Overview In 2022, Peña ran successfully to stand as the Colorado Party's presidential candidate; he was widely seen as the candidate most closely aligned to former president
Horacio Cartes, while his opponent, , was aligned with Abdo Benítez. Critics of Peña have said that if elected president, Horacio Cartes would be a
grey eminence and that Peña would merely act as a mouthpiece for Cartes, who is sanctioned by the U.S. as "significantly corrupt". Colorado Party politician
Blanca Ovelar said Peña would end up acting as a "secretary" to Cartes if he was elected. Cartes and his supporters in Congress had previously attempted to pass a constitutional amendment to allow Cartes to run for re-election,
sparking riots in the country. Peña was elected
President of Paraguay, after winning 43.9% of the vote in the
2023 general election in April, defeating his closest rival
Efraín Alegre by a difference of 15 percentage points. He was congratulated by outgoing president
Mario Abdo Benítez, and presidents
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and
Alberto Fernández of Argentina. Peña called for unity to address the economic challenges the country is currently facing. Peña was inaugurated on 15 August 2023. At 44 years old, he became Paraguay's youngest president since the restoration of democracy in 1989, surpassing Abdo Benítez, who was 46 when he assumed the role in 2018. On 28 September 2025,
protests began in Paraguay against Peña's government. Commonly described by the media as part of the
Gen Z protests, they are the first mass-scale protests in the country since
2021, with the protests being inspired by the
2025 Peruvian protests.
Formation of the government summit in
Puerto Iguazú (Argentina), in July 2023. The government of Santiago Peña began on 15 August 2023 following his election as
President of Paraguay. He was sworn in as president at the age of 44, becoming the youngest president of Paraguay since the
restoration of democracy in 1989, surpassing
Mario Abdo Benítez, who was 46 years old at the time of his inauguration. Likewise, the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT) was established through the merger of the Undersecretariat of State for Taxation (SET) and the National Customs Directorate (DNA).
Presidential cabinet Peña has stated his intention for his cabinet to be composed entirely or mostly of members of the
Colorado Party. The president, vice president, and the other members of the cabinet took office on 15 August 2023.
Domestic policy Peña has expressed his preference for a "small state", focused on providing security, public health, and education, leaving the rest to the
private sector.
Education In February 2022, before assuming the presidency, Peña emphasized the need to turn government plans into
state policies, especially in
education and
health. He proposed beginning a process of educational transformation in Paraguay, focusing on improving
human capital as an engine of progress. Carlos Giménez,
Paraguay's minister of agriculture and livestock, stated in late February 2024 his opposition to the admission of people with "
homosexual tendencies" to agricultural schools. He later apologized for "the interpretation of his statements". Santiago Peña regretted the remarks but kept him in office, without imposing sanctions. In April 2024, Peña enacted the "Zero Hunger in Schools" law, passed by the
Congress, a program that seeks to guarantee food for students in the country's public educational institutions. According to the newspaper
ABC Color, the program excluded hundreds of children from special schools and inclusion support centers, leaving them without food. The
Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC) acknowledged the situation and proposed reviewing and correcting the scope of the program. During the start of the school year in February 2025, Peña acknowledged deficiencies in school infrastructure, committing himself to improving the physical conditions of educational institutions to facilitate an adequate learning environment. He announced the construction of seventeen "large schools" in different regions of the country, intended to offer high-quality education and modern equipment, seeking to reduce school dropout and improve learning indicators. Peña expressed enthusiasm for this project and acknowledged that there were still challenges to overcome in the
national education system. In March 2025, the president highlighted the historic delivery of 430,000 school
furniture items as part of the strengthening of the education system and the improvement of learning conditions. He announced the expansion of places for government
scholarships, benefiting more students who passed the tests and met the established requirements.
Social policies and human rights Transparency and access to public information At the beginning of May 2024, Peña signed
decree No. 1604, partially objecting to
bill No. 7257, which amended Law No. 5282/2014 on access to public information. The
veto focused on subsection "g" of article 10, which proposed the disclosure of sensitive data, such as beneficiaries of public land and government transactions. The executive argued that such publication violated the
right to privacy and statistical secrecy, constituting a threat to citizens' fundamental rights. The bill was returned to the
Senate for reconsideration.
Mass media and freedom of the press During the government of Santiago Peña, the situation of the
mass media and
freedom of the press in Paraguay worsened, according to the Chapultepec Index of the
Inter American Press Association (SIP). In 2023, Paraguay fell to position #10 in the
freedom of speech ranking in
Latin America, a drop from position #8 the previous year. This change led the country to be classified as "restricted" in terms of
freedom of the press, instead of "low restriction". Santiago Peña has been questioned by sectors of the press, especially by
ABC Color, due to alleged
conflicts of interest and use of
public assets. On several occasions he responded critically, accusing media outlets of
extortion and
manipulation. After revelations about his stake in Ueno Holding, a company benefited during his government, he announced in April 2025 the sale of his
shares. Although he signed the Declaration of Chapultepec, his relationship with the press has been tense.
