Historic First: Paraguay’s President Becomes First Latin American Leader To Visit Uzbekistan – OpEd
On December 11, President of Paraguay Santiago Peña arrived in Tashkent for a three-day official visit. This visit opened a new chapter in the relationship between Paraguay and Uzbekistan. It is also important to highlight that President Peña became the first Latin American head of state to visit Uzbekistan, a fact that gives this visit even more historic weight.
Uzbekistan and Paraguay established diplomatic relations in 2001. For more than two decades, the relationship remained quite limited, there were no major high-level meetings, only a small volume of trade, and occasional exchanges of congratulatory letters during national holidays. According to Uzbek state media, trade turnover between the two countries reached 700,000 USD in 2024. However, in recent years, under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s multi-vector foreign policy, which aims to strengthen ties with traditional partners while expanding the geography of Uzbekistan’s partnerships, the ground was being quietly prepared for something more substantial.
The two leaders approached this meeting with a shared understanding that distance is not a barrier when goals align. President Mirziyoyev openly called the visit “historic,” once again noting that the Paraguayan President had become the first Latin American head of state to visit Uzbekistan. He praised Paraguay’s open economy, its stable development model, and recognized the achievements of President Peña, including keeping inflation close to 5% and maintaining a low unemployment rate of about 7%. Mirziyoyev also emphasized that both countries are landlocked, a common reality that naturally shapes their economic ambitions and makes their visions surprisingly compatible.
President Peña spoke with the same sincerity. He said he had long waited for this meeting and stressed that although Paraguay and Uzbekistan are geographically far apart, they share the same aspirations: prosperity, stability, and modern development. He also mentioned that Paraguay’s decades of experience in agriculture and energy can complement Uzbekistan’s strengths in industry, innovation, and regional connectivity.
Following the high-level talks, the two Presidents signed a Joint Statement setting the direction for the next stage of bilateral relations. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Foreign Ministries established a mechanism for regular political consultations, giving the relationship a more structured and consistent diplomatic framework. One of the most significant outcomes was the signing of a protocol concluding the bilateral negotiations on Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization, a step that will further ease trade with WTO member countries such as Paraguay.
Both leaders agreed to expand cooperation in trade and investment, as well as across several practical sectors. Agriculture, food processing, and chemical industries were named as immediate priorities, reflecting Paraguay’s strong agricultural base and Uzbekistan’s rapidly growing processing capacities. They also highlighted digitalization, tourism, and sports as promising areas for collaboration. President Peña’s participation in the General Assembly of the International Automobile Federation in Tashkent also pointed to sports diplomacy, especially in autosport, as an unexpected but powerful new link between the two nations, a topic both leaders touched on during their discussions.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation was also given a special place. Both countries reaffirmed their readiness to develop educational, cultural, and humanitarian exchanges as central pillars of the renewed partnership. To symbolize this new friendship, the two Presidents planted a tree together on the Alley of Honored Guests.
Overall, this official visit introduced a new geography of cooperation and reflected Uzbekistan’s broader foreign policy vision. President Peña’s visit not only laid a foundation for stronger Uzbekistan-Paraguay ties but also opened the door for deeper connections between Central Asia and Latin America.
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