Former Paraguayan President Santiago Peña detained hours after removal from office
Paraguay's National Police arrested Santiago Peña for "breach of trust" following his removal from office by the Senate. Pedro Alliana assumes office as new president.
Peña detained at his residence following impeachment trial in Paraguay
Paraguay's National Police detained former president Santiago Peña on Friday minutes after the Senate removed him from office, according to infogate.cl. The Public Prosecutor's Office ordered his arrest for "breach of trust" in the context of the political crisis triggered by the closure of Ueno Bank.
"He is now officially detained" at his residence, authorities confirmed. The Public Prosecutor's Office requested the measure "pending his being placed at the disposal of the Public Ministry in the Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption Unit" in Asunción.
The same document ordered the detention of Carlos Carvallo Spalding, who until last Tuesday headed Paraguay's Central Bank (BCP).
With all 44 senators present voting in favour, Peña, aged 47, became the second president in the country's recent history to be removed through impeachment, after Fernando Lugo, who served between 2008 and 2012. His vice-president, Pedro Alliana, assumes as successor.
The now former president did not appear before Congress despite being personally summoned, and delegated his representation to lawyers Adolfo Ferreiro and Ricardo Preda, who presented the "technical" and "legal" defence.
Peña had remained in office after Congress failed to act on his resignation presented on Thursday due to lack of quorum.
Article 189 of the Paraguayan Constitution establishes that democratically elected former presidents are lifetime senators, "unless they have been subjected to impeachment and found guilty". By losing his office through this mechanism, Peña also loses the immunity that would have prevented his criminal prosecution without Congressional approval.
Source: Google News CL — Santiago