Paraguay’s Congress suspended a joint session on Nov. 5, 2026, after pro-government lawmakers left, preventing a quorum to consider President Santiago Peña’s resignation. (Foto: Instagram)
Paraguay’s Congress suspended a joint session on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, that had been called to consider President Santiago Peña’s resignation. The meeting stopped after pro-government lawmakers left the chamber, leaving too few members present for a vote.
Peña announced hours earlier that he would leave office, as lawmakers advanced an impeachment effort amid a banking crisis involving Ueno Bank, one of Paraguay’s largest digital banks. About an hour after his announcement, the Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved the impeachment request, with 78 votes in favor. Opposition lawmakers argued that the process should continue so Peña could not leave office and potentially obtain parliamentary immunity.
Opposition members said resignation could allow Peña to take a lifetime seat in the Senate, which they argued would protect him from possible criminal investigations. Interior Minister Enrique Riera delivered Peña’s resignation letter to Congress. In a statement posted on social media, Peña said he had made the decision with the country’s stability, social peace and democratic institutions in mind.
Opposition Sen. Esperanza Martínez criticized the lawmakers’ departure in a post on X. She said senators and deputies from the Cartista faction had left the session to deprive it of a quorum, even though a majority was prepared to reject Peña’s resignation. Martínez accused them of repeating practices that enabled the alleged financial looting and of seeking to cover it up and continue stealing. Her comments were allegations; the article did not establish them as fact.
The impeachment request was filed by 35 deputies after the Ueno Bank crisis. The opposition initially organized the effort, but it gained support from members of Peña’s own Colorado Party. The allegations against the president include conflicts of interest and alleged irregularities in his handling of the financial crisis. Peña held shares in the group that controls Ueno Bank until March 2025.
On Nov. 3, Paraguay’s Central Bank ordered Ueno Bank to suspend operations and began a resolution process after identifying financial problems that threatened the bank’s ability to meet its obligations. The turmoil also affected the central bank’s leadership: Carlos Carvallo, who had led the monetary authority since 2023, resigned. Before taking that position, Carvallo had served as president of Ueno Bank. Peña’s past connection to the bank’s controlling group added to political pressure on his government.
