Santiago Peña

Peña was born on 16 November 1978 in Asunción, Paraguay to José María Peña Nieto (a Paraguayan) and Ana María Palacios (an Argentine from Buenos Aires).{{cite web|url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/la-madre-argentina-de-santiago-pena-cuenta-el-camino-su-hijo-hasta-convertirse-en-presidente-electo-nid02052023/|title=La madre argentina de Santiago Peña cuenta el camino de su hijo para convertirse en presidente electo de Paraguay|website=lanacion.com.ar|date=2 May 2023|access-date=17 January 2024|archive-date=17 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117191734/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/la-madre-argentina-de-santiago-pena-cuenta-el-camino-su-hijo-hasta-convertirse-en-presidente-electo-nid02052023/|url-status=live}} He has two brothers: Manuel and Francisco Peña.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.com.py/politica/2023/08/15/la-caida-de-la-mama-de-santiago-pena-al-llegar-al-acto-de-asuncion-de-su-hijo/|title=La caída de la mamá de Santiago Peña al llegar al Palacio para el acto de asunción de su hijo - Política|website=abc.com.py|date=15 August 2023|access-date=2 December 2023|archive-date=2 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202182829/https://www.abc.com.py/politica/2023/08/15/la-caida-de-la-mama-de-santiago-pena-al-llegar-al-acto-de-asuncion-de-su-hijo/|url-status=live}} Through his father's side he is a direct descendant of former dictator Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, considered to be Paraguay's founding father.{{Cite book |last=Peña Villamil |first=Manuel |title=Hija del silencio |date=2010 |publisher=Editorial Don Bosco |isbn=978-99953-55-18-0 |edition=2. |location=Asunción, Paraguay}}

Peña holds graduate degrees from Universidad Católica "Nuestra Señora de la Asunción" (2001) and the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University (2003).{{Cite web |title=Santiago Peña Palacios {{!}} World Bank Live |url=https://live.worldbank.org/experts/santiago-pena-palacios |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=live.worldbank.org |archive-date=26 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426120256/https://live.worldbank.org/experts/santiago-pena-palacios |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=News & Stories |url=https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/global-research-impact/news |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=www.sipa.columbia.edu |language=en |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505213414/https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/global-research-impact/news |url-status=live}}

In 2004, Peña taught as an adjunct professor at the Catholic University of Asunción, teaching financial theory. In 2005, he became a professor of economic policy at the same establishment.

In addition, Peña has contributed to scholarship on monetary policy and finance. In 2017, he was invited by the Professor and current Ecuadorian ambassador to Chile Roberto Izurieta to participate as a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Political Management of the George Washington University, where Peña shared his experience on public administration in Paraguay.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mre.gov.py/tmp/index.php/el-presidente |title=::TOMA DE MANDO PRESIDENCIAL 2023:: :: Presidente |access-date=17 September 2023 |archive-date=24 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024004053/https://www.mre.gov.py/tmp/index.php/el-presidente |url-status=live}} He also was the thesis advisor of Geovanny Vicente, CNN columnist and professor at Columbia University.{{Cite web |url=https://worldleaders.columbia.edu/directory/santiago-pena-palacios |title=Santiago Peña Palacios | World Leaders Forum |access-date=17 September 2023 |archive-date=24 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024004052/https://worldleaders.columbia.edu/directory/santiago-pena-palacios |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://spotlightlatinamericanewyork.live.ft.com/agenda/speakers/3096093 |title=Spotlight on Latin America New York 2023 Agenda - A FT Live Event |access-date=17 September 2023 |archive-date=6 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906123905/https://spotlightlatinamericanewyork.live.ft.com/agenda/speakers/3096093 |url-status=live}}

Peña joined the Industrial Development Fund as an analyst in 1999 and served as an economist at the Central Bank of Paraguay from 2000 to 2009.

He was appointed as one of the four directors of the Central Bank of Paraguay in 2012, leaving his job at the IMF.{{cite news |last=Desantis |first=Daniela |date=2 January 2015 |title=Paraguay finmin quits, replaced by 'bright young' central banker |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-paraguay-financeminister-idUSKBN0KB0S520150102 |work=Reuters |location=Asunción |access-date=20 June 2023 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621030221/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-paraguay-financeminister-idUSKBN0KB0S520150102 |url-status=live}}

Horacio Cartes picked Peña to replace German Rojas as finance minister in 2015, following Rojas's resignation on personal grounds. As Peña took office, Cartes described him as a "bright young man" who would reinvigorate Paraguay's economy in the face of low global soy prices and a slow regional export market.

