President, Paraguay
š“ SANTIAGO PEĆA, PRESIDENTE DE PARAGUAY: "TENGO UNA RELACIĆN MUY CERCANA CON MILEI"
El mandatario, mano a mano con Eduardo Feinmann.
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About Santiago PeƱa
In June 2026, Paraguayan President Santiago PeƱa gave interviews from Los Angeles ahead of the FIFA World Cup, where he discussed his country's economic situation and his relationship with Argentine President Javier Milei. PeƱa stated that he has a "very close relationship" with Milei and expressed confidence that if Argentina "maintains this rhythm" it will become the "great power" that Milei often describes. He described Paraguay as a country without a maritime coastline that must be "more agile, more efficient, more competitive" due to its location next to "two giant powers" in Argentina and Brazil. PeƱa also highlighted progress in areas such as economic growth, poverty reduction, and investment, while stating that Paraguayans "still want more." In late May 2026, PeƱa addressed questions about his personal assets, stating that his wealth is "totally transparent" and that all information and account traceability from 2014 onward has been made public. He noted that he was a "politically exposed person" even after leaving his role as Minister of Finance and that his private information was exposed while he was a private citizen, calling it "one of the risks of politics." PeƱa also discussed security measures taken since August 2023, including the removal of police personnel from stations to train them in the "Lince" group and a major operation to address prison unrest, which he described as a "transcendental decision" to confront insecurity.
Transcript (20 segments)
✨ AI-enhanced transcript with speaker attribution
S
Santiago PeƱa0:00
Good afternoon, Eduardo. A huge, huge greeting to you and to all the audience following along in Argentina, here from Los Angeles. We are just hours away from this first match. Paraguay returns to a World Cup after 16 years, so you can imagine the expectation. AsunciĆ³n, Paraguay is truly in a tremendous euphoria, and thousands of compatriots have come to Los Angeles to participate in this match, and against the United States, no less. Imagine, against the host country, so well, a huge expectation for the World Cup opening ceremony. Similarly, as of yesterday, there was an exhibition game we lost. So there is tremendous expectation. The SoFi Stadium is truly a magnificent venue, I think one of the most beautiful and largest stadiums in the United States. So truly a tremendous euphoria.
E
Eduardo0:56
President, do you have any idea if President Trump will attend that opening ceremony? Will he be with you and Infantino?
S
Santiago PeƱa1:01
The official information we have is that he will not participate, that the person in charge of representing the American government will be Secretary Marco Rubio. So Marco Rubio will be there. We have a meeting scheduled at halftime, you know, at halftime. We have an excellent relationship, a truly very, very broad collaboration agenda. So, well, at halftime, hopefully Paraguay will already be winning that match. We will also have the opportunity to discuss bilateral issues.
E
Eduardo1:31
Ah, so you have faith to win the match.
S
Santiago PeƱa1:34
A lot of faith. A lot of faith.
E
Eduardo1:35
Are you happy with Alfaro? The Argentine coach.
S
Santiago PeƱa1:38
We are happy. Really, Gustavo Alfaro has come to truly bring out the best in Paraguayan players. A person I had the privilege of getting to know over these two years, a little less than two years since he arrived in Paraguay. It has really been wonderful how he has been able to convey the vision that he has, but also connect with the Paraguayan people, because not only with the players, but how he has connected with the fans, how he has connected with Paraguayan journalism. Really, he is a wonderful person, very similar to what Tata Martino was in his day, whom we have to recognize. Tata left us that wonderful match in South Africa, which made us dream of a finalist Paraguay that unfortunately could not happen, but really, Tata Martino to this day left in the memory of all Paraguayans a spectacular image.
E
Eduardo2:31
President, can you tell me how you do, I take you off the soccer topic, maybe we can talk about it again later, but how does Paraguay attract so many investors to your country?
