MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan senators want French ambassador expelled

Rodríguez jumped into the limelight in 2019 when he became a prominent voice against the interim government of Jeanine Áñez

A group of Paraguayan Senators from the ruling ANR-Colorado party insisted Friday on evaluating the expulsion of French Ambassador Pierre-Christian Soccoja, who was summoned earlier this week by Asunción's Foreign Ministry after his remarks regarding President Santiago Peña's prolific travel agenda. Meanwhile, the head of State noted there were two separate branches of government handling the case.

Soccoja was reprimanded over the need for proper communication to strengthen bilateral relations. The French representative met with Acting Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Aranda “to talk about his last statements,” it was explained. The Paraguayan Executive Branch insisted that the diplomat's statements did not contribute to that end and argued that any concern should be dealt with through the proper institutional channels. Aranda reminded Soccoja “that the Foreign Ministry has always provided and will continue to provide accredited ambassadors with all the facilities for the performance of their duties,” a communiqué noted.

The ambassador had told ABC Color that his office was still waiting for a response from Peña regarding an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the III United Nations Conference on the Ocean in Nice, France, from June 9–13, 2025. Soccoja noted Peña's frequent travels, mentioning his current trip to India, as a reason for the delayed response.

Senator Natalicio Chase and others were considering a draft statement to urge the Executive to expel Soccoja, deeming his remarks about Peña’s travels “disrespectful.”

Meanwhile, Senate Speaker Basilio Núñez also criticized the ambassador's questioning the conduct of Paraguayan officials, indicating a lack of confidence in the French embassy. “It is not appropriate” for ambassadors from other countries to “question the conduct of the president,” he underlined. ”We from the Congress (...) have no confidence in that embassy,” he further stressed.

The lawmakers view the Foreign Ministry’s summons as insufficient. Peña, who has made 46 international trips since August 2023, faces ongoing criticism from the opposition and media for his frequent trips.