Peña joined the Colorado Party on 29 October 2016, having previously been a member of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) from the age of 17. Peña's membership in the Colorado Party caused controversy, with reports that he only joined the party after Horacio Cartes announced his intention to dismiss members of his cabinet who were not party members. Peña released a statement stating he had joined the party due to its focus on developing Paraguay, and claimed to be the descendent of one of the party's founders, Jaime Peña.{{Cite web |date=31 October 2016 |title=Por qué me hice Colorado: el extenso descargo de Santiago Peña |url=https://nanduti.com.py/2016/10/31/por-que-me-hice-colorado-el-extenso-descargo-de-santiago-pena/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101120038/https://nanduti.com.py/2016/10/31/por-que-me-hice-colorado-el-extenso-descargo-de-santiago-pena/ |archive-date=1 November 2016 |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=Ñandutí |language=es}} Following this, an electoral court annulled Peña's membership to the PLRA.{{Cite web |date=4 September 2017 |title=Juzgado electoral anula afiliación de Santiago Peña al PLRA |trans-title=Electoral court annuls Santiago Peña's affiliation with the PLRA |url=https://www.lanacion.com.py/politica/2017/09/04/juzgado-electoral-anula-afiliacion-de-santiago-pena-al-plra/ |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=La Nación |language=es |archive-date=30 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430140200/https://www.lanacion.com.py/politica/2017/09/04/juzgado-electoral-anula-afiliacion-de-santiago-pena-al-plra/ |url-status=live}}

In 2017, Peña ran for the Colorado Party's presidential candidacy in the 2018 general election, ultimately losing out to Mario Abdo Benítez,{{cite news |last1=Elliott |first1=Lucinda |last2=Desantis |first2=Daniela |date=26 April 2023 |title=Paraguay presidential hopeful Santiago Pena seeks to be calm amid political storm |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/paraguay-presidential-hopeful-santiago-pena-seeks-be-calm-amid-political-storm-2023-04-26/ |work=Reuters |location=Asunción |quote=Members of the Colorado Party…were unconvinced that Pena's slick city appearance and time in Washington would go down well with voters and he lost out to current president Mario Abdo Benitez in the 2018 primary election contest. |access-date=20 June 2023 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621030221/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/paraguay-presidential-hopeful-santiago-pena-seeks-be-calm-amid-political-storm-2023-04-26/ |url-status=live}} with Abdo Benítez winning 564,811 votes (50.93%) to Peña's 480,114 (43.29%).{{cite web|title=En un duro revés para Horacio Cartes, un senador disidente ganó las primarias presidenciales en Paraguay|trans-title=In a hard setback for Horacio Cartes, a dissident senator won the presidential primaries in Paraguay|url=https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2017/12/18/en-un-duro-reves-para-horacio-cartes-un-senador-disidente-gano-las-primarias-presidenciales-en-paraguay/|newspaper=Infobae|language=es|date=18 December 2017|access-date=10 February 2018|archive-date=26 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726201630/https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2017/12/18/en-un-duro-reves-para-horacio-cartes-un-senador-disidente-gano-las-primarias-presidenciales-en-paraguay/|url-status=live}}

Following his defeat in the Colorado Party's internal elections in 2017, Peña was elected to the board of Banco Amambay in March 2018. The bank was part of the Cartes Group, which was owned by former President of Paraguay Horacio Cartes, for whom Peña had served as minister of finance.

File:08.16 副總統特使團出席巴拉共和國新任總統貝尼亞就職典禮及相關慶祝活動 (2).jpg

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, {{ill|Arnoldo Wiens|es|Arnoldo Wiens}}, was aligned with Abdo Benítez.{{Cite web |last=Barros |first=Laura |date=19 December 2022 |title=Partido Colorado elige a Santiago Peña candidato y a Horacio Cartes de líder |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/paraguay-elecciones_partido-colorado-elige-a-santiago-pe%C3%B1a-candidato-y-a-horacio-cartes-de-l%C3%ADder/48144612 |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=Swissinfo |language=es |archive-date=25 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525034024/https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/paraguay-elecciones_partido-colorado-elige-a-santiago-pe%C3%B1a-candidato-y-a-horacio-cartes-de-l%C3%ADder/48144612 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=18 December 2022 |title=Se definieron las primarias en Paraguay: el delfín de Horacio Cartes será candidato a presidente en 2023 |url=https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2022/12/18/los-primeros-resultados-de-las-elecciones-primarias-en-paraguay/ |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=Infobae |language=es |archive-date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328032208/https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2022/12/18/los-primeros-resultados-de-las-elecciones-primarias-en-paraguay/ |url-status=live}} 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.{{Cite web |date=15 December 2021 |title=Duras críticas de Blanca Ovelar a Santiago Peña |url=https://eltrueno.com.py/2021/12/15/duras-criticas-de-blanca-ovelar-a-santiago-pena/ |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=El Trueno |language=es |archive-date=15 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215131547/https://eltrueno.com.py/2021/12/15/duras-criticas-de-blanca-ovelar-a-santiago-pena/ |url-status=live}} 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.{{cite news |first=Simon |last=Romero |date=31 March 2017 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/31/world/americas/paraguay-protests-horacio-cartes.html |title=Protests Erupt in Paraguay Over Efforts to Extend President's Term |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=1 April 2017 |archive-date=1 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401223557/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/31/world/americas/paraguay-protests-horacio-cartes.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title='A coup has been carried out': Paraguay's congress set alight after vote to let president run again |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/01/paraguays-congress-set-on-fire-after-vote-to-let-president-run-again |access-date=1 April 2017 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=1 April 2017 |archive-date=4 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404150155/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/01/paraguays-congress-set-on-fire-after-vote-to-let-president-run-again |url-status=live}}

