Paraguay’s Alliana sworn in after Peña’s impeachment and arrest

Politics · First reported 6 Nov, 14:10 · Updated 14:49

Image: Wikimedia Commons · Ysherazi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pedro Alliana took office as Paraguay’s president after senators removed Santiago Peña amid the collapse of Ueno Bank. Peña was placed under house arrest as prosecutors investigate alleged misconduct and the bank’s links to public funds. (3018d40d-4c5d-403c-a97b-a8347ba8abd8; ef87e755-f18b-43f1-b271-a8a8797557f2)

Alliana, previously vice president, was sworn in on Friday and is to serve the remainder of Peña’s term, which ends in August 2028.
The Senate removed Peña, with 44 senators voting for his removal. The allegations focused on his former stake in Ueno’s holding company and the handling of public funds; Peña denied the allegations.
Prosecutors ordered Peña placed under house arrest and issued an arrest order for former central bank chief Carlos Carvallo. The supplied reports do not confirm whether Carvallo was taken into custody.
Regulators seized Ueno Bank after it fell below legal solvency standards. The seizure disrupted access to accounts and payments for nearly three million customers.
Prosecutors have charged 27 people in connection with the scandal, including Ueno shareholder Miguel Vázquez. Alliana has also come under scrutiny, and an opposition effort to impeach him was shelved.

Summary written by Lux AI from 3 articles

Key facts

New president: Pedro Alliana was sworn in on Friday.
Senate vote: 44 senators voted to remove Peña; one abstained, according to Al Jazeera.
Term end: Alliana is to serve until August 2028.
Bank customers affected: Nearly three million customers lost access to accounts or payment services after Ueno was seized.
Public funds at Ueno: The state pension fund had deposited $355 million at the bank.
Charges: Prosecutors have charged 27 people in connection with the scandal.