Paraguay's Senate continues this Friday, November 6, the impeachment trial of President Santiago Peña, charged by the Chamber of Deputies by 78 votes to 0 over his ties to Ueno Bank, the digital bank taken over this week. Peña submitted his resignation on Thursday, but Congress did not resolve it: the joint session lost its quorum, with 42 votes to reject it and 41 to accept it, according to Última Hora. Formally, he remains in office.
The Senate's schedule called for hearing the defense at 10:00 a.m., reviewing evidence at 1:00 p.m., hearing closing arguments in the afternoon and voting at night, according to ABC Color. Peña asked for a 72-hour extension. This article explains how impeachment works in Paraguay, how many votes are needed and what changes if he is removed. For the origin of the crisis, see what happened to Ueno Bank.
*Developing story: it will be updated with the result of the Senate vote.*
The impeachment of Santiago Peña in numbers
View the data as a table
| Deputies who voted for the charges | 78 |
| Senators needed to remove him | 30 |
| Votes to reject his resignation | 42 |
| Ueno Bank customers affected | 2.9 million |
| Step | What happened | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Charges in the Chamber of Deputies | Filed by 35 deputies against Peña and Vice President Pedro Alliana (Nov. 4) | Against Peña: 78-0 (Nov. 5). Against Alliana: rejected |
| Peña's resignation | Submitted on Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m. by Minister Enrique Riera | Unresolved: 42 to reject, 41 to accept, no quorum |
| Senate trial | First session on the night of Nov. 5 | Defense summoned for Nov. 6 at 10:00 a.m. |
| Final vote | 30 of 45 senators needed | Expected on the night of Nov. 6 |
Sources: ABC Color, Última Hora and Última Hora. The Chamber of Deputies vote was unanimous among the 78 present, shortly after the resignation became known.
How impeachment works in Paraguay
Impeachment (juicio político) is set out in Article 225 of the Constitution. It applies to the president, vice president, ministers and other officials "for poor performance of their duties, for crimes committed in office or for common crimes." It has two stages: the Chamber of Deputies brings charges by a two-thirds majority, and the Senate tries the case in a public trial and, also by two-thirds, may find the official guilty "for the sole purpose of removing him from office." The sanction is political, not criminal: any crimes are then tried by the ordinary courts.
| Stage | Who | Majority needed |
|---|---|---|
| Charges | Chamber of Deputies (80 members) | Two-thirds |
| Trial and verdict | Senate (45 members) | Two-thirds: 30 votes |
| If removed | The vice president takes over (Art. 234) | — |
In the Senate, eight deputies act as prosecutors: Rocío Vallejo, Raúl Benítez, Adrián Billy Vaesken, Rodrigo Blanco, Pedro José Gómez, Freddy Franco and Colorado dissidents Mauricio Espínola and Carlos Núñez Salinas, Última Hora reported. The president of Congress, Basilio "Bachi" Núñez, set five sessions for the process to avoid annulment claims like those Fernando Lugo raised after his 2012 removal, a case still open before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
- Tue. Nov. 3Central bank orders Ueno Bank's resolutionIts solvency ratio fell below 50% of the minimum. Central bank chief Carlos Carvallo resigns at Peña's request.
- Wed. Nov. 435 deputies file impeachment chargesAgainst Peña and Vice President Pedro Alliana, under Article 225.
- Thu. Nov. 5, morningHoracio Cartes and the Colorado Party back impeachment
- Thu. Nov. 5, 1:30 p.m.Peña submits his resignationInterior Minister Enrique Riera delivers it to Congress.
- Thu. Nov. 5, afternoonDeputies approve the charges 78-0
- Thu. Nov. 5, afternoonThe resignation is left unresolvedIn the joint session, 42 vote to reject it and 41 to accept it; pro-government lawmakers walk out and quorum is lost.
- Thu. Nov. 5, nightThe Senate opens the trialThe prosecuting deputies present charges and evidence. Riera leaves the Interior Ministry (Decree 7199).
- Fri. Nov. 6, 10:00 a.m.Peña's defense in the SenatePeña requested a 72-hour extension. The schedule calls for evidence at 1 p.m., closing arguments in the afternoon and a vote at night.
How many Senate votes there are for the impeachment of Peña
Removing Peña takes 30 of the 45 senators. In the 2023 election, Peña's Colorado Party (ANR) won 23 seats, short of the numbers to block a two-thirds vote on its own. Since then the ruling party has split, and on Thursday party president and former president Horacio Cartes announced that the ANR would back the impeachment "in order to put institutions back on track," according to Bloomberg Línea. Senators such as Colorado member Carlos Núñez said they would vote for removal, according to ABC Color's live coverage.
