"Democracy" in Paraguay

Access to Information In Paraguay

2009-04-19T20:06:00.001-07:00

Cervantes Prize winning Paraguayan auther, Augusto Roa Bastos, called Paraguay an "island without a sea." This was in reference to the lack of knowledge there was and still is about Paraguay (produced in Paraguay). Through the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner, there was implemented a culture of hostility towards intellectuals. This survives to this day and Paraguayan schools and universities are worse then universities of poor neighbor countries.

During the dictatorship there was only one book that talked about the socio/economic situation of the country. Any attempt to know the reality of life in Paraguay was seen as an action against the corrupt and brutal government. The only intellectuals that were not persecuted were those that were in service to the Stroessner regime.

There are two big universities in Paraguay. The most important is the National University (receives public money). This university was very influenced by the dictatorship and theColorado Party. The second university is the Catholic University. This university was not as influenced, but the Catholic Church was divided between those that served Stroessner and those against him. Even though the Catholic University had a conservative standing, it was still looked bad upon by the regime for being a not so biased form of information and knowledge.

Publications were closed and censured. Publications from universities virtually did not exist. Newspapers that dared to criticize the government were attacked and closed. Those that survived were friends of the status-quo.

One example of how the regime controlled knowledge was that it decided the highest national temperature. Overall there was a fictitious reality.

The Liberal Party

2009-04-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

The Liberal Party was founded in 1880s to oppose Bernardino Caballero and the Colorado Party. The party won the presidency in 1904 and lost support thanks to the Chaco War. After that the Liberal Party never recovered and under Stroessner, it became illegal. It was mostly ineffective and inept in challenging the Colorado Party after and during the Stroessner regime.

Many members of the Liberal Party were imprisoned, tortured, killed or exiled from the country during the Stroessner dictatorship.

Out of the ashes of the Liberal Party rose what is currently Paraguay’s biggest opposition party, the Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico (PLRA). The PLRA finally won back power in 2008 thourgh its alliance with Fernando Lugo and other parties in the presidential election.

The PLRA is currently the second largest and popular political party in Paraguay. The current vicepresident, Federico Franco, belongs to the party.

Independence of Paraguay

2009-04-12T18:20:00.001-07:00

The first permanent Spanish settlement in Paraguay was Asuncion (which was founded in 1537). Paraguay was dominated by the Jesuits who in their way tried to protect the indigenous people from Spanish brutality. They put the natives to work and converted them. This went on for about the next two hundred years after Asuncion was founded.

In 1776 Buenos Aires became independent and wanted Paraguay to be part of its kingdom. In 1810 Argentina asked Paraguay to declare independence alongside them but to also let them lead. Paraguay rejected Argentinian leadership.

After Paraguay declared independence (but did not accept being ruled by Argentina) Argentina sent an expedition to defeat and tame the Paraguayans. This expedition was decisively defeated.

In 1811 the last royal governors of Paraguay were ejected and Paraguay became a fully independent country. The Paraguayan Independence Day is August 15, 1811.

More sources:

Very Useful History of Paraguay Article

Brief history of South America shown on a Map

Miika Tenkula a Great Guitar Player

2009-04-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

This entry will not be about the subject that I usually write about. But, I think that this person deserves some recognition and an entry in his honor.

Miika Tenkula was the lead guitarist for the Finish metal band Sentenced. Not only was he the main song composer for the band but he was also one of the main song writers.

Tenkula was a brilliant guitar player. The songs and melodies of Sentenced were usually about dark subjects in life and death and Tenkula was able to transmit that through his guitar.

Tenkula was found dead in his home on February 19 and the causes have still not been released. He was 34 years old. Sentenced had split up during late 2005.

The Finnish and world metal scene mourn the death of Miika Tenkula.

Video made to honor Miika Tenkula. The song (by Sentenced) is called Mourn.

Ever Frost by Sentenced

Paraguay is Bilingual

2009-04-05T12:36:00.001-07:00

The Guarani language was originally spoken by the Guarani people that lived in most of the Paraguayan territory and parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil.

The Guarani language is spoken by millions in Paraguay and also in (but in a much smaller percentage) in Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. About two-thirds of Paraguay speaks it and there are all Guarani television shows and literature.

In Paraguay, thousands of people only know how to speak Guarani. This is usually in remote areas were the Guarani people were predominate. But Guarani is spoken everywhere in the country. It is even taught in schools but there is still not much emphasis on it.

