Paraguay Moves to Impeach Attorney General

PARAGUAY · POLITICS

Opposition lawmakers want to remove Paraguay’s top prosecutor over the Ueno Bank case, but they cannot do it without votes from the ruling party.

Opposition deputies in Paraguay have drafted a formal accusation (libelo acusatorio) against Attorney General Emiliano Rolón, and the ruling Colorado Party will decide on Monday 16 November whether to support it. The push comes as prosecutors investigate the collapse of Ueno Bank, a Paraguayan digital lender that the central bank placed under intervention in early November, and the cases against former president Santiago Peña, whom the Senate removed on 6 November.

The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of Paraguay’s Congress, and the Senate is the upper house. Impeachment, known in Spanish as juicio político, is the constitutional way to remove senior officials for poor performance, crimes in office or common crimes.

The outcome matters to depositors and to investors with exposure to Paraguay, because the attorney general leads the criminal inquiries into the bank.

What the Opposition Alleges

The Liberal Party (Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico, PLRA), Paraguay’s main opposition party, resolved through its parliamentary council to push the impeachment, deputy Pedro Gómez said on Thursday 12 November. He cited obstruction of justice and poor performance of duties.

Liberal deputy Federico Franco said on Friday 13 November that the accusation will be filed on Monday with the signatures of the Liberal bench and the “third force” (a smaller opposition group), which he said would total 36. He argued that prosecutors acted too late on warnings about Ueno and said Rolón should resign.

The deputies’ draft also cites a complaint over the so-called “sobres del poder” (envelopes of power) and a warning from the prosecution service’s forensic laboratory staff. Rolón has said the main obstacle to his work is a shortage of prosecutors.

Why the Colorado Party Decides

Paraguay’s Constitution says the Chamber of Deputies accuses an attorney general by a majority of two-thirds. If all 80 deputies attend, that means 54 votes, although some local reports round it to 53.

The governing Colorado Party (Asociación Nacional Republicana, ANR) holds a majority of the seats, but not two-thirds. Its deputies sit in three blocs: the Cartist bloc (followers of former president Horacio Cartes), the largest with 31 deputies, a second group of nine led by deputy Hugo Meza, and a dissident group.

Cartist deputy Arturo Urbieta said the bloc will study the matter “thoroughly” on Monday before giving its official position. Dissident Colorado deputy Mauricio Espínola said he will support the impeachment and believes his bloc will too.

Dissident Colorado deputy Daniel Centurión said that if the backers fail to reach the majority, the request goes to the archive for a year.

What Happens Next

If the Chamber accuses Rolón, the Senate would try him, and the Constitution also requires a two-thirds majority there. The only possible penalty is removal from office, and any evidence of crimes goes to the ordinary courts.

The next checkpoints are the Colorado bloc meetings and the planned filing on Monday 16 November. Readers following the Ueno case can find our earlier reports in Paraguay Adds Prosecutors to Ueno Bank Cases and Raid on Failed Ueno Bank Finds Hidden Safe.

What It Means for You

For people with money or business in Paraguay, the vote tests whether the governing party will let the prosecution service be challenged while the Ueno cases are open. A removal would take the inquiries’ current head out of office.

Our Paraguay news page tracks each step.

What Is Not Known

It is not known how the Cartist bloc and the group led by Hugo Meza will vote, or whether the filing will go ahead on Monday as its sponsors say. The figure of 36 signatures is the sponsors’ own projection.

No charge against Rolón has been reported, although the deputies’ text cites possible crimes in office that they say could lead to charges later. Peña and others named in the Ueno cases are presumed innocent until a court rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an impeachment in Paraguay?

It is called juicio político. The Chamber of Deputies accuses and the Senate judges, each by a two-thirds majority, and the only penalty is removal from office.

How many votes are needed to impeach the attorney general?

Two-thirds of the Chamber of Deputies, which is 54 votes if all 80 deputies attend. The Senate then needs a two-thirds majority to convict.

Is Emiliano Rolón accused of a crime?

Not yet. The accusation alleges poor performance and cites possible crimes in office, which its sponsors say could lead to charges later. The Constitution sends evidence of crimes to the ordinary courts.

Sources: Constitution of Paraguay, Article 225 (constituteproject.org); Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay, member list (diputados.gov.py); statements by deputies Liberal deputies Pedro Gómez and Federico Franco, Cartist deputy Arturo Urbieta and Colorado dissident deputies Mauricio Espínola and Daniel Centurión, 12 and 13 November 2026.