View the data as a table
| seats | |
|---|---|
| ANR (Colorado Party) | 23 |
| National Concertation | 12 |
| Cruzada Nacional | 5 |
| Encuentro Nacional | 2 |
| Patria Querida | 1 |
| Frente Guasu Ñemongeta | 1 |
| Yo Creo | 1 |
| Total | 45 |
View the data as a table
| seats | |
|---|---|
| ANR (Colorado Party) | 48 |
| National Concertation | 23 |
| Cruzada Nacional | 4 |
| Encuentro Nacional | 2 |
| Yo Creo | 2 |
| Patria Querida | 1 |
| Total | 80 |
| Caucus (2023 election) | Senators | Deputies |
|---|---|---|
| ANR (Colorado Party) | 23 | 48 |
| National Concertation | 12 | 23 |
| Cruzada Nacional | 5 | 4 |
| Encuentro Nacional | 2 | 2 |
| Yo Creo | 1 | 2 |
| Patria Querida | 1 | 1 |
| Frente Guasu Ñemongeta | 1 | — |
| Total | 45 | 80 |
Source: results of the 2023 general election. The current makeup of the caucuses differs because of later changes and splits, and some alternates hold the seats of senators on leave: former minister Enrique Riera, who left the Interior Ministry on Thursday under Decree 7199, can return to his seat, according to ABC Color.
Why Peña resigned and Congress did not accept it
Peña announced his resignation in a video on Thursday afternoon: "I have decided to submit my resignation from the Presidency of the Republic. I do so thinking of the stability of our country," he said, according to ABC Color. The opposition and Colorado dissidents voted to reject it because, if accepted, Peña would become a senator for life, with immunity, and prosecuting him would require lifting it. If he is removed through impeachment, he does not get that seat and can be charged immediately, ABC Color explained.
- If the Senate removes him: Vice President Pedro Alliana takes over; Peña loses the lifetime Senate seat and is exposed to the criminal investigation.
- If the Senate does not reach 30 votes: he stays in office, unless Congress takes up and accepts the resignation again.
- If the resignation is accepted: Alliana takes over and Peña moves to the Senate as a lifetime member, with immunity; several lawmakers said they would vote to lift it.
On Friday morning, the president of Congress told ABC he would discuss the extension request with the caucuses and did not rule out taking up the resignation again, while senators such as Líder Amarilla and Carlos Núñez called for rejecting the extension and voting today, according to ABC Color's live coverage.
What Peña is accused of: Ueno Bank and public funds
The charges accuse Peña of a conflict of interest over his stake in Ueno Holding, of which he was a shareholder until 2025, and of pushing changes that made it easier for public and pension funds, such as those of the Social Security Institute (IPS), to be placed in the bank. In the Senate, deputy Raúl Benítez said Peña held 6.144 billion guaraníes in Ueno Holding shares, and Pedro José Gómez cited Comptroller's Office figures: the bank went from holding 1% of IPS funds in 2023 to 19.7% in 2025, according to Última Hora. These are accusations, not facts proven in court.
Insured workers' groups estimate public and pension funds at Ueno exceed $860 million, and more than 2.9 million customers had their funds frozen. On Thursday the guaraní was the world's worst-performing currency: at 11:49 a.m. U.S. Eastern time it was down 4.68%, with the dollar at 6,487 guaraníes and an 8.17% drop over five days, according to Bloomberg Línea. How other currencies in the region are doing: Latin American currencies against the dollar.
Frequently asked questions
Did Santiago Peña resign?
He submitted his resignation on November 5, but Congress did not accept it: the joint session lost its quorum with 42 votes to reject it and 41 to accept it. Formally he remains in office while the Senate tries him.
How many votes are needed to remove Peña?
Two-thirds of the Senate: 30 of 45 senators, under Article 225 of the Constitution.
Who takes over if Peña is removed?
Vice President Pedro Alliana. The Chamber of Deputies rejected opening impeachment proceedings against him.
What happens if the resignation is accepted instead?
Peña would become a senator for life with immunity, and lifting it would be required to prosecute him. If removed through impeachment, he does not get that seat.
Has Paraguay impeached a president before?
Yes. Fernando Lugo was removed by the Senate in 2012, and Raúl Cubas Grau resigned in 1999 before his impeachment trial concluded.
