ASUNCI脫N, Paraguay (AP) 鈥 President Santiago Pe帽a said Paraguay and Taiwan are 鈥渘ot just allies, but also brothers鈥 when he was sworn in as the South American country鈥檚 new president on Tuesday.
Pe帽a took the presidential oath outside the government palace in the capital of Asunci贸n in a ceremony attended by several regional leaders and Taiwan鈥檚 Vice President William Lai.
Paraguay is the only country in South America, and a member of a dwindling group of 12 governments around the world, to have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. It lost a key ally in the region earlier this year when Honduras .
鈥淲e will build alliances and cooperation with a geostrategic vision, seeking horizontal agreements,鈥 Pe帽a said, noting that the country鈥檚 relationship with Taiwan 鈥渋s an example of this and of Paraguay鈥檚 friendly and cooperative spirit with nations for which we have deep affection and with whom we feel not only as allies, but also like brothers.鈥
Before leaving on the trip Saturday, 鈥渟o that the international society understands Taiwan is a country that persists in its democracy, human rights and freedom and actively takes part in international affairs.鈥 Lai stopped in New York en route to Paraguay and was planning to stop in San Francisco on his way back home.
When Pe帽a, 44, visited Taiwan in July, he told President Tsai Ing-wen his country would 鈥渟tand with the people of Taiwan鈥 during his five-year term.
Pe帽a, an economist, easily won election earlier this year, keeping the long-ruling Colorado Party in power for five more years.
Taiwan鈥檚 ambassador to Paraguay, Jos茅 Han, published photos on social media of Lai making chipa, a traditional cheese-flavored roll, and drinking terer茅, an infusion popular in the South American country. 鈥淗e loved the traditional flavors of Paraguay,鈥 the ambassador wrote.
Taiwan had become a thorny issue during Paraguay鈥檚 presidential campaign as Pe帽a鈥檚 main challenger argued the alliance had become too costly because it prevented the small country from pursuing business opportunities with China.
In his inaugural speech, Pe帽a, a conservative, business-friendly president, praised former President Horacio Cartes (2013-2018), the head of the Colorado Party who has been accused by Washington of involvement in 鈥渟ignificant corruption." The U.S. government accuses him of bribing government officials and legislators and of having ties to people who raise money for the Hezbollah group, which Washington has deemed a terrorist organization.
鈥淭hank you for persevering, without faltering, in the construction of consensus and in the pursuit of agreements above differences," Pe帽a said in words addressed to Cartes. 鈥淭oday, it is our turn to bring that political calling to the service of all Paraguayans.鈥
Spain鈥檚 King Felipe VI attended the inauguration ceremony as did presidents from the region, including Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Alberto Fern谩ndez of Argentina, and Gabriel Boric of Chile.
鈥淪uccess is making sure all Paraguayans are better off, and that the world becomes witness to the resurgence of a giant,鈥 Pe帽a said.