S
Santiago PeƱa2:44
Artificial intelligence, langoustines. You don't know where you get the langoustines and then export them? The langoustines come from the coasts of Argentina and are processed in Paraguay and then exported to Europe and the United States. And this has been a long road, Eduardo, of a lot of work, a lot of effort, and to understand that Paraguay, just as it has enormous facilities, also has enormous adversities. A landlocked country, we have to be more agile, more efficient, more competitive. We are next to two giant powers like Argentina and Brazil, and that forces us to be more efficient, more competitive, to be more agile, and that is the answer. We have been working for many years, and in my case, for almost three years as President of the Republic. I had the privilege of meeting you when I was still a pre-candidate in the party primaries, and with that impetus and desire, and today I tell you that after three years I am even more enthusiastic, with more desire. Economic growth, poverty reduction, investment has grown, but we are not satisfied. The Paraguayan people still want more. The Paraguayan people want to keep moving forward, and we are convinced that we have a great future ahead. Of course, for us, we need Argentina to do well. I personally have a very close relationship with Javier Milei, and I am really encouraged by the things. I know it is a difficult process, we lived it in the past, but I am sure that if Argentina maintains this pace, it will become that great power that Javier Milei always talks about.
E
Eduardo4:21
Well, Mr. President, did you see that the process of the waterway is practically finished? And I imagine that gives you satisfaction.
S
Santiago PeƱa4:30
A lot of satisfaction. For us, it is the outlet to the sea. It is what makes Paraguay not a purely landlocked country. The waterway is fundamental for us. The exit to the ports through the Rio de la Plata is key, and with the projects we are carrying out, because it is not only data centers, artificial intelligence, energy, we are also making a lot of progress in everything related to the forestry business. A cellulose plant is being installed in Paraguay, and for that project the waterway is fundamental. So we are very excited, working very closely with Argentina to maintain the waterway with full navigability, and that is a continuous job that we carry out together with Argentina.
E
Eduardo5:15
President, well, what result do you expect for today?
S
Santiago PeƱa5:18
Look, I want, I am dreaming of a Paraguay that will go out to be the protagonist. That is what we are looking for. As Professor Gustavo Alfaro says, I cannot guarantee a result. What I can guarantee is that these boys will go out and leave everything, everything, everything on the field. And I want to tell you something, you know that the most important figure in our history is Marshal Francisco Solano LĆ³pez. He was the president who led the Paraguayan troops during the War of the Triple Alliance, and he had received a sword, a saber from a great Argentine leader, President Belgrano, and he carried it for a long time. Sorry, Urquiza, sorry, I got confused. Urquiza gave him a saber, and he carried that saber as a symbol of patriotism and struggle throughout his battle. I had a replica of that saber made and gave it to the national team, to the Albirroja, with a plaque that says: 'Paraguay is to conquer or die.' The Paraguayan race is to conquer or die. So this is a symbol of the...
E
Eduardo6:27
Excuse me, president. You put an impressive pressure on them, tremendous.
S
Santiago PeƱa6:33
Tremendous. So what I can tell you is that these boys are going to go out and die on the field, they are going to leave absolutely everything, but hopefully obviously the result will be favorable, but we were sure that the Albirroja, the Paraguayan national team, will go out and give it all on the field this afternoon.
E
Eduardo6:49
Well, Argentines will surely be cheering for Paraguay today. And what do you expect from the Argentine national team? Did you see anything? Did you see something?
S
Santiago PeƱa6:56
It is the world champion. It is the world champion. So of course there is always enormous expectation. You know that I am the son of an Argentine mother, so my mom is today in AsunciĆ³n also cheering for Paraguay today, but as soon as Argentina plays, she will also support Argentina. And a huge responsibility as world champion. Because we want, imagine this, six teams from CONMEBOL, from South America, are competing, and we cannot deny it. CONMEBOL dominates world football. Argentina the last world champion, Uruguay the last U-20 champion, Brazil the last women's world champion. So what we need is for South America to continue maintaining that hegemony, that South American football really dominates worldwide. And I would tell you more, and an important fact here that we found in our archives. Paraguay today has enough elements to identify that it was in the region of what was Paraguay before its independence, that the first signs of football were seen, and this was narrated by the Jesuits who came at the end of the 1500s to the region of Paraguay, which also included at that time part of Argentina and part of Brazil. So what we want is that this sport, which is the sport that mobilizes the most passion worldwide, continues to have Latin America and South America as the great dominators of this sport.
E
Eduardo8:18
I send you a big hug and never forget that half of your blood in your body, of those 5 liters you have, are Argentine. Two and a half Argentine. Two and a half. Two and a half liters are Paraguayan.
S
Santiago PeƱa8:32
Thank you very much, Eduardo. A big affection for you and for all that great audience you have in Argentina.
E
Eduardo8:37
Huge hug, president. My affection as always. My affection as always.