Conservative President of Paraguay Santiago Peña was the only Latin American head of state invited by President Donald Trump to participate in Monday’s historic Middle East Peace Summit hosted in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
Peña said that it was a great honor for him to represent Paraguay at the historic event and uphold the name of his country and its people among world leaders in the search for peace. The Paraguayan presidency said that Peña’s participation in the Summit reaffirms Paraguay’s “commitment to diplomacy, peace, and understanding among nations.”
The Paraguayan president first revealed that he was in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday morning, posting on social media hours before President Trump signed a historic peace agreement between Israel and Hamas alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Peña and other international heads of government accompanied Trump at the signing ceremony.
“Today is a historic day for peace, not only in the Middle East, but throughout the world. We are in Sharm El-Sheikh, the city where the Peace Summit is being held today, where the agreement for Gaza and the entire region will be signed,” Peña said. “It is a historic day for the Middle East. We have been invited by the government of President Donald Trump to this historic day, where Paraguay, also representing Latin America, will be participating in this very important meeting. Thank you very much.”
The Paraguayan newspaper ABC reported on Monday that Peña’s presence in Egypt came as a surprise, as he expected to be in Rome, Italy, for an official visit at the time he traveled to Egypt. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who invited Peña to visit Italy, also participated in the Middle East Peace Summit in Egypt.
The outlet La Politica Online reported that a controversy arose from opposition politicians, who complained that Peña did not request Congress’ authorization for his trip to Egypt as per the nations’ constitution. Peña reportedly requested authorization to travel to Italy for an official visit scheduled to run through Thursday, October 16.
ABC, citing unnamed presidential sources, said that Peña communicated the sudden trip to the head of Congress Basilio Núñez, while the Paraguayan presidency prepared the official statements. Hours later, Paraguayan Vice President Pedro Alliana published a copy of the invitation that President Trump extended to President Peña via the U.S. embassy in Paraguay.
“In a truly historic ceremony, President Donald Trump signed a major peace agreement to bring the Middle East and the entire world to the end of a conflict that has ravaged this region and the entire world for decades,” Peña said on social media. “It was truly an opportunity to be the only Latin American country to participate in this survey, the opportunity to spend nearly nine hours with all the leaders, not only from the Middle East, but also from Europe, the world’s great powers, the opportunity to share and exchange opinions, the views of Paraguay and Latin America on this and the various conflicts we are facing.”
“It was truly a unique opportunity for Paraguay to really shine, to really share in this unique setting and, of course, to uphold the great name of the Republic of Paraguay and all Paraguayans,” he continued. “It was a great honor for me as a Paraguayan to represent our beloved Paraguay at this unique event on the world stage of international relations and, of course, in the search for peace. Thank you very much.
Despite the reported initial controversy from opposition politicians critical of Peña’s sudden change of agenda in Italy and trip to Egypt, independent liberal Senator Eduardo Nakayama told ABC on Tuesday that he did not see anything wrong with Peña’s participation at the Summit. The senator pointed out that the change is “perfectly understandable” as Italian Prime Minister Meloni also changed her official agenda to participate in the event.
“Personally, I believe that what has happened in Egypt with the official announcement of the end of the war in the Middle East is the most important news we have had in the last two years. I have heard some criticism, but the fact that President Santiago Peña was able to be present, postponing another commitment he had in Italy, does not seem wrong to me,” Nakayama said.
President Peña resumed his official agenda in Italy and met with Prime Minister Meloni on Tuesday morning. Peña stressed that Paraguay “continues to consolidate its presence on the global stage with diplomacy based on dialogue, respect, and friendship among nations.”
In September, during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, President Peña supported Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal jihadists, called for the release of all hostages, and urged the promotion of “constructive dialogue” that leads to a lasting peace in the Middle East. He also took the opportunity to honor victims of leftist violence around the world, including slain Colombian presidential frontrunner Miguel Uribe Turbay and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, both assassinated this year.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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