By Julieta Heduvan (*) – Santiago Peña assumes Paraguay’s presidency this Tuesday August 15 with a number of advantages, including a supportive Congress. But he faces also numerous challenges, as he tries to unite his party, manage the influence of his political mentor—businessman and former President Horacio Cartes—and handle international negotiations, from the Itaipú accord to U.S. sanctions against Paraguayan politicians.
Paraguay President-elect Santiago Peña has said that Mercosur and the European Union should put on hold talks over a free trade agreement since the current environmental demands from the EU are “unacceptable.”
Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Peña Monday met in Buenos Aires with Argentine President Alberto Fernández and later in the day, he traveled to Montevideo for an encounter with President Luis Lacalle Pou as both La Plata River leaders were preparing to travel to Brasilia for the South American Summit convened by Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva.
Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Peña will re-establish diplomatic ties with Venezuela without conditions after he is sworn in in August, it was reported. Peña is on a Mercosur tour meeting those heads of state who will shortly become his colleagues. After Brazil, he will meet with his counterparts in Uruguay and Argentina.
Santiago Peña of the ruling National Republican Association (ANR), also known as the Colorado Party, won Sunday's elections in Paraguay and will become the South American country's new president on Aug. 15, it was reported in Asunción. Turnout stood at 63.11% despite voting being mandatory.
Since 7 am local time Sunday (GMT -4), around 4.78 million Paraguayans started voting for the new President, who will take over from Mario Abdo Benítez on Aug. 15, it was reported in Asunción. As per Paraguayan law, there is no runoff, so whoever gets the most votes Sunday, even by the slightest of differences, will be declared the winner.
Analysts foresee official data for the year 2021 will show an increase in poverty for the second straight year in Paraguay and will reach almost 30% due mainly to increasing inflation, analysts said Tuesday.