MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Integration Bridge between Paraguay and Brazil opened to traffic

Lula presided over the ceremony as Peña was kept in Asunción due to personal issues

The Brazil-Paraguay Integration Bridge was officially opened to vehicle traffic on Friday during a ceremony attended by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. His Paraguayan counterpart, Santiago Peña, intends to hold a separate event on Saturday on his country's side of the structure linking Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) to Presidente Franco (Paraguay).

He was unable to attend the Friday ceremony due to a family emergency in Asunción

The opening marked the end of a 33-year diplomatic effort and a three-year operational stalemate that left the finished path unused since 2022. It stands just seven kilometers away from the aging Friendship Bridge, which currently handles a staggering 100,000 people and 45,000 vehicles daily to cross from Foz do Iguaçu to Ciudad del Este and vice versa.

While the 760-meter-long bridge was completed in late 2023, the lack of proper customs facilities and access roads prevented its use after an investment of around US$345 million, partially funded by the Itaipu Binational hydroelectric plant.

Starting Saturday, traffic will be restricted to empty trucks and tourist buses, whereas cargo-laden vehicles are not expected to be authorized until late 2026 or early 2027, following the completion of full-scale customs infrastructure.

The project represents a stabilization of bilateral ties after a tumultuous year. Relations were strained in April 2024 following revelations of an intelligence operation to spy on Paraguayan institutions regarding Itaipu energy negotiations. Though the Lula administration blamed the previous government for the espionage, the conflict was only officially resolved in November during high-level diplomatic meetings.

With the new bridge, authorities hope to facilitate trade between Brazil, Paraguay, and nearby Argentina, while freeing up space from the 60-year-old route that has become a bottleneck for regional exports. In addition, Brazil and Paraguay expect to profit from the binational Itaipú plant for structural development, despite ongoing debates over energy pricing.

The ceremony concluded with President Lula emphasizing the importance of infrastructure in regional integration, though his speech was cut short by a technical microphone failure. Lula and Peña are set to meet on Saturday to formalize the transfer of the Mercosur presidency to Paraguay.