Former Paraguayan President Testifies in Banking Crisis Probe

Former Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, impeached and arrested Friday over alleged involvement in the country's banking crisis, began testifying Saturday before prosecutors investigating him for breach of trust, influence peddling, and self-dealing. The crisis erupted Tuesday when the Central Bank intervened in Ueno Bank due to solvency issues, leaving millions of clients without access to deposits. Prosecutor Christian Benítez said evidence will be presented during the interrogation, with formal charges possible later Saturday. Peña spent the night in military custody as protesters demanded he be sent to a regular prison. The bank collapse affects nearly three million accounts, including pensioners and the Conmebol football confederation. New President Pedro Alliana promised compensation for affected customers, while the Central Bank said it has already returned deposits to nearly 1.2 million clients.