Paraguay's President Santiago Pena Urges UN to Include Taiwan, Calls Exclusion 'A Stain'

During his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, President Santiago Pena of Paraguay made it clear that his country has a definitive stance on the Taiwan Strait issue, stating that they "are not neutral." He called for Taiwan to be allowed "full and meaningful participation" in the UN, referring to its exclusion as "a stain." Pena warned about troubling tensions in the Indo-Pacific, suggesting that a conflict in the strait poses a greater danger than the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, impacting Japan, East and Southeast Asia, as well as the global chip supply. He emphasized the importance of microchips in this century, asserting that anyone dismissing these concerns is missing the reality of the 21st century. With such high stakes at play, he argued that Paraguay cannot afford to be neutral.