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Ivy League daughter of Paraguay’s former president in hot water after posing in ‘Tax The Poor’ t-shirt
Costanza Pena, the 21-year-old daughter of Paraguay’s former president Santiago Pena, faced criticism after posting a photo in a “Tax The Poor” T-shirt. The post drew particular attention because her father is under investigation over the collapse of Ueno Bank, amid widespread disruption for customers.
Paraguay’s central bank seized Ueno, the country’s fifth-largest lender, leaving nearly three million customers unable to access their accounts. Santiago Pena resigned after all 44 senators voted to remove him, and was placed under house arrest on suspicion of offences including breach of trust and influence peddling; he denies wrongdoing. His vice-president, Pedro Alliana, was sworn in as interim president until elections in 2028, while the central bank said it had paid $159 million to 1.2 million people.
In short
- Costanza Pena was criticised for wearing a “Tax The Poor” T-shirt.
- Her father is under house arrest amid an investigation linked to Ueno Bank.
- The bank’s seizure disrupted access to accounts for nearly three million customers.
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The case for
The shirt may have been intended as provocative humour or social commentary, rather than a serious policy position, and a 21-year-old should not automatically be held responsible for her father’s actions. Criticism can draw attention to the hardship faced by people affected by the bank’s collapse, but it should distinguish her own conduct from allegations against her father, who denies wrongdoing.
The case against
Given the reported disruption to millions of bank customers and the investigation involving her father, the slogan can reasonably be seen as insensitive and dismissive of people with fewer resources. As the daughter of a prominent political figure, she could expect the post to attract scrutiny, even if it was meant as a joke; criticism of its timing and message need not imply that she is responsible for the bank’s collapse.