Security and justice In August 2024, Peña announced an investment of 500 million
dollars to strengthen Paraguay's security and defense, with the aim of improving the operational capacity of the
armed forces and the country's
police forces. On 3 December 2024, President Santiago Peña enacted Law No. 7389, establishing the "National Regime of Integrity, Transparency and Prevention of Corruption" and creating the National Anti-Corruption Council, replacing the National Anti-Corruption Secretariat. This law was presented as progress in the fight against corruption in Paraguay. However, its implementation has been questioned due to the exclusion of binational entities, such as
Itaipu, from oversight by bodies such as the National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP) and the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR). The lack of oversight over
tenders, especially in cases of alleged overbilling in the purchase of school desks and ambulances, has generated complaints of corruption and bid rigging. In addition, the amendment of Law No. 7089 on
conflicts of interest, which removed restrictions on officials owning shares in companies that operate with the state, has also been controversial. A report by the
United States Department of State criticized the "rampant corruption" and lack of legal certainty in the country, making foreign investment more difficult and highlighting that much remained to be done in terms of combating
impunity. In April 2025, Peña signed Decree No. 3749, regulating Law No. 7027/2022, which raises to
₲ 7000 million the reward for information on the whereabouts of the
kidnapped citizens Edelio Morínigo, Félix Urbieta, and
Óscar Denis. The decree authorizes the
Ministry of the Interior to make partial or total payments, depending on the quality and truthfulness of the information, through confidential funds. The rule establishes that any citizen may provide useful information, except public officials of security and justice institutions, or their relatives up to the fifth degree of consanguinity. Confidentiality of sources is guaranteed, and false information is to be reported to the
Public Ministry.
Infrastructure and public works On 10 May 2025, the Valenzuela 500
kV Interconnection Substation, considered the largest in the Paraguayan electrical system, was inaugurated. The project, carried out by the
National Electricity Administration (ANDE), benefits approximately 770,000 users in
Asunción, the metropolitan area, and departments such as
Cordillera,
Paraguarí, and
Presidente Hayes. The project, with an investment of 79 million
dollars financed by the Financial Fund for the Development of the River Plate Basin (
Fonplata), forms part of a strategy to strengthen the National Interconnected System and advance regional energy integration. President Peña highlighted the importance of diversifying the country's energy matrix, promoting agreements with
Argentina to continue the Aña Cuá works, as well as initiatives with
Itaipu for the development of
solar energy. He also promoted private-sector participation in electricity generation and distribution, and announced
reforms to the Energy Law to facilitate that process.
Foreign policy It is estimated that, by 15 April 2024, Peña had spent 50 of his 240 days of presidency abroad (or 20% of his presidency).
Trips 2023 2024 Relations with Argentina and Peña in April 2025. and Peña in May 2023. Peña and
Javier Milei met on 9 December 2023 and agreed to "deepen"
Mercosur. Peña stated that he had placed himself "at Milei's disposal" and attended his presidential inauguration in December 2023. Paraguay's vice minister of commerce, Óscar Stark, stated on 13 December 2023 that the economic policy of the new Argentine government, which aspires to eliminate multiple exchange rates and move toward exchange-rate unification in the short term, works against the smuggler's business and is therefore favorable for Paraguay, and that "it is going to be much easier to talk than with the previous government".
Relations with Brazil and Peña in July 2024.|left
Itaipu Treaty Peña suspended negotiations with
Brazil on the revision of Annex C of the
Itaipu Treaty, alleging a supposed case of digital
espionage by Brazilian authorities between 2022 and 2023. Critical sectors pointed out that the suspension favored Brazil by keeping frozen a key process to correct what they consider a historic disadvantage for Paraguay in the distribution of the benefits of
hydroelectricity generated by
Itaipu Binacional.
Relations with the United States (far right, center) and a group of world leaders at the
Gaza peace summit in October 2025. In security matters, in June 2024 the two countries agreed on a joint investment intended to improve connectivity in rural areas through satellite internet and to strengthen national
cybersecurity. The
United States committed
USD 3 million for connectivity and US$3.1 million for cybersecurity in the Paraguayan armed forces. Likewise, in November 2024, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (MITIC) and the
United States Southern Command carried out a joint review of the Paraguayan government's computer systems, detecting and mitigating vulnerabilities. In December 2023, President Peña received General
Laura Richardson, commander of United States Southern Command, with whom he discussed cooperation projects in security and the fight against
organized crime. In the commercial sphere, in September 2023 the T-FAST program was renewed until 2025 through a memorandum of understanding, with the aim of reducing non-
tariff barriers to agricultural trade and streamlining export processes. Likewise, in May 2023 a cooperation agreement between the
United States Department of Agriculture and Paraguay's National Customs Directorate was extended for two years in order to facilitate agricultural trade. The agreement estimated a reduction of 14% in costs and 30% in product release times. In August 2025, the
Donald Trump government signed a migration cooperation agreement with Peña's government (the "Safe Third Country" agreement), which allows asylum seekers in United States territory to process their requests for protection in Paraguay. In December of that same year, both governments signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) regulating the presence and activities of U.S. soldiers and military personnel on Paraguayan soil. Foreign minister
Rubén Ramírez Lezcano confirmed that those soldiers would have immunity in Paraguay.
