Asunción, Agencia IP.– The President of the Republic, Santiago Peña, called on the United Nations General Assembly for deeper integration among nations, with concrete results for the people, and affirmed that Paraguay is ready to take its place as a leading player in that process.
This was during his participation in the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) yesterday in New York, United States.
On the occasion, he stated that people are tired of empty promises and grandiose declarations that do not translate into bread on the table, safety in the streets, and education for their children.
In this regard, he urged all nations to work together towards a world with greater democracy, freedom, tolerance, and justice. He affirmed that Paraguay is ready to take its place in the concert of nations, not as a mere peripheral voice, but as a true protagonist in seeking solutions to global challenges.
As proof of this commitment, he announced that Paraguay accepts and commits to the objectives proposed in the Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative, which include seeking greater efficiency in the use of existing resources, simplifying processes, and reviewing the implementation of mandates.
He also called for reforms within the UN, including the implementation of geographic balance in the appointment of the next Secretary-General to strengthen the Organization’s legitimacy and representativeness, as well as a comprehensive reform of the Security Council that includes eliminating the veto.
Paraguay: A model that delivers results
In his speech, the President highlighted Paraguay’s positive results in economic growth and poverty reduction, which position the country as a working model and «a model that generates trust because it generates results.»
He referred to growth of nearly 6% in the first quarter of this year, inflation controlled below the regional average, fiscal convergence, and unemployment at historic lows.
He also mentioned ambitious social programs such as «Zero Hunger in Schools» and «Che Róga Porã«, highlighting that more than 118,000 people in Paraguay escaped poverty in just one year.
«The Paraguayan model is not perfect, of course. We have enormous challenges and much remains to be done. But we are changing reality,» he said.
At that point, he warned against deceptive economic models that, he said, come hand in hand with political authoritarianism, mass surveillance, and the erosion of fundamental freedoms.
«When we accept investments that compromise our sovereignty, when we allow our critical infrastructure to depend on authoritarian regimes, we are mortgaging not only our economy but also our democracy,» he added.
Given this, Peña called for deeper integration among countries, based not only on trade but also on shared values: the rule of law, individual freedoms, a free market economy, the defense of the traditional family, and the right to life from conception.
«That is why Paraguay’s foreign policy is not based on mere interests but on these shared values and principles,» he underlined.
International context
At another point, the President referred to the alarming situations in Venezuela and Nicaragua. He stressed that the crisis of democracy must be solved with «more democracy».
«Not with authoritarian puppets, nor with hate or intolerance. We must respond with more democracy, more republic, more tolerance, more dialogue, more rights, more freedom,» he added.
He also addressed armed conflicts in different parts of the world. Paraguay, he said, extends its solidarity to all victims and reiterates its support for the peaceful resolution of disputes.
«Today, I especially highlight the painful situation in Haiti. The time for decisive and coordinated action by the United Nations, and especially the Security Council, is now. Paraguay knows this and is ready to help the Haitian people, who can wait no longer,» he affirmed.
In his speech, Peña also reaffirmed Paraguay’s unambiguous stance: Israel has the legitimate right to defend itself.
«The terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, against Israeli civilians were grotesque acts of barbarism that no cause can justify. We reject any attempt to biasedly equate the responsibility of Israel’s democratically elected authorities with that of the leaders of the terrorist group Hamas,» he stated.
He recalled that Paraguay was one of the first countries in the world to designate both Hezbollah and Hamas as international terrorist organizations and has always strongly condemned their evil actions.
«My country will continue to oppose those who deny the sacred value of human life, a fundamental idea in Paraguay’s vision of humanity. We also urgently call for the implementation of a solution that alleviates the humanitarian situation in Palestinian territory, ends the violence, and guarantees the immediate release of hostages, promoting constructive dialogue that leads to peaceful coexistence between both peoples and becomes the source of lasting peace in the Middle East,» he said.
The President also stated that Taiwan deserves a place in this forum, arguing that its exclusion from the UN system is an affront that undermines the legitimacy of global institutions. He stressed that 23 million decent, hardworking, and dignified people cannot remain invisible to multilateralism.
«The issue of Taiwan and its international status must also, inevitably, be part of the debates of this General Assembly. It is time to uproot this tree of injustice that has been growing for decades and give Taiwan a seat in the United Nations,» he claimed.
A different future is possible
In his message, where he also described the rise of political violence in the world as immoral, intolerable, and deeply damaging, the President stated that «this is no time for the timid.»
«Ladies and gentlemen: either we stand on the right side, with peace and reason, or we stand with violence and intolerance,» he said.
Closing his remarks, he called on world leaders to work to leave future generations «a world where hope defeats pessimism, light prevails over darkness, and good triumphs victoriously over evil, forever and always.»