Paraguayan President Santiago Peña on Thursday, February 19, 2026, expressed strong support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative during its inaugural meeting in Washington, D.C., thanking Trump for “bringing hope again” to global conflict resolution two years after Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza.
Among a small group of Latin American founding signatories—including Argentina’s President Javier Milei and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele—Peña praised the U.S.-led body as a necessary response to what he called a “broken international system” incapable of delivering effective solutions to crises.
“That’s why Paraguay is so proud to be a founding member of the Board of Peace. And we’re here to collaborate. Maybe we are not going to be the country that brings the most money or the largest security forces, but I think there is a lot that all countries can bring to the table to solve these issues,” Peña stated during the meeting.
The 44-year-old president clarified that Paraguay—a landlocked South American nation of approximately 6.1 million people—would not make a financial contribution to the Board’s $10 billion endowment, which was personally pledged by Trump earlier this month. Instead, Peña emphasized Paraguay’s willingness to offer political support, diplomatic engagement, and non-monetary expertise in areas such as mediation, community-level reconciliation, and institutional strengthening.
Peña framed the Board’s creation as a timely and pragmatic step toward addressing the Gaza crisis and future conflicts worldwide. “And today it is Gaza. Tomorrow it will be another crisis. There will be another conflict area in the world, but we need to solve each of these conflicts. And I really appreciate the leadership that you have taken, President. Paraguay stands ready to collaborate,” he added.
The Board of Peace, initially conceived as a mechanism to stabilize and reconstruct the Gaza Strip following Israel’s military campaign that began on October 7, 2023, has expanded its stated mission to promote peacemaking and conflict prevention globally. While viewed by some critics as operating in parallel to or even challenging the United Nations, the initiative has attracted a select group of founding members who align closely with U.S. foreign policy priorities.
Paraguay has consistently backed U.S. positions on Middle East issues under Peña’s administration, including strong support for Israel. Peña reiterated this stance during the meeting, describing the Board as an effort to “strengthen global stability” while defending fundamental principles.
The Gaza conflict, now in its third year, has resulted in more than 72,000 deaths (mostly women and children) and over 171,000 injuries, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement has been in place since October 10, 2025, halting large-scale Israeli operations. However, Gaza authorities report that Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations since the truce, including shelling and gunfire that have killed 611 Palestinians and injured 1,630 in the intervening period.
Peña’s remarks come as the Board of Peace begins operational planning, with founding members committing various forms of support. Albania has pledged medical evacuations and institutional rebuilding expertise, Romania has offered to treat up to 1,000 sick children from Gaza and deploy emergency response specialists, and Argentina has offered its White Helmets humanitarian brigade and potential peacekeeping personnel.
Paraguay’s participation reflects President Peña’s broader foreign-policy alignment with the United States and Israel since taking office in August 2023. Asunción has maintained one of Latin America’s most pro-Israel stances, including moving its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018 under former President Horacio Cartes (a decision later reversed) and consistently voting in support of Israel at the United Nations.
The Board of Peace’s first meeting gathered representatives from founding nations and invited experts to finalize governance structure, operational guidelines, and initial project priorities. While Gaza stabilization remains a core focus—particularly child protection, digital infrastructure reconnection, and institutional rebuilding—the Board has signaled intent to address emerging crises worldwide through early-warning systems, mediation, and rapid-response stabilization.
President Peña’s endorsement, delivered alongside other Latin American leaders aligned with Washington, underscores the initiative’s growing appeal among conservative and pro-U.S. governments in the region. Paraguay’s pledge of non-financial collaboration highlights a model of participation that emphasizes diplomatic and technical support over large-scale funding.
As the Board moves toward launching its first pilot projects, Paraguay’s commitment positions the small South American nation as an active voice in what Trump has described as a new era of “peace through strength and smart prevention.”