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.{{cite news |last1=Elliott |first1=Lucinda |last2=Desantis |first2=Daniela |title=Paraguay's conservatives score big election win, defusing Taiwan fears |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/paraguayans-head-polls-with-taiwan-ties-stake-2023-04-30/ |access-date=3 May 2023 |work=Reuters |date=1 May 2023 |language=en |archive-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501072149/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/paraguayans-head-polls-with-taiwan-ties-stake-2023-04-30/ |url-status=live}} Peña called for unity to address the economic challenges the country is currently facing. Peña was inaugurated on 15 August 2023.{{Cite news|date=15 August 2023|title=Santiago Pena, Paraguay's new president, faces tricky balancing act|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/santiago-pena-paraguays-new-president-faces-tricky-balancing-act-2023-08-15/|work=Reuters|access-date=15 August 2023|archive-date=15 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230815134349/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/santiago-pena-paraguays-new-president-faces-tricky-balancing-act-2023-08-15/|url-status=live}} 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.{{cite news |title=Amid protests, authorities uphold legitimacy of Paraguay election |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/3/amid-protests-authorities-uphold-legitimacy-of-paraguay-election |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=Al Jazeera |date=3 May 2023 |language=en}}

File:16.05.2023 - Encontro com Presidente eleito da República do Paraguai, Santiago Peña (52903463695).jpg on May 2023]]

File:Javier Milei y Santiago Peña (cropped).jpg on April 2025]]

By the time of the 2023 election, Peña was considered a conservative politician who opposes the legalization of abortion and same-sex marriage. In May 2017, however, Peña had stated that he was in favor of same-sex marriage, while saying in regards of abortion that he was open for it to "be discussed in a sincere environment and without prejudice".{{cite news |title=Peña está a favor del matrimonio igualitario |trans-title=Peña in favor of marriage equality |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/pena-esta-favor-del-matrimonio-igualitario-n1084724.html |newspaper=Última Hora |language=es |date=10 May 2017 |access-date=1 May 2023 |archive-date=2 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502170053/https://www.ultimahora.com/pena-esta-favor-del-matrimonio-igualitario-n1084724.html |url-status=live}} He reversed position shortly afterwards following criticism from conservative sectors.{{cite news |last1=Lezcano F. |first1=Juan Carlos |title=Antes sí ¿ahora no? |trans-title=Before yes, now no? |url=https://www.rdn.com.py/2017/10/30/antes-si-ahora-no/ |work=RDN |language=es |date=30 October 2017 |access-date=1 May 2023 |archive-date=2 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230502170052/https://www.rdn.com.py/2017/10/30/antes-si-ahora-no/ |url-status=live}} During his 2023 campaign, he promised to create 500,000 jobs. He also ruled out raising taxes.{{Cite news |last=Costa |first=William |date=27 April 2023 |title=Paraguay looks for change as election looms. But that's not on the ballot |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/27/paraguay-presidential-election |access-date= |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=30 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430234628/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/27/paraguay-presidential-election |url-status=live}}

