Paraguay’s Senate restarted impeachment proceedings against President Santiago Peña on Friday, Nov. 6, after his resignation amid Ueno Bank’s collapse was not accepted, adding to uncertainty about who will lead the country.
The lower house had voted 78-0 to approve impeachment charges. Lawmakers then brought the case to the Senate despite Peña’s attempted resignation. Senators rejected, 39-3, his request for 72 more hours to prepare a defense.
Peña did not appear when the hearing began. Senators went ahead and reviewed evidence. His lawyers later argued he had been given too little time to prepare.
They challenged the fairness of moving ahead. The crisis worsened after Paraguay’s central bank took control of Ueno, a major digital lender. The bank said it had a severe shortfall in the financial reserves it was required to hold.
Millions of customers were affected, and they could not access their accounts or savings. The bank’s condition and its handling of public funds came under scrutiny. Peña had held a stake in Ueno’s parent company until last year.
Lawmakers have raised allegations of conflicts of interest and regulatory failures. These remain allegations, not findings of guilt. Prosecutors have opened investigations into the bank’s collapse.
Senior officials have resigned. The Senate’s proceedings continued Friday. Peña’s political future and the country’s leadership remained unresolved.