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☆ Paraguay to reestablish ties with Venezuela after extended pause
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Pena speaks during an interview with Reuters ahead of his inauguration, in Asuncion, Paraguay August 7, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar Olmedo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsASUNCION, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Paraguay and Venezuela have decided to reestablish diplomatic ties, the Paraguayan foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, after the South American countries broke off relations nearly five years ago. Formal diplomatic ties were severed in January 2019, when Paraguay recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. Following talks between Paraguay's recently-elected President Santiago Pena and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro, the ministry said ambassadors should be formally accredited in the coming days. Reporting by Daniela Desantis; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by David Alire GaricaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Santiago Pena, Cesar Olmedo, Juan Guaido, Paraguay's, Nicolas Maduro, Daniela Desantis, Sarah Morland, David Alire Garica Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, South, Venezuelan, Thomson Locations: Asuncion, Paraguay, Rights ASUNCION, Venezuela, Paraguayan

☆ Paraguay's biggest prison set ablaze, rioting inmates take guards hostage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Police stand outside the Tacumbu penitentiary during a riot after inmates took hostage a dozen officials and caused a fire, in Asuncion, Paraguay October 10, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar Olmedo Acquire Licensing RightsASUNCION, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Inmates at Paraguay's largest prison rioted on Tuesday, taking 11 guards hostage and setting fire to facilities in the crowded Tacumbu penitentiary on the outskirts of the capital. Two hostages were later released as government and military forces responded to the revolt, according to Interior Minister Enrique Riera. Tacumbu houses nearly 4,000 inmates in a ramshackle, tin-roof building and, according to local security experts, gangs exert near-total influence over life inside. Interior Minister Riera said Paraguay would push for prison reform once the riot was quelled.

Persons: Cesar Olmedo, Enrique Riera, Riera, Daniela Desantis, Kylie Madry, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Police, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Asuncion, Paraguay, Rights ASUNCION

[1/5] Paraguay's new President Santiago Pena wears the presidential sash and holds the baton of command as he greets people with the first lady Leticia Ocampos during his inauguration, in Asuncion, Paraguay August 15, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar Olmedo Acquire Licensing RightsASUNCION, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Santiago Pena was sworn in on Tuesday as Paraguay's new president, promising to "build alliances" and show "firm and ethical leadership" for the next five years after his April election victory. "We will build alliances and cooperation with a geostrategic vision," the president said in his inaugural speech, adding that Paraguay's relationship with Taiwan "is an example of this and of Paraguay's friendly and cooperative spirit with nations." Despite pressure from farmers who want to open up Chinese markets, he has pledged to stick with Paraguay's decades-long diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Pena faces the additional challenge of shoring up relations with the United States after the U.S. government accused his political mentor, former President Horacio Cartes, of corruption.

Persons: Santiago Pena, Leticia Ocampos, Cesar Olmedo, Pena, Spain, William Lai, Mario Abdo Benitez, Santi, Horacio Cartes, Cartes, Milda Rivarola, Rivarola, Daniela Desantis, Lucinda Elliott, Jonathan Oatis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, South, Taiwan's, Colorado Party, U.S, Ultima, Thomson Locations: Asuncion, Paraguay, Rights ASUNCION, William Lai . Paraguay, China, Taiwan, Paraguayan, United States

Paraguay's President-elect Santiago Pena speaks during an interview with Reuters ahead of his inauguration, in Asuncion, Paraguay August 7, 2023. His party's diplomatic support for Taiwan has hurt local farmers' grains exports to China, which claims sovereignty over the self-governed island. Taiwan Vice President William Lai is in Paraguay for Pena's inauguration. Relations with the United States will also be in focus after the U.S. government accused Pena's political backer, former President Horacio Cartes, of corruption. Pena also wants to create 500,000 new jobs in five years to boost the South American country's farm-driven economy, dominated by soybeans and beef.

Persons: Santiago Pena, Cesar Olmedo, Pena, William Lai, Horacio Cartes, " Pena, Cartes, Santi, Daniela Desantis, Lucinda Elliott, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Colorado, Colorado Party, Pena's, U.S, American, Columbia University, IMF, Thomson Locations: Asuncion, Paraguay, ASUNCION, Taiwan, U.S, China, United States, Washington, Colorado

☆ Paraguay president-elect to visit 'great friend' Taiwan's Tsai
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] President-Elect Santiago Pena, a 44-year-old economist who won 43% of the vote on Sunday in the Presidential election, speaks during a news conference in Asuncion, Paraguay May 2, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar Olmedo/File PhotoTAIPEI, July 9 (Reuters) - Paraguay's president-elect, Santiago Pena, will visit Taiwan this week and meet "great friend" President Tsai Ing-wen, he said on Sunday, shoring up a relationship at a time China is working to entice the island's dwindling allies. Pena said on his Twitter account he would visit Abu Dhabi, then go to Taiwan to meet Tsai, who he described as a "great friend". He will be in Taiwan for the 66th anniversary of diplomatic ties on Wednesday, the ministry said. Diplomatic sources have told Reuters that Lai might attend as Taiwan's representative, likely transiting the United States to meet U.S. officials.

