During an exclusive interview with The Indian Express during his official visit to India, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios underscored his country's geopolitical significance, stating, "We are building a bridge between South America and India." He emphasized, "South America is a market of 400 million people, and Paraguay is the heart of it," expressing a strong commitment to expanding cooperation between the two regions. President Peña met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, condemning the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, and supporting India's right to defend its citizens.
India-Paraguay Relations: New Horizons of Cooperation in a 'Turbulent Era'
President Peña stated that this visit is his first to India since taking office and the second by a Paraguayan president. He acknowledged that the world is currently experiencing a turbulent period but explained that Paraguay's goals are similar to India's in that it aims to "preserve its economic and military advantages and become more important on the world stage through cooperation and multilateralism."
Describing Paraguay as a "landlocked island," President Peña said he has worked to change the perception of it as an isolated country in the past. He emphasized that during his tenure, he has "spent a lot of time building bridges," and this visit to India is also "to build a bridge between India and South America." He used the analogy, "The louder the drums of war, the louder the trumpets of peace should be," to underscore the importance of peace and cooperation.
'Excellent' Bond with Prime Minister Modi: Respect for Indian Civilization
President Peña praised his "excellent chemistry" with Prime Minister Modi, recalling their meeting at the G20 Summit in Brazil last year. He stated that "India has contributed so much to the world stage and to civilization as a whole," and that he sees India "not as a country or a continent, but as a civilization." He found much wisdom in Indian culture and likened Prime Minister Modi's achievements to "building bridges," aligning with his own efforts to build bridges among Latin American countries.
President Peña noted that five centuries ago, during the Spanish colonial era, Paraguay was a central hub for integrating the South American region, with 70 South American cities founded through expeditions that originated from the Paraguayan capital. He expressed Paraguay's aspiration to be the "heart of South America" and a central force in unifying the continent.
Key Areas of Cooperation: Technology, Agriculture, Pharmaceuticals
President Peña identified technology, agricultural production, and pharmaceuticals as specific areas for cooperation. He highly praised India's digitalization technology and suggested that Paraguay could be an excellent partner for exploring and testing these new technologies in Latin America.
Regarding agricultural production, he emphasized that Paraguay is "one of the food baskets of the world," producing enough food to feed over 100 million people despite having a population of 6 million. He stated that combining agricultural technology (agritech) with Paraguay's means of production could significantly expand agricultural output.
Furthermore, noting India's globally significant role in the pharmaceutical sector, he explained that Paraguay's central location in South America makes it an "excellent platform for production." Paraguay has access to a market of 400 million people in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. He stressed that Paraguay has established itself as "the most competitive market" based on its macroeconomic stability, political stability, economic growth, ease of doing business, and a very pro-business environment.
Firm Stance on Terrorism and International Conflicts: Support for India's Self-Defense
Regarding the terrorist attack in Kashmir in April and the subsequent India-Pakistan hostilities, President Peña stated that he "immediately condemned the terrorist attack." He mentioned Paraguay's strong stance in designating Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as terrorist organizations, expressing deep empathy for India by saying, "Only a country that has suffered the consequences of war understands the difficulties." He understood that India has long faced hostilities in the region and fully supported India's right to self-defense, stating, "India has every right to defend its country and its people."
Views on U.S. Administration and International Trade: Optimism for Trump Administration
Regarding relations with the United States, President Peña said Paraguay has "always been a good friend of the States," assessing that relations between the White House and Latin America were closer during Republican administrations than during Democratic ones. He expressed "great optimism" that relations would improve with the emergence of President Donald Trump, even though President Biden had been less engaged on the international agenda, particularly in Latin America.
Regarding President Donald Trump's tariffs and trade wars, he stated that he understood the Trump administration's attempt to reset international trade. Paraguay believes multilateralism is best, but he explained that the current system has failed for a long time and needs a reset. He acknowledged that there would be "a lot of disruption" during the reset process, observing "many difficult negotiations and exchanges of views with different countries," but ultimately expressed confidence that "common sense will prevail, and international trade will resume with stronger ties."
Message on University Protests and Youth: Emphasizing the Purpose of Study
As an alumnus of Columbia University, President Peña commented on the Trump administration's actions regarding protests by American university students. As an international student and a father whose daughter is currently attending Columbia University, he said he closely monitored the situation, especially the conflict between Israel and Hamas following Hamas's terrorist attack on October 7. He pointed out that "many protests, in the name of peace and tolerance, went too far and put many international students at risk," noting that the U.S. government had raised concerns about antisemitism and sought cooperation from various institutions.
President Peña emphasized that international student visas are "a privilege, not a right," and he sharply criticized, "International students go to universities to study, not to spend their time protesting on the streets or campuses." He stressed that international students must abide by the laws of the host country.
Concerns Over Ukraine Conflict: Call for Peaceful Resolution
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, President Peña stated that Paraguay has been "a very strong voice from the beginning." Referring to Paraguay's history of experiencing a war of extermination in the 1800s, he explained that because it understands the consequences of invasion and the suffering of a war of extermination, Paraguay supports Ukraine's defense and condemns Russia's aggression. He added that Paraguay's stance is always to seek peace, but it "understands the right to defend oneself in the pursuit of peace."
President Peña said he had hoped for an end to the conflict with President Donald Trump's emergence, but he expressed great sadness that repeated meetings with President Zelenskyy and President Putin have not brought peace. He expressed concern, stating he was "not happy at all" about the current situation, especially the escalation of tensions like drone attacks, and that "there's no doubt that Russia will react to these latest attacks." He expressed hope that peace would be achieved and dialogue would resume as soon as possible.
Message to the Younger Generation: Emphasizing Participation and Positive Thinking
As a young president at 46, President Peña urged young people not to be swayed by the negative information prevalent on social media. He emphasized that "the world is much better than what you see on social media" and urged young people to "go out and engage, get involved." He confessed that he was not trained as a politician but "entered politics to pursue a bigger, brighter future for the country," encouraging young people to "step up to pursue a better future." He conveyed a positive message, expressing strong conviction that, like all other events in human history, current challenges would be "overcome and successful."
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