Paraguay’s President hospitalised after falling ill at G20 summit

Paraguay’s President Santiago Pena has been hospitalised after falling ill while attending the G20 summit in Brazil.

The president was taken to the Samaritano Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday night.

“We inform that the President of the Republic, Santiago Pena, was treated today (Monday) at the Samaritano Hospital (Botafogo) in Rio de Janeiro due to an indisposition,” Paraguayan authorities said in a statement.

In a medical bulletin, the hospital later indicated that Pena, 46, had “a malaise in the afternoon” and was taken to a health centre for diagnostic tests.

“The head of state is doing well and his current state of health is stable,” the hospital added.

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Earlier, witnesses said Pena was taken by ambulance from the summit venue, AFP reported.

Some Latin American media reported that he had suffered chest pains.

“I spoke with President Santiago Pena, who is in the Samaritano Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after a slight illness. He is doing well and is awaiting the results of his medical examinations,” Paraguay’s Vice President Pedro Alliana said on X on Tuesday morning.

Paraguay is not a member of the G20, but Pena was invited to the summit along with many other leaders outside the group by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the host.

Before falling ill, Pena had been presenting the economic situation of his country to other summit participants, notably in the area of poverty reduction.

The Star