Former Paraguayan President Santiago Peña arrested at his home following impeachment
Paraguay's Public Ministry ordered the arrest of Santiago Peña hours after his removal by Congress. The case is linked to the collapse of Ueno Bank.
Peña arrested at home after removal by Paraguayan Congress
Paraguay's Public Ministry ordered the arrest of former president Santiago Peña on Friday, 6 November, according to minutouno.com. The measure was issued just hours after the National Congress removed him through an impeachment trial.
Peña remains under arrest at his home under police custody, pending transfer to the Specialised Unit for Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption. Fiscal Resolution of Arrest No. 7, issued under criminal case No. 92/2026 entitled "Santiago Peña Palacios and others regarding breach of trust and others", supports the order.
The arrest warrant also covers Carlos Dagoberto Carvallo Spalding and other former officials linked to the case. Fiscal agents Christian M. Benítez Cáceres, Elena Fiore Franco, Silvia Margarita González Vester—from the Specialised Unit for Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption—and Ruth Benítez—from the Specialised Unit for Computer Crimes—are responsible for the investigation.
According to the resolution, Peña must remain under house arrest until being transferred to the competent fiscal office, whilst Carvallo will be held in facilities determined by the Comandancia. Both must be placed at the disposal of the authorities within the legal timeframe, with full observance of their rights and guarantees.
The crisis that precipitated the former president's downfall has at its centre the financial collapse of Ueno Bank. Investigations point to alleged irregularities related to the injection of hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds into that institution. The bank's failure resulted in a corralito that left its clients without access to their savings.
Although Peña had sold his shares in the bank previously, suspicions about his ties to the institution triggered massive social protests and activated the judicial and legislative response that culminated in his removal.
The charges being investigated include breach of trust, misconduct and conflict of interest in the exercise of public office.
Source: Google News CL — Santiago