Thursday, August 26th 2010 - 03:35 UTC

UPM/Botnia pulp mill conflict: pickets vote to challenge agreement

Argentina’s Gualeguaychú Assembly members decided to once again return to blocking the National Route 136 and this way obstruct the international road to neighbouring Uruguay; however, the measure will only take place during the Sundays of September and for a limited time, which came as a surprise.

The road to the international bridge will be again blocked but on Sundays

It was also decided that on October 6, a new assembly-member summit would be held so as to determine how to carry on with a plan of action regarding the conflict over the instalment of the UPM (ex Botnia) pulp-mill plant close to the city of Fray Bentos, located on the eastern coast of the Uruguay River.

Gualeguaychú residents and environmentalists have been objecting since 2006 the establishment of the pulp mill on the Uruguayan side of the river, demanding it be re-located to impede air and water pollution.

The confrontation with pickets blocking all traffic across the international bridge led to a long diplomatic dispute between Argentina and Uruguay that came to an understanding following a ruling this year from the International Court of The Hague, and a political agreement between the Kirchner administration and the incoming Uruguayan government of president Jose Mujica.

Roughly 300 people took part in the assembly, which met at the Gualeguaychú Club Frigorífico, where the debate lasted almost two hours until the moment of the vote, which took place minutes before 11:00 pm.

The vote determined that the motion to return to the roadblock and obstruct the international pass prevailed, but the measure will only take effect during the Sundays of September while assembly members meet at kilometre 28, close to the historic rest stop of Arroyo Verde.

After last week's meeting failed to reach a satisfactory outcome and a final decision, the Gualeguaychú Assembly gathered once more to exchange opinions on the future of the General San Martín Bridge roadblock. How to continue the claim was the core of the debate. In the meantime, and in a move to cool the situation down, Foreign Affairs Minister Héctor Timerman assured “scientists are to start monitoring Botnia in less than a month.”

The Gualeguaychú activists decided to lift the roadblock two months ago, and were now faced with the deadline they had previously fixed. The Assembly was allegedly divided into two groups: those in favour of continuing the lift and those that were up for launching a new block. The bridge has remained open for the past two months.

 

Published in: Politics, Argentina.
Tags: Botnia, Gualeguaychu, Uruguay River.

10 comments Feed

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1 Hoytred (#) Aug 26th, 2010 - 05:00 am Report abuse
A blockade one day a week ... interesting! Of course if they had learnt anything from the Government of Argentina, they'd only be doing it on one side of the road as well :-)

Well, at least I now know why Argentina doesn't take its Falklands case to the ICJ ......... the ICJ's decision wouldn't be accepted unless it went one way .... a little like Argentina's desired 'discussions' on 'sovereignty' !
2 avargas2001 (#) Aug 26th, 2010 - 05:55 pm Report abuse
if this roadblock can stop at least one “ 1114 mercedez menz” loaded with Argentine trees cut illegaly from our land from crossing into Uruguay every day, I believe it is worth the effort as a matter of fact I would have scrapped the bridge all together and re-map around it, or even avoid any travel from and into our country, just like israel does with Gaza, or US to N korea and Iran or even Mexican workers for that matter, I mean it's legal to protect your nation from illegal activity.
3 elian_Ar (#) Aug 26th, 2010 - 10:45 pm Report abuse
lamentable to realise silly people like hoytred enjoy reading this news to exploit all his hate against Argentina.
4 Wireless (#) Aug 26th, 2010 - 10:59 pm Report abuse
Surprised that Alex doesn't want to Nuke Em, since its his solution to everything, and just goes to show that EVERY agreement made with Argentina is broken by Argentina, the country is bent.
5 avargas2001 (#) Aug 27th, 2010 - 09:07 am Report abuse
We didn't agree to anything as a matter of fact they desided to build a pulp mill close to drinking and farming waters and we desided we want no bridge to pollution, it's all legal, they can still get a visa and fly by plane like everyone else does, we don't really need that bridge it should be taken down to end this silly arguments, we can't close the plant, the only desition we can make in Argentina is to tighten our borders and close those problematic roads and bridges giving Argentina headaches.
6 fredbdc (#) Aug 27th, 2010 - 10:53 am Report abuse
Gas: Since it is an international bridge owned jointly by Argentina and Uruguay, Argentina doesn't have the right to take it down or block it. The Treaty of Asunción guarantees the free movement of goods and people among the member-states of the bloc.
I don't think Botnia is buying any trees from Argentina:
Towards the end of the 1980s, Uruguay established a national forestation plan that set aside 700,000 hectares for the planting of eucalyptus and pine trees with the long-term aim of producing cellulose paste.
So all of your arguments are false and just another example how Argentina is illegally harassing one of its smaller neighbors for political gain. I don't see you bothering Chile since their military would control the sky in about 2 hours and probably be in BA in less than a week.
7 harrier61 (#) Aug 27th, 2010 - 07:15 pm Report abuse
We need to identify gassy and get him removed from a civilised country.
8 zethe (#) Aug 29th, 2010 - 05:05 pm Report abuse
He lives in argentina, he's not in a civilised country.
9 harrier61 (#) Aug 29th, 2010 - 07:27 pm Report abuse
I thought it had been concluded some time ago that, having evaded the authorities, gassy is in Canada. Canada is civilised whilst, as you say, Argentina is not.

Please bear in mind that I am promoting the proposal of another poster that there should be no responses to brain-dead fanatics such as gassy, margo and gorge.
10 avargas2001 (#) Sep 02nd, 2010 - 09:42 am Report abuse
This is what I think of your bridge.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxsJXX6ulsA

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