Relations with Israel in December 2024. In May 2023, Peña announced the intention to move the Paraguayan embassy in Israel from
Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem. That measure had previously been taken by
Horacio Cartes in 2018, but reversed by
Mario Abdo Benítez later that same year, causing Israel to close its embassy in
Asunción. According to Paraguayan foreign minister
Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, the Israeli embassy in Paraguay was expected to reopen in July 2024. After the outbreak of the
war between Israel and Gaza in October 2023, Peña's government adopted a strongly pro-Israel stance, with Paraguay abstaining or voting against several
United Nations resolutions calling for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and
Hamas, including a vote recognizing Palestine as a legitimate state, in which Paraguay abstained. Likewise, Paraguay opposed the
South African case before the International Court of Justice against Israel, in which the former accused the latter of committing
genocide in the Gaza Strip, and also opposed the intention of
Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the
International Criminal Court, to issue international arrest warrants against Israeli prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister
Yoav Gallant, calling it "incorrect". In public statements, Peña has argued that support for Israel goes beyond his personal view and represents, in his words, "a message from the entire Paraguayan nation", appealing to a historical and political affinity between the two countries. This policy has reinforced Paraguay's international alignment with the
United States and
Israel, although it has generated criticism from sectors warning of possible repercussions for relations with countries of the
Arab world and the
Global South. In December 2024, Peña attended the reopening of the Paraguayan embassy in Israel in
Jerusalem. Domestically, the government's stance was celebrated by figures in the ruling camp as a reaffirmation of shared democratic values, although it also prompted criticism in the
Senate from opposition sectors that considered the diplomatic imbalance risky.
Relations with Taiwan ,
William Lai, in May 2024. In April 2025, Santiago Peña received Yu-Lin Huang, secretary-general of Taiwan's
International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), to strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in technological innovation. Initiatives for the development of
artificial intelligence (AI) were discussed, including the creation of a data center and the training of human talent in this field. The installation of a regional AI center in Paraguay was proposed as part of a strategy to promote technological development in the country.
Relations with Venezuela Restoration of diplomatic relations On 15 November 2023, Santiago Peña restored diplomatic relations with
Venezuela, after the break that occurred in 2019 under the government of
Mario Abdo Benítez. Peña recognized
Nicolás Maduro as president, stating that Paraguay would reopen its embassy in
Caracas and that Venezuela would do the same in
Asunción. Peña defended the gradual resumption of relations with Venezuela, but expressed concern over the disqualification of opposition figure
María Corina Machado. He justified the rapprochement as part of a regional strategy after speaking with leaders such as
Lula da Silva and
Gabriel Boric, assuring that Paraguay remains committed to democracy and human rights. Although he ruled out that the decision was linked to
Petropar's debt to
PDVSA, he acknowledged the possibility of increasing trade with Venezuela if there were guarantees of payment.
Break "The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has decided, in the full exercise of its sovereignty, to break diplomatic relations with the Republic of Paraguay and to proceed with the immediate withdrawal of its diplomatic personnel accredited in that country".- Statement by the Venezuelan executive (). Venezuela broke diplomatic relations with Paraguay on 6 January 2025 due to Santiago Peña's recognition of
Edmundo González Urrutia as the winner of the
election in Venezuela. Caracas considered this interference in its internal affairs and withdrew its diplomatic personnel from Asunción. In response, the Paraguayan government reaffirmed its support for González Urrutia and demanded the departure of the Venezuelan
ambassador and his team within 48 hours. Although in the first days of his term he had shown a willingness toward extra-bloc agreements, at that time he adopted the opposite stance. In October 2024, Peña lowered expectations regarding an imminent
trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, underscoring that, although the bloc has shown interest in moving toward a
free trade agreement, it has not found an equivalent willingness in
Europe. He described as "unacceptable" the lack of recognition by
Brussels of Paraguay's sanitary certification institutions. In December of that same year, he aligned himself with the position of the
president of Brazil,
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, reaffirming that Paraguay will not support unilateral negotiations that could fragment Mercosur's cohesion.
OAS Peña initially promoted the candidacy of his foreign minister,
Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, for the
General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS), although it was withdrawn in March 2025 following regional support for the candidate from
Suriname, Albert Ramdin. Nevertheless, the Paraguayan government has highlighted the importance of maintaining institutional ties with the
United States Congress within the framework of the bilateral agenda.
OECD During an address to Argentine businesspeople in October 2024, Peña stated that one of the principal goals of his government is for Paraguay to become a member of the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). He explained that, to achieve this goal, it is essential to continue promoting development in key areas such as education and security. == Political views ==