Paraguay's president travels to Peru for Fujimori's inauguration, then to Ecuador

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña embarked on a trip to Lima on Monday to attend the inauguration of Peru's president-elect, Keiko Fujimori. Peña is scheduled to hold bilateral and business meetings in Peru before heading to Ecuador for his first state visit to the Andean nation since taking office in August 2023. The Paraguayan presidency confirmed Peña's departure from the Silvio Pettirossi Airport, which serves Asunción, with Lima as his destination.

In a letter to the Senate, Peña informed lawmakers of his attendance at the swearing-in ceremony for Fujimori, the daughter and political heir of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000). The inauguration is set to take place on Tuesday. Peña also communicated his travel plans to Ecuador, scheduled for Wednesday. This visit marks his first official trip to Ecuador since assuming the presidency.

Several other regional leaders are expected to join Peña at Fujimori's inauguration. These include Argentina's President Javier Milei, Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz, Chile's President José Antonio Kast, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino, Uruguay's President Yamandú Orsi, and Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa. Keiko Fujimori secured victory in the presidential election on her fourth attempt, winning the runoff election on July 3 by a narrow margin of less than 50,000 votes over left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez.

The diplomatic engagements underscore the ongoing relationships and planned collaborations between these South American nations. The visit to Ecuador was arranged following discussions between Peña and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa during the recent Mercosur summit in Luque, Paraguay, on June 30. The Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the date for Peña's visit was agreed upon during that summit.