SANTIAGO PEÑA PALACIOS, President of Paraguay, stated that “we need to be sincere and admit that we are all failing to build a better world”.  However, as a great military hero and statesman of his country, Bernardino Caballero, said,  “the future is the child of the present”.  Calling for elimination of the veto in the Security Council, he affirmed that maintaining peace should be the fundamental pillar of multilateralism.  However, some 20 international armed conflicts and more than 110 domestic conflicts around the world show that the institutions created to preserve peace have not fulfilled that mission.  Recalling that in the War of the Triple Alliance, Paraguay experienced a war of extermination, he emphasized his country knows better than anyone what it means for a small nation to be invaded or attacked by powerful powers.  He therefore reaffirmed firm support for Ukraine, respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, calling for diplomatic solutions.

In the Middle East, Paraguay stood firmly alongside Israel following the “heinous attacks by Hamas” on 7 October 2023, and it rejects any biased attempt to equate responsibility between the democratically elected authorities of Israel and the leaders of the Hamas terrorist group.  At the same time, he urgently called for a solution that alleviates the humanitarian situation, ends the violence and guarantees the immediate release of the hostages.  Expressing deep concern about the situation in Africa — where the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are currently around 25 active conflicts — he also cited the extremely difficult situation in Haiti, where gangs control a large part of Port-au-Prince, plunging the country into a spiral of violence that multilateral mechanisms have not been able to de-escalate.  

As Paraguay has reaffirmed its commitment to democracy, “I must strongly condemn what is happening to our Venezuelan brothers”, he said, pointing to an electoral process that overlooked the will of the Venezuelan people — characterized by the regime’s persecution of the main opposition actors and arbitrary detentions.  He reiterated support for the democratic forces in Venezuela that are fighting against authoritarianism.  Recognizing Paraguay’s 70 years of international cooperation with Republic of China — Taiwan, he renewed firm support for its inclusion as a full part of the United Nations system — its exclusion being an injustice.

Turning to domestic issues, he cited two Government programmes:  “Zero Hunger in Schools”, a commitment to eradicate hunger in school-age children; and “Che Roga Pora”, the country’s first housing access policy focused on the working class.  He noted that Paraguay is a beacon in producing clean, renewable energy.  Generation of hydroelectric energy is not only a national project, but a joint initiative with its neighbours, while its position in the heart of South America means it can be a motor for integration.  The country will soon host the nineteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  Stressing that the rule of law and unrestricted respect for human rights are fundamental pillars, he affirmed that “despite the tremendous challenges we are facing, I am convinced that, as William Faulkner once said, ‘Humanity will not simply endure:  it will prevail’”.