In brief
On Nov. 6, 2026, Paraguay’s Senate unanimously removed President Santiago Peña after the collapse of digital bank Ueno froze deposits for millions. Peña was placed under house arrest. Vice‑president Pedro Alliana was sworn in as the new president the following day, while prosecutors investigate possible influence‑peddling links to the bank.
Pedro Alliana was sworn in as Paraguay’s new president in the early hours of Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, as authorities put his former leader Santiago Peña under house arrest.
The move followed a unanimous vote by the Senate to remove Peña after the collapse of the digital bank Ueno, which had halted deposits for about three million customers and sparked nationwide protests.
Peña had already submitted his resignation, but Congress opted for impeachment instead, citing his links to the bank’s controlling group and alleged misconduct.
Prosecutors standing outside Peña’s house in Asunción said charges were still being determined but could include influence peddling; Peña was ordered to appear at the prosecutor’s office on Saturday.
The crisis began when the Central Bank took control of Ueno earlier in the week over solvency concerns, freezing access to deposits and cutting off nearly half the country’s population, including pensioners, from their money.
Alliana, who had served as vice‑president, was sworn in before an estimated 800 spectators, marking a rapid transition amid the political and financial turmoil.
