Скачать или смотреть Paraguay President affirms Taiwan support

(15 Aug 2023)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4449188

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Asuncion - 15 August 15, 2023
1. Santiago Peña, with his wife Leticia Ocampos standing next to him, waving from an open car during his swearing-in as the new president of Paraguay
2. Peña greeting supporters
HEADLINE: Paraguay President affirms Taiwan support
ANNOTATION: New Paraguayan President Santiago Peña stated his country will continue its diplomatic links with Taiwan at his inauguration ceremony.
3. Congress President Silvio Ovelar puts the presidential sash to Peña, with his wife Ocampos standing next to him, during his swearing-in as the new president of Paraguay as an announcer says UPSOUND (Spanish) “Congress President will put the presidential sash to the President of the Republic Santiago Peña”
4. Peña and Ocampos waving at the audience
ANNOTATION: Paraguay is one of 12 governments which has diplomatic ties to Taiwan, and the only remaining ally in South America.
5. Peña sitting with Vice President Pedro Alliana, left, and Congress President Silvio Ovelar
ANNOTATION: Honduras cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March.
6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Santiago Peña, president of Paraguay:
“We will build alliances and cooperation with a geostrategic vision, seeking horizontal agreements. Our relationship with the Republic of China Taiwan, is a sample of this, and of Paraguay's friendly and cooperative spirit with nations for whom we have great affection and with whom we feel not only allies but also brothers.”
7. Peña presiding the ceremony
8. Taiwanese Vice President William Lai greets Peña ++MUTE++
ANNOTATION: Peña's support for Taiwan is not without controversy – his main challenger said it prevented Paraguay from creating business opportunities with China.

STORYLINE:
President Santiago Peña said Paraguay and Taiwan are “not just allies, but also brothers” when he was sworn in as the South American country’s new president on Tuesday.

Peña took the presidential oath outside the government palace in the capital of Asunción in a ceremony attended by several regional leaders and Taiwan’s 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 cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

When Peña, 44, visited Taiwan in July, he told President Tsai Ing-wen his country would “stand with the people of Taiwan” during his five-year term.

Peña, an economist, easily won the election earlier this year, keeping the long-ruling Colorado Party in power for five more years.

Taiwan had become a thorny issue during Paraguay’s presidential campaign as Peña’s 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, Peña, 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 “significant 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.

Spain’s King Felipe VI attended the inauguration ceremony as did presidents from the region, including Luis Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Alberto Fernández of Argentina, and Gabriel Boric of Chile.

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