Peña will reopen the Paraguayan embassy in Jerusalem

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña will embark on a trip on Friday that will take him to Uruguay, France and Israel, where he will lead the inauguration of the Asunción embassy in Jerusalem, according to a communication sent by the Presidency to the National Congress.

Peña will participate on Friday in Montevideo in the 65th ordinary meeting of the Common Market Council and the summit of presidents of the States members of Mercosur and associated States, detailed a letter addressed to the head of the Senate and Congress, the official Basilio Ñúnez, and in which he requests authorization from the Upper House to leave the country.

He will then travel to France on an official trip to attend the high-level meeting of the Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which will take place from 7 to 10 December.

The Paraguayan leader will then travel to Jerusalem for an official visit from December 11 to 14.

During his stay in Israel, of which Paraguay is one of its main allies in South America, Peña will inaugurate his country's legation in Jerusalem.

The event will take place after Israel reopened its embassy in Paraguay last September.

Israel closed its office in the country following the decision of former President Mario Abdo Benítez (2018-2023) to return Paraguay's diplomatic representation to Tel Aviv.

Abdo Benítez reversed the measure adopted in May 2018 by his predecessor, Horacio Cartes (2013-2018).

Peña, a supporter of Cartes's ruling political movement and a former minister in his administration, announced after coming to power in August 2023 that he would return the embassy to Jerusalem. EFE