President Peña removed from office and placed under house arrest in Paraguay following banking crisis
Paraguay's Senate unanimously voted to remove President Santiago Peña, who was immediately placed under house arrest. His vice-president Pedro Alliana was sworn in immediately after.
Peña's removal in Paraguay: Vice-president Alliana takes oath
Paraguay's Senate unanimously voted to remove President Santiago Peña, according to tagesschau.de. The chamber of deputies had already voted in favour of this beforehand. The senators concluded that Peña had failed in his obligations in the exercise of his duties. Pedro Alliana, until then vice-president, was immediately invested as the new head of state.
Peña did not attend the hearing before the Senate, instead being represented by his lawyers. He had previously requested a 72-hour postponement, which the senators refused.
Shortly after his removal, the prosecutor's office ordered him placed under house arrest and the arrest of Carlos Carvallo, the former governor of the central bank. Investigators suspect the two men of breach of trust and other offences related to the failure of the digital bank Ueno. Peña must remain at his home until his appearance before the section responsible for economic crime and corruption. Carvallo will be held at a police facility.
Peña had submitted his resignation on Thursday in an attempt to preempt the removal proceedings, but his resignation was not accepted during a joint session of the Senate and chamber of deputies: the assembly lost its quorum after many parliamentarians left the chamber.
The Constitution provides that former democratically elected presidents become senators for life — unless they have been found guilty in removal proceedings. As a senator, Peña would have benefited from parliamentary immunity.
The crisis was triggered by Peña's links to Ueno bank, which was placed under forced administration on Tuesday by the central bank due to a lack of equity. Millions of Paraguayans now fear for their savings.
Source: Google News LU DE