Paraguay-Brazil bridge construction deferred to allocate funds to fight Covid-19

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The figure corresponds to this year’s amount for investment in the bridge on the Paraguayan side of the Itaipu hydroelectric power plant, shared with Brazil, an infrastructure whose opening of bids were scheduled for April 28th.

“Taking into account the possible needs of our Health system, and focusing on what is today a priority for all Paraguayans, I have given instructions to postpone the bidding for the bridge works and to prioritize those resources for the Ministry of Health,” said the President in a press conference.

The president, from the conservative Colorado Party, explained that the continuity of the bidding process will be reassessed by the end of June or early July and, if necessary, by next year depending on the health contingency.

“This will be available in case any type of investment is needed, where we will surely have a high demand for medical supplies and other expenses required by the Ministry of Health,” added the President.

In this respect, Minister of Public Works Arnoldo Wiens, said in the same appearance at the Government Palace, that the Brazilian counterpart is being advised of the decision by the Paraguayan authority of Itapú through the Foreign Ministry.

The construction of the bridge is one of the strategic works of the government of Paraguay, which is landlocked and with this infrastructure would have access to the “bioceanic” highway that will connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

This importance was already highlighted by the Executive in November last year, when Abdo Benítez and his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro, verified the works of another bridge between both countries, between the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçú and the Paraguayan city of Presidente Franco.

Abdo Benítez’s announcement comes a day after his party’s deputies rejected the opposition bill to redirect the socio-environmental funds from Itaipú and the Yacyretá dam, shared with Argentina, to combat Covid 19.

The bill, defeated by a single vote differential, sought to allocate some US$150 million of these social expenses of both hydroelectric dams to the health system, one of the most backward in the region and overwhelmed by the increase in cases of coronavirus.

In fact, 89 deaths were recorded on Tuesday, the highest number to date in the daily death toll, which now stands at 4,978, according to a report by the Ministry of Health.

In those 24 hours, 2,599 positive cases were also confirmed out of the 6,363 samples processed, and the total number of confirmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic, one year ago, amounts to 240,141.

The precariousness of the state health system, as well as the slow arrival of vaccines, prompted citizen protests last month in Asunción to demand the resignation of Abdo Benítez.