Paraguay

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In Paraguay’s first sex ed program, condoms can’t be trusted and love is forever In Catholic Paraguay, which has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in South America, many young mothers explained their teen pregnancies to The Associated Press as the result of growing up in a country where national sex education is indistinguishable from a hygiene lesson. Read more.

Why this matters: For the first time, the Ministry of Education has endorsed a national sex ed curriculum. But in a surprising twist, it’s the sexual health educators and feminists who are panicked. Conservative lobbyists are thrilled.   The curriculum, a copy of which was obtained by the AP, promotes abstinence, explains sex as “God’s invention for married people,” warns about the inefficacy of condoms and says nothing of sexual orientation or identity. Critics say the teachings also perpetuate sexist stereotypes: “Men conquer, not seduce,” “girls have smaller and lighter brains,” “boys don’t cry easily,” “girls don’t like taking risks.”   As a new generation of activists campaigning for legal abortion and gay rights scores victories across Latin America, a conservative backlash has gathered in Paraguay. The rise of the far right in Latin America has given the governing party’s platform of religion, family and “patria,” or fatherland, newer resonance — emboldening conservative culture warriors with evangelical ties to take their battles to classrooms.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ 70 years after Paraguay’s dictatorship, protesters see its legacy in the entrenched right-wing party   US Supreme Court keeps new rules about sex discrimination in education on hold in half the country

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Paraguay seizes major digital bank tied to president, leaving millions of customers in limbo

Paraguay’s central bank seized a major digital lender with close ties to President Santiago Peña on Tuesday, fueling a political crisis and threatening the country’s burgeoning reputation as a regional haven for investors. The takeover left millions of customers’ savings and hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds in limbo. Read More.

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Paraguayan president impeached after resigning following bank collapse

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay (AP) — Paraguayan President Santiago Peña announced his resignation Thursday after the collapse of a major digital bank tied to his government triggered widespread protests, froze millions of people’s savings and cost him the support of his own party.

https://apnews.com/article/ueno-bank-collapse-paraguay-banking-crisis-santiago-pena-impeachment-eccea1c9a64808b5cd7e6e1d5542084f?

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Ousted Paraguayan president placed under house arrest after bank collapse

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay (AP) — Ousted Paraguayan President Santiago Peña was placed under house arrest Friday on suspicion of breach of trust and influence peddling, among other charges, shortly after the Senate removed him from office over the collapse of a government-linked bank that locked nearly half the country’s 6 million people out of their savings.

https://apnews.com/article/paraguay-santiago-pena-bank-failure-ueno-impeachment-trial-resign-crisis-e84f5ada84e8c747329ec82fabb46e4d?