By Camilo Diniz
Paraguay's Senate on Friday rejected a request by President Santiago Peña for 72 more hours to present his defense in the impeachment process against him. The senators' decision means the trial resumes later the same day. Peña lost the first fight in the Senate, and he says the clock is working against due process.
The president said he would have less than 12 hours to answer the accusations. In a post on X, he put it bluntly: "They want me to respond in less than 12 hours. That is not due process of law." The statement has become the center of a crisis that is already shaking the leadership of the country.
Tight deadline and fast-track procedure in the Senate
The senators ruled at the very start of the session. On Thursday night, the Senate had already received and heard the formal accusation presented by the deputies who are leading the case. Proceedings were suspended at around 9:15 p.m., and the president of the Senate set a schedule of five sessions to complete all the stages required by the chamber's internal rules.
In practice, the political trial will not wait for the defense to gain momentum. In Paraguay's current crisis, every hour counts.
Lower house voted unanimously to open the case
The opening of the impeachment was approved unanimously by the Chamber of Deputies, with 78 votes in favor. The vote took place shortly after Peña announced that he would leave the presidency. The deputies nevertheless decided to send the accusation to the Senate, which judges the case and decides on any removal from office.
The Ueno Bank collapse behind the crisis
The crisis grew after Paraguay's Central Bank intervened in Ueno Bank, an institution facing solvency problems that had ties to a business group in which Peña was a shareholder until 2025. The collapse left millions of customers without access to their own accounts and led to protests in Asunción, the capital.
Lawmakers accuse the president of conflict of interest, improper use of pension fund resources and institutional cover-up related to the bank's situation. These allegations are also being investigated by Paraguay's Public Prosecutor's Office. So far, they are accusations and ongoing investigations, not convictions.
Resignation, immunity and the fight over what comes next
This is the point that could change everything. If Congress accepts his voluntary departure, Vice President Pedro Alliana takes over the country, and Peña becomes a senator for life, with parliamentary immunity. If he is removed in the political trial, he loses that status.
There is also the possibility that a resignation could serve as a shield against any future legal action. Lawmakers opposed to a voluntary exit argue that the trial should be completed precisely to prevent Peña from using the prerogatives of a senator for life.
Why it matters
Paraguay is Brazil's neighbor in South America, and a presidential crisis there involving a failed bank, pension funds and millions of affected customers is closely watched across the region. The outcome will determine who governs Paraguay and whether its president keeps legal protection after leaving office.
What could happen now
With the extension denied and the schedule set at five sessions, the Senate is likely to move quickly toward a vote. If the resignation is accepted, Alliana takes over and Peña gains immunity. If the trial runs to the end and ends in removal, the outcome will be different, with the former president left without the protection of the office. Meanwhile, Paraguay is watching the clash between the defense, which complains of a lack of time, and lawmakers who want a quick answer.
VDD Analysis
What deserves the reader's attention is the demand for transparency in a case involving pension fund money and a bank that left millions without access to their accounts. Peña has the right to a full defense, and his complaint about the 12-hour deadline deserves to be discussed. At the same time, whoever holds the presidency must answer the accusations clearly. Lifetime immunity for someone who is the target of an investigation does not fit with the idea that no one is above the law.
