Santiago Peña: "I am proof of a generational change in the Colorado Party"

Santiago Peña (Asunción, 44 years old) is an economist.

At the age of 32, he was already director of the Central Bank and was the youngest Minister of Finance in Paraguay.

Today he is seeking the presidency for the Colorado Party, a centenary movement that supported the Alfredo Stroessner dictatorship and then was a government almost without interruptions since the return to democracy in 1989. Among Colorados, Peña represents the sector that internally opposes the current president. , Mario Abdo, and supports former President Horacio Cartes, recently sanctioned by the United States for corruption.

In this interview with EL PAÍS, conducted at his Asunción home, he says that his political boss has the "right to defend herself" against the accusations he faces.

Ask.

The United States has sanctioned former President Horacio Cartes and high-ranking Colorado officials for corruption.

What do you think of these sanctions?

Answer.

I think we have to look at the facts.

The United States has a law and uses that law to allow whoever enters its country having complete freedom to do so and, obviously, apply economic sanctions on its financial system.

I believe that the people who are affected by these sanctions have the right and should also have the obligation, in some cases, when they are public and political figures, to defend themselves.

It is what Cartes has said, who denies the accusations.

The sanctions are about the conduct of individuals and should not affect the relationship of the United States with either the Colorado Party or Paraguay.

Q.

Have the sanctions influenced the campaign?

R.

No, and the numbers show it.

Despite the penalty, despite the attacks or speculation, we finally won the internal party by a very important difference.

Q.

But the polls show a technical tie with Efraín Alegre, the Liberal candidate...

R.

_

There must be 15 pollsters that have collected data in recent months.

Of those 15, 13 are national pollsters with experience and reputation.

All 13 give favorable results by more than 10 points for me.

And there are two international surveys that have no track record in Paraguay that give the Concertación candidate a technical tie or a slight advantage.

In any case, the election is not won with polls.

Q.

The United States has sent a diplomat who openly supports the LGTBI movement as ambassador to a country where the Colorado Party promotes the traditional Catholic family from power. Isn't that a form of provocation?

R.

It is not a coincidence that this happened both in Paraguay and in a conservative country like Hungary.

And yes, I think that it generates discomfort in different sectors, mainly in the most conservative ones.

It can certainly be interpreted as a signal that they want to give.

We Paraguayans are from a traditional culture where we understand that the family is the center of society and the family is a traditional family, not only because it is what the Scriptures and faith establish, but also because it is in the Constitution.

But again, we cannot jeopardize a bilateral relationship.

Q.

Is this the same Colorado Party as in the dictatorship?

R.

The Paraguay of today is a different Paraguay from 10 years ago and 50 years ago.

The great virtue of the Colorado Party has been to reflect those different moments in history.

As I am also sure that it will be the party that will be able, in some way, to adapt to future changes.

I am proof of that generational change.

In a way, I reflect a modern vision of Paraguay and the Colorado Party is allowing me to do that.

Q.

Paraguay is the only country in the region that recognizes Taiwan.

If he wins the presidency, what will the relationship with China be like?

R.

Paraguay has a historical relationship with Taiwan and this relationship cannot simply be quantified in economic terms.

There is more than trade.

Trade is important, we need to make progress, but we also have to understand that relations have to be based on democratic values.

That does not mean that countries that do not have a democratic culture should be rejected.

We are respectful, but yes, we believe there is tremendous value in our relationship with Taiwan.

Paraguay has to develop its own muscle before it can deepen trade relations with a country like China.

Mainland China is Paraguay's main supplier of goods and buys Paraguayan soybeans.

Paraguay is a large producer of organic sugar that goes to China,

Q.

Paraguay was one of the few countries in the world that in 2018 moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, although months later it backtracked. What do you think of the relationship with Israel?

R.

I firmly believe that the embassy should be in Jerusalem.

I was in Israel two years ago, the president has his residence in Jerusalem, the Congress has its headquarters in Jerusalem and they recognize Jerusalem as their capital.

Paraguay was one of the determining votes at the United Nations for the creation of Israel and from that moment on we have been bound by ties of enormous affection.

My intention is for the embassy to return to Jerusalem.

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