Paraguay Senate Removes President Peña in 44-0 Vote as Alliana Takes Over

Paraguay's Senate voted unanimously on Friday to remove President Santiago Peña from office, ending a presidency that had lasted barely three years. Within hours, prosecutors placed the ousted president under house arrest, and his vice president was sworn in as the country's new leader. The 44-0 vote, with one senator abstaining, came a day after the lower house had also voted unanimously to impeach Peña over the collapse of ueno bank, whose shutdown locked nearly half of Paraguay's population out of their savings.

Key Points

• Paraguay's Senate voted 44-0 on Friday, November 6, 2026, to remove President Santiago Peña for "poor performance of duties", with one abstention.
• Vice President Pedro Alliana, 52, was sworn in as Paraguay's 53rd president about an hour later and will serve out the term through August 2028.
• Hours after his removal, prosecutors placed Peña under house arrest on suspicion of breach of trust, ordering him to appear before the economic crimes unit on Saturday morning.
• Peña is only the second Paraguayan president removed by impeachment since democracy returned in 1989, after Fernando Lugo in 2012, and the first removed by unanimous votes in both chambers.
• The Attorney General has opened three criminal cases against Peña and other former officials, and the removal strips him of the lifetime senate seat and immunity he would have kept had his resignation been accepted.

What Happened

The Senate's decision came at the end of a trial that moved with remarkable speed. On Thursday, November 5, the Chamber of Deputies had voted 78-0 to impeach Peña, and the Senate took up the case the following day, voting 44-0 to convict him on the charge of poor performance of duties.

About an hour after the vote, Pedro Alliana took the oath of office as Paraguay's 53rd president. Alliana, 52, had been Peña's vice president since August 2023, and will serve out the term through August 2028.

The drama did not end with the swearing-in. Within hours, prosecutors placed Peña under house arrest on suspicion of breach of trust and ordered him to appear before the economic crimes unit on Saturday morning. Charges were still being determined, but could include influence peddling. Breach of trust carries up to five years in prison, or up to ten in serious cases.

Background: From Bank Collapse to Impeachment

The crisis began with the collapse of ueno bank, a fast-growing digital lender. When the bank was shut down on November 3, nearly half of Paraguay's population found themselves locked out of their savings, triggering panic, long queues at branches and anger at the government and the regulators who were supposed to oversee the bank.

Impeachment charges alleged conflicts of interest, manipulated regulatory oversight, diverted pension funds and an institutional cover-up involving the central bank. Lawmakers argued the administration had failed to supervise the bank properly and had concealed the scale of the problem as it grew.

Peña tried to pre-empt the process by announcing his resignation in a recorded video message on Thursday. But Congress refused to accept it, choosing impeachment instead. Had it been accepted, Peña would have kept a lifetime Senate seat and immunity. Removal strips him of both.

Paraguay President Santiago Peña Removed: What the Vote Means

The unanimity of the vote is what sets this removal apart. Peña is only the second president removed by impeachment since Paraguay returned to democracy in 1989, after Fernando Lugo in 2012, whose removal was contested and divisive. Peña is the first removed by unanimous votes of the members present in both chambers, a sign of how completely his support had collapsed.

The vote also settled whether Alliana himself would survive. Lawmakers considered impeachment charges against the vice president too, but rejected them by 48 votes to 30, clearing the way for him to take over. Power passes to the elected vice president rather than to a caretaker chosen by Congress.

Reactions in Asunción and Beyond

Prosecutors moved quickly once the Senate had voted. The Attorney General has opened three criminal cases against Peña and other former officials, and the house arrest order came within hours of the removal. Peña must appear before the economic crimes unit on Saturday morning, when the charges against him are expected to take shape.

Why It Matters

The fall of a president over a bank collapse is a warning about the fragility of financial regulation in fast-growing digital banking. Ueno bank grew quickly by promising easy digital access to savings and credit, and its failure has left millions of Paraguayans unable to reach their money. The charges alleged regulators looked away, pension funds were diverted and the central bank was part of a cover-up.

The removal also matters for Paraguay's young democracy. The country returned to democratic rule in 1989 after decades of dictatorship, and its institutions have now removed two presidents by impeachment. The first, Lugo in 2012, was condemned by some neighbours as a parliamentary coup. This time the unanimity of both chambers gives the outcome a different character, but it still leaves Paraguay with a president never elected to the job.

What Happens Next

Peña is due before the economic crimes unit on Saturday morning, when prosecutors are expected to set out the charges. The three criminal cases will determine whether the house arrest leads to a formal prosecution, and whether other former officials face charges alongside him.

Alliana, meanwhile, must form a government and address the banking crisis. His first decisions will be watched closely: who he appoints to run the central bank and the regulator, and whether he can hold together the coalition that removed his predecessor. Peña's term was due to run until August 2028.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Paraguay's President Santiago Peña removed?
The Senate voted 44-0 on November 6, 2026, to remove Peña for "poor performance of duties" over the collapse of ueno bank, whose shutdown locked nearly half the population out of their savings.

Who is Paraguay's new president?
Pedro Alliana, 52, Peña's vice president, was sworn in as Paraguay's 53rd president about an hour after the Senate vote and will serve out the term through August 2028.

Why is Santiago Peña under house arrest?
Hours after his removal, prosecutors placed Peña under house arrest on suspicion of breach of trust. Charges could include influence peddling; breach of trust carries up to five years in prison, or up to ten in serious cases.

What happened to ueno bank?
Ueno bank, a digital lender, was shut down on November 3, 2026, locking nearly half of Paraguay's population out of their savings and triggering the impeachment.

Has a Paraguayan president been impeached before?
Yes. Peña is the second removed by impeachment since democracy returned in 1989, after Fernando Lugo in 2012, and the first removed by unanimous votes in both chambers.

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Image: journalists and police gather outside a government palace in Asunción, Paraguay, as the country awaits the Senate's decision on President Santiago Peña.