Paraguay's impeached president to face corruption questioning after bank collapse

Paraguay's impeached president Santiago Peña is to be questioned on corruption charges after the collapse of Ueno bank, which held hundreds of millions in public pension funds. The Senate unanimously voted to impeach him. Vice President Pedro Alliana was sworn in as president.

Paraguay's impeached president, Santiago Peña, is expected to be questioned today (Saturday) on suspicion of corruption and breach of trust, hours after being removed from office and arrested following the collapse of Banco Ueno, one of the country's largest banks. The investigation will focus on allegations of breach of trust, influence peddling, and misuse of public office for personal gain. According to suspicions, Peña exploited his position to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds into the bank, whose collapse left millions of citizens without access to their savings. The Senate voted unanimously for the impeachment, with all 44 senators supporting the move. Minutes after the vote, an arrest warrant was issued for Peña, and he was transferred to a secure military compound. Former central bank governor Carlos Carvallo also turned himself in. Peña's deputy, Pedro Alliana, was sworn in as the new president, but he too is under investigation regarding ties between the government and the bank.