Paraguayan judge Humberto Otazú ordered the pretrial detention of former President Santiago Peña on Saturday the 7th, granting a request from prosecutors. The judge determined that there was a risk Peña could flee or obstruct justice. Peña will remain at a military facility in Asunción.
The former president and Carlos Carvallo, former president of Paraguay’s Central Bank, were indicted in the investigation into irregularities involving Ueno Bank and its former executives. Peña is identified as a partner in the group that controls the bank and is under investigation on suspicion of fraudulent management and other crimes. He denies committing the crimes.
Peña was impeached following the scandal. Before the ruling, he was under house arrest, but he was transferred to the military facility for security reasons because his residence was the target of protests.