On foreign policy, Peña pledged to maintain Paraguay's diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan). In May 2023, Peña announced that he intended to move the Paraguayan Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem after being sworn in as president (he attended the reinauguration of said embassy in December 2024);{{Cite news |title=Netanyahu, Paraguay's Santiago Peña talk embassy move to Jerusalem |url=https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-744741 |access-date=2023-07-19 |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US |archive-date=19 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719174114/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-744741 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/knesset-speaker-with-jerusalem-embassy-paraguay-chose-principles-over-popularity/|title=Knesset speaker: With Jerusalem embassy, Paraguay 'chose principles over popularity'|last=Sokol|first=Sam|date=11 December 2024|access-date=11 December 2024|work=The Times of Israel}} a move that was previously made by Horacio Cartes in 2018 but reversed by Mario Abdo Benítez later that year.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/05/paraguay-jerusalem-embassy-moves-to-tel-aviv |title=Outcry from Israel after Paraguay moves its Jerusalem embassy back to Tel Aviv |date=2018-09-05 |work=The Guardian |access-date=2023-03-05 |archive-date=25 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525112352/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/05/paraguay-jerusalem-embassy-moves-to-tel-aviv |url-status=live}} Peña later expressed vocal support for Israel during the Gaza war.{{cite news |title=Delegation of hostage relatives meets with Paraguayan President Delegation of hostage relatives meets with Paraguayan President |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/middle-east/delegation-of-hostage-relatives-meets-with-paraguayan-president20231213135259/ |work=Asian News International |date=13 December 2023 |access-date=17 January 2024 |archive-date=13 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213203602/https://aninews.in/news/world/middle-east/delegation-of-hostage-relatives-meets-with-paraguayan-president20231213135259/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Paraguay opens Israel embassy in Jerusalem after moving it from Tel Aviv |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/paraguay-opens-israel-embassy-jerusalem-after-moving-it-tel-aviv-2024-12-12/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Reuters}}

As president, Paraguay restored diplomatic relations with Venezuela in November 2023; relations were strained since 2019.{{cite news |title=Paraguay to reestablish ties with Venezuela after extended pause |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/paraguay-reestablish-ties-with-venezuela-after-extended-pause-2023-11-15/ |access-date=25 January 2024 |work=Reuters |date=15 November 2023 |language=en |archive-date=16 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116150750/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/paraguay-reestablish-ties-with-venezuela-after-extended-pause-2023-11-15/ |url-status=live }} Relations between the two nations were broken in February 2025, however, after Peña recognized Edmundo González as the winner of the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election.{{cite news |title=Venezuela rompe relaciones diplomáticas con Paraguay por reconocimiento a Edmundo González |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2025/01/06/venezuela/venezuela-rompe-relaciones-diplomaticas-paraguay-apoyo-edmundo-gonzalez-orix |work=CNN en Español |date=6 January 2025 |access-date=March 15, 2025}}

In February 2023, Peña said in an interview with Folha de S.Paulo that the military dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner had resulted in "more than 50 years of stability in Paraguay".{{Cite web |date=28 February 2023 |title=Santiago Peña elogió la dictadura de Alfredo Stroessner |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/santiago-pena-elogio-los-50-anos-dictadura-stroessner-n3050837.html |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=Última Hora |language=es |archive-date=1 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301032055/https://www.ultimahora.com/santiago-pena-elogio-los-50-anos-dictadura-stroessner-n3050837.html |url-status=dead}} Peña further asserted that Stroessner, who came to power as a result of a coup d'état, had come to a power as a result of a "political agreement".{{Cite web |date=1 March 2023 |title=Dictadura de Stroessner: con estas fotos ironizan el "acuerdo político" al que se refería Peña |url=https://www.abc.com.py/politica/2023/03/01/dictadura-de-stroessner-fotos-con-las-que-se-ironiza-el-acuerdo-politico-al-que-se-referia-pena/ |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=ABC Color |language=es |archive-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405132803/https://www.abc.com.py/politica/2023/03/01/dictadura-de-stroessner-fotos-con-las-que-se-ironiza-el-acuerdo-politico-al-que-se-referia-pena/ |url-status=live}} Peña's comments were criticised by opposition politicians and activists, and he was accused of trying to attract conservative and ultraconservative voters within the Colorado Party.{{Cite web |date=1 March 2023 |title=A Santiago Peña "le borraron su memoria", afirman por su elogio a Alfredo Stroessner |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/a-santiago-pena-le-borraron-su-memoria-afirman-su-elogio-alfredo-stroessner-n3050888.html |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=Última Hora |language=es |archive-date=14 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314111949/https://www.ultimahora.com/a-santiago-pena-le-borraron-su-memoria-afirman-su-elogio-alfredo-stroessner-n3050888.html |url-status=live}}

• {{flag|Brazil}}:
• {{flag|São Paulo}}:
• 60px Grand Cross of the Order of Ipiranga (26 July 2023){{Cite web|url=https://www.hoy.com.py/politica/santiago-pena-fue-condecorado-por-el-gobernador-de-san-pablo|title=Santiago Peña fue condecorado por el gobernador de San Pablo|website=Hoy|language=es}}

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20230410211012/https://santipresidente.com/ Official campaign page] (captured by the Wayback Machine)

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Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:Authentic Radical Liberal Party politicians

Category:Colorado Party (Paraguay) politicians

Category:Ministers of finance of Paraguay

Category:Paraguayan economists

Category:Paraguayan anti-communists

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Category:Presidents of Paraguay

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Category:Paraguayan people of Argentine descent