The president (PT) interrupted the speech he was giving at the opening event of the new integration bridge between Brazil and , in Foz do Iguaçu, after a sound system failure and left the stage, ending the ceremony ahead of schedule.
“For us, Brazilians and Paraguayans, it is to make both economies grow. While, like Renan [Filho, ministro dos Transportes] he said, there is a president who wants to build a wall […]there are people wanting to wage war to prevent others from coming over to their side, we here, Latin Americans, South Americans, Paraguayans and Brazilians, we…”, he said, having his speech interrupted by the microphone being cut off.
In total, Lula’s speech lasted less than 10 minutes. Before, the Chief Executive gave a historical review of the construction of the bridge, which will connect (PR) to the Paraguayan city Presidente Franco. The process has been going on for more than 30 years, and the bridge had already been completed, but it remained behind for three years and had access to roads.
Several ministers were also present at the ceremony, including Renan Filho (Transport) and Fernando Haddad (Finance), and assistants, as well as the Brazilian general director of Itaipu, Enio Verri.
The president of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, did not attend the event. According to Lula, he was unable to attend the inauguration organized by the Brazilians due to a family problem in Asunción.
On the Brazilian side, the new customs and access points will also be opened, authorized by the DNIT (National Department of Transport Infrastructure) and the Federal Highway Police.
The integration bridge included resources from the new PAC (Growth Acceleration Program) and an investment of R$1.9 billion from both countries. It was financed by Itaipu, in an institutional arrangement that involved the Brazilian government, DNIT and the government of Paraná.
As the Panel column showed, to the governor of Paraná, . (PSD), pre-candidate for president, and the Lula government, due to the work on the Perimetral Leste – approximately 15 km connecting BR-277 and the new bridge.
With a total length of 760 meters, the project will absorb truck traffic and relieve traffic. The flow of vehicles will be released gradually, only for unloaded trucks in both directions in the first phase.
Today, around 400 unloaded trucks pass daily over the Friendship Bridge, until then the only existing road connection between Brazil and Paraguay on the Triple Border (Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina).
