators voted on Friday to remove President Santiago Pena from office, a decision that immediately installed Vice President Pedro Alliana as the new head of state for Paraguay.
The 52-year-old Alliana took the oath of office to become the nation's 53rd president, ending Pena's tenure just days after the financial collapse of Ueno Bank triggered a political crisis.
The impeachment vote in the 45-member chamber saw one senator abstain, while the lower house had previously approved the removal process with a 78-0 vote on Thursday.
Prosecutors ordered Pena placed under house arrest on suspicion of breach of trust and other crimes immediately after the Senate confirmed his removal.
The banking scandal erupted earlier this week when the central bank determined that Ueno had fallen below legal solvency standards and seized the institution.
The lender, which counted nearly two-thirds of Paraguay's adults among its three million customers, had grown to become the country's fifth-largest bank by deposits using $800 million in public funds.
Millions of clients lost access to their accounts and pension payments as a result of the seizure, prompting questions about whether the government adequately regulated the bank.
Pena, a member of the Colorado Party which has dominated Paraguayan politics since 1948, was identified as a shareholder of Ueno's parent company in 2023, though he stated he sold his shares in early 2025.
The party's leader, former president Horacio Cartes, supported the impeachment to restore the republic's institutions, noting that a resignation would have granted Pena a Senate seat and legal protections from prosecution.
Alliana, who served as governor of Neembucu department and as president of the Chamber of Deputies, now leads a country facing one of its most severe political and economic scandals in recent history.
At least 27 individuals, including lead shareholder Miguel Vazquez, face criminal charges related to the crisis, with investigations covering attempted fraud, misappropriation of funds, and influence peddling.
Pena signaled his intention to cooperate with the investigation, stating he wished to place the country above his personal fate, though he did not attend the Friday hearings in person.
