Paraguay's Peña Resigns to Prevent Further Damage, Urges Institutional Recovery

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña resigned to prevent further damage to the country and called for unity to restore institutional stability, following a Senate impeachment process linked to the Ueno Bank scandal. Peña announced his resignation Thursday after the Senate opened proceedings against him over alleged misconduct related to Ueno Bank, which received millions in public funds and was ordered closed this week by the Central Bank. He stated he did not want his presence to cause more division. The Senate rejected his request for a 72-hour defense extension, and he did not appear before legislators. Peña remains formally in office as Congress lacked quorum to accept his resignation, so the impeachment process continues. The bank's closure affected over 2.9 million clients.