Persons: Santiago Pena, Cesar Olmedo, Tsai Ing, shoring, Pena, Tsai, William Lai, Wang Mei, Lai, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Democratic Progressive, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Asuncion , Paraguay, TAIPEI, Taiwan, China, Paraguay, American, Honduras, Beijing, Central America, Caribbean, U.S, America, Washington, Abu Dhabi, United States

☆ Paraguay presidential candidate Cubas arrested after post-election protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Paraguayo Cubas, who placed third in Paraguay's presidential elections last week, talks to police officers after his arrest, in Asuncion, Paraguay, May 5, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar OlmedoASUNCION, May 5 (Reuters) - Paraguayo Cubas, who placed third in Paraguay's presidential elections, has been arrested following post-election protests, authorities said on Friday. Cubas led protests to dispute Sunday's election results and call for a recount, though international organizations said there was no reason to doubt the integrity of the vote. "All the criminals in this country should be handcuffed like Paraguayo Cubas," he added as he got into a patrol car. Cubas had announced plans for renewed protests after his arrival in the capital.

☆ Paraguay's women battle to break political glass ceiling
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Lucinda Elliott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But there are signs of change, with seven female candidates out of 26 this time around. Nunez is the vice presidential candidate for the main opposition coalition, hoping to unseat the ruling Colorado Party. The more right-wing Colorado party has also approved gender parity plans for the cabinet, though two men are on its ticket. Some women are worried that may work against female candidates, who often contend with having less political apparatus and campaign funding. "By insisting on gender parity, it opens up the debate further," Martinez said.

The ruling Colorado Party has dominated Paraguayan politics for the last three-quarters of a century, in power for all but five years. "We never talked about politics before, because a win for the Colorado Party was a done deal," 40-year-old bank worker Gustavo Vera told Reuters in the capital. "There's more corruption in Paraguay than work... All I know is we have to work much harder to make ends meet." The U.S. Treasury earlier this year imposed sanctions on party chief Horacio Cartes and Vice President Hugo Velazquez, citing "rampant corruption." Alegre, on his third presidential campaign, has pulled together a broad alliance of independent parties to challenge the powerful Colorado political machine.

☆ Taiwan or China? Paraguay's dilemma puts election race in the spotlight
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lucindaalice Elliott | Daniela Desantis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Paraguayan presidential candidate Santiago Pena from ruling Colorado Party, attends his campaign rally, in Asuncion, Paraguay April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar OlmedoASUNCION, April 24 (Reuters) - From Paraguayan capital Asuncion to Taipei and Washington, diplomats, officials - and farmers - are closely watching a tight election race that could determine Paraguay's future ties with Taiwan. "How can I deny a relationship that is beneficial for all Paraguayans, a people that need development, need investment, need industry?" China has long argued that democratically-ruled Taiwan is part of its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei strongly rejects. 'WHEN, NOT IF'Among diplomatic circles in Asuncion there is a sense a switch is inevitable - regardless of the election outcome.

☆ Paraguay marijuana festival sets high hopes for legalization
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Cesar Olmedo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/12] Visitors gather near marijuana plants as farmers host a harvest festival to showcase farms that have been converted to produce medicinal cannabis, in Aguerito, Paraguay February 19, 2023. REUTERS/Cesar OlmedoAGUERITO, Paraguay, Feb 21 (Reuters) - A marijuana harvest festival in a region of Paraguay usually known for drug trafficking has sparked hopes from local farmers that legalization could follow that will allow them to grow the plant for medicinal use. They hope the festival will catch the eye of lawmakers, encouraging them to back new legislation to help small farms. Paraguay is already a major global producer of illegally-sold cannabis, exporting largely to neighboring Brazil and other South American countries. Just a handful of labs import cannabis into Paraguay for legal medicinal use, but sell it at exorbitant prices, said Jorge Rolon, the farmers' legal adviser.

☆ Exclusive: Paraguay election race puts Taiwan ties on a knife-edge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Daniela Desantis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Paraguay is one of only 14 nations globally that retains diplomatic ties with Taiwan and the only South American country to do so. "Paraguay must have relations with China," Alegre said in a recent interview after being named presidential candidate. "We hold this critical position towards relations with Taiwan because we don't think we get enough back from this relationship." Santiago Pena, the Colorado Party candidate, said Paraguay's over six decades of ties with Taiwan would remain intact if he won the April 30 vote. "What we produce is enough for a neighborhood in a city in China, but what interests (Beijing) is us breaking ties with Taiwan.

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