New President of Paraguay Takes Oath of Office

Economist Santiago Peña took the oath today, Tuesday, to become the president of Paraguay for the next five years, after defeating his liberal opponent in the elections held in April. Peña was sworn in outside the government palace in Asunción during a grand ceremony attended by South American leaders, the King of Spain, and the Vice President of Taiwan, William Lai. Paraguay is one of the few remaining countries in the world that maintains official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims sovereignty over. Peña, 44, achieved a strong victory in the April elections, succeeding President Mario Abdo Benítez, both of whom are from the conservative Colorado Party, which has dominated Paraguayan politics for 75 years.