The Guarani language is very important in Paraguay. It is one thing that sets the country apart and makes it special. It is also integrated into the culture (music, literature, humor, gastronomy, etc) of the country with thousands speaking a mixture of Spanish and Guarani. It is a beautiful and poetic sounding language that the country needs to treasure and encourage. Also, the people that first spoke Guarani need to be protected and valued.

In 1992 Guarani received official recognition as a state language. The language has come a long way from being seen a savage or primitive language.

Example of Guarani (a Guarani teacher speaking)

The Guarani

2009-04-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Guarani were an important group of people that lived in Paraguay, parts of Argentina and parts of Brazil. They were semi-nomads so they never really built many structures. The guarani started settling in the area of Paraguay 5,000-3,000 years ago.

The Guarani were not very tall but were muscular. They had a rich culture of story telling, artesany, knowledge of medicine (especially herbal), hunting, warefare and some agriculture.

The first known contacts between the Spanish and the Guarani ocured in 1537 when Gonzalo de Mendoza came up the Paraguay River. He founded Asuncion which would become the capital of Paraguay. The Guarani were composed of many groups that never united to face the Spanish. They were easily conquered and also ravaged by disease (brought by the Spanish). The Guarani were enslaved by the Spanish and there was also a policy of intermarriage that was put in effect by the first governor of Asuncion. Like all over South and Central America, this is were the mestizos came from.

Currently the Guarani live in poverty and are spread around the country. Many times they have nothing else to live in but makeshift huts. They have lost most of their lands and sadly they have to go to the cities (especially Asuncion) to beg and sell their artesanal products. Drug addiction is high among them (especially in the city). The Guarani language is one of the treasures that these people have left for Paraguay and much of the country speaks it (and became the second official language of the country).

Images and information on the Guarani people

Jose Luis Chilavert

2009-03-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Jose Luis Chilavert was one of Paraguay’s greatest soccer players. Even though he played the goalie position he scored many important goals for the national team and for Velez Sarsfield (the club in Argentina were he played for a long time).

Chilavert was an expert free kicker and penalty kicker. Rivals would tremble when there was a foul and Chilavert would come running from the other end of the field to take the free or penalty kick. Chilavert is second for the goalie with the most goals in history. He also has the record for the only goal keeper to score a hat trick.

Chilavert was born in Luque, Paraguay in July 27, 1965. He made his debut in Sportivo Luqueño at fifteen years old. He moved on to Guarani, San Lorenzo (in Argentina), Real Zaragoza (in Spain), Velez Sarsfield (Argentina), Racing Club de Strasbourg (France) and Peñarol (Uruguay). Chilavert retired in 2004 playing for Velez Sarsfield, the team that he loved.

With the national team (the albirroja) Chilavert played the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. In 1995 and 1997 he was voted the world’s best goalkeeper.

The Velez Sarsfield, Chilavert won the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Club Cup in 1994. He also won the Argentinean league on many occasions.

Chilavert is also known for his strong personality and his involvement with politics. He once refused to shake hands with corrupt general Lino Oviedo. Chilavert has also had a long lasting feud with Argentinean idol, Diego Maradona.

Immigration From Paraguay

2009-03-27T16:46:00.001-07:00

During the Stroessner dictatorship, thousands of Paraguayans went to Argentina. Also, thousands of Paraguayans went to the United States and there is a huge community in New York City. In 1979 around 11,000 Paraguayans came to the United States. Alost of these came for political reasons (Stroessner) but many were young people in search of job or study opportunities. There is also a large Paraguayan community in Brazil.

In recent times, nothing is changing for the normal or poor people of Paraugay. The president before Lugo was a Colorado named Nicanor Duarte. During his presidency (2003-08) there was a little bit of growth that reached 6.8% in 2007 but this was largely due to soybean agriculture and exportation expansion and meat production, (Nickson, 2008).

Because most of the land is privately owned, normal people or poor farmers see very little or nothing of this small economic growth, this is well explained with, “However this faster economic growth was built on one of the most unequal structures of land tenure in the Americas and so its benefits were captured by a small elite of soybean farmers, cattle-ranchers and corrupt politicians." The National Statistical Office reports that 35.6% of the 6.2 million Paraguayans were still living in poverty in 2007 and Paraguayans living in extreme poverty has increased from 15.5% in 2005 to 19.4% in 2007.

When it seems that it is a time of small growth or optimism, there are mass migrations from Paraguay. The value of exports has gone from US$1 billion in 2005 to US$3 billion in 2007. Because people in the country, especially young people and rural people in 2002 the mass migration started. There were around 100,000 Paraguayans living in Spain in 2007 with only 11,000 being there legally.

Soy Farming

2009-03-22T16:36:00.001-07:00

Soy has become the biggest cultivated crop in Paraguay. The soy boom started in the 1980s when Stroessner was still in power.

Before the soy boom, Paraguayan farmers grew a variety of crops and raised livestock for self sustenance and also to sell. They did not make much money but were in most cases at least able to feed themselves (usually not in an adequate manner). This is especially in the eastern region of the country were most of the population lives. This practice also kept the biodiversity of the region from being wiped out because farmers used fruit trees that were native to the region.

Today, roughly about five percent of the eastern forests remains and what can be seen is a sea of short green plants. These are the soybean plants. Industrial farmers, with many coming from Brazil, have been buying up the land for very cheap prices. In many cases farmers have been bullied, threatened or violence has been used against them. Many times these farmers are in debt and have to grow soy for loans. Also, the soy boom has not only evicted thousands of farmers, it has also displaced many indigenous communities.

Because the farming of soy is highly mechanized, many of those farmers who stayed behind to work have lost their jobs.

Soy has made the overall revenue of the country increase. There is a very large demand for soy worldwide and Paraguay has become a top worldwide producer. This growth in Paraguay reached 6.8% in 2007. But, because of the level of corruption in Paraguay, soy farmer do not observe the laws. For example they may use dangerous pesticides that can go into nearby communities.

But, the National Statistical Office reports that 35.6% of the 6.2 million Paraguayans were still living in povert in 2007 and Paraguayans living in extreme poverty has increased from 15.5% in 2005 to 19.4% in 2007.

Before, farmers were able to eat what they grew. But now with the soybean boom, they can no longer do that and they cannot grow livestock. Instead now they have to buy for most of their necessities.

Even though many of their leaders have been assassinated, Paraguayan farmers have become more organized. With the election of Fernando Lugo as president, there is hope among farmers because Lugo stated he would try to start a land reform. This will be very hard because so much of the land is privately owned and also because the corrupt Colorado Party machine is still intact. In Paraguay roughly one percent of the population owns 80 percent of the land.

Sources:

Cooperation as Rebellion: Creating Sustainable Agriculture in Paraguay

Paraguay: A Shift to the Left Under Lugo?

Paraguay (from global forest coallition)

The National Soccer Team (the albirroja)

2009-03-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

Soccer (futbol or football as we call it in the rest of the world) is the most popular sport in Paraguay. Paraguayans are divided into what teams in the national league they support. But usually everyone supports the national team.

The Paraguayan soccer league was formed in 1906 and the first national team was formed in 1910.

The national team is called the "albirroja" because of the stripes in the uniform. Paraguay had the honor of participating in the first World Cup in 1930. It also classified in 1950, 1958 and 1986 before the recent times of success. Paraguay also won the 1953 and 1979 versions of the Copa America.

The albirroja has done well in recent times. It has classified for the last three world cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006 world cups. It is also on top of the classifing table for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Only a disaster will keep Paraguay out of the next world cup.

Many great players have played for the national team in the last 15 years. Some of them are Jose Luis Chilavert, Celso Ayala, Carlos Paredes, Miguel Benitez, Carlos Gamarra, Jose Cardozo, Francisco Arce, Denis Caniza, Roque Santacruz, Julio Caceres, Nelson Cuevas, Gabriel Gonzalez, Salvador Cabañas, Roberto Acuña, Luis Monzon, Adriano Samaniego and Claudio Morel.

Other great players from earlier times include: Romerito, Aurelio Gonzalez, Saturnino Arrua, Roberto Fernandez, Eugenio Morel and Juan Villalba.

Arsenio Erico, Paraguay's greates player, never played an official game with the national team. He is often compared in greatness to Pele and Maradona.

Terere

2009-03-19T21:39:00.001-07:00

Terere is a drink that is consumed almost exclusively in Paraguay. It is the cold variation of mate. So, the herbs used also come from the yerba mate plant. So, it is basically the same thing as mate but it is served very cold.

Just like mate, terere is also drank through a silver straw called a bombilla and the mate is kept in a guampa. The guampa for terere is usually bigger or taller than the guampa that is used for mate. But, they can be the same ones too. The cold water is put poured into the guampa and sipped through the bombilla. The water is kept in a thermus and other herbs (such as mint) or lime can be put in that water