In Asunción, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña will remain in office after a joint session of Congress failed to approve his resignation due to a lack of quorum, the state media outlet Xinhua reported on Thursday morning. The suspension of the vote came after lawmakers from the ruling Colorado Party walked out during the joint sitting, preventing the assembly from reaching a decision on Peña's resignation. Earlier that day, the Chamber of Deputies had unanimously approved impeachment charges against the president, a move that followed public outrage over the collapse of digital lender Ueno Bank which left millions of customers unable to access their accounts.
According to Xinhua, Senate President Basilio Nunez announced that the upper house would continue with the impeachment process. Peña announced his resignation amid mounting pressure over the financial crisis tied to Ueno Bank, and has said in a statement on social media that he will appear before the Senate and exercise his right to defend himself. The resignation has not yet been accepted by Congress, leaving Peña formally in office.
While the joint session could not proceed because of the lack of quorum, the legislative action taken by the Chamber of Deputies indicates a significant move toward impeachment. The walkout by Colorado Party lawmakers during the voting highlights a broader political conflict within the country. The next steps involve the Senate bringing forward the impeachment charges and holding the trial, although details on the time frame remain uncertain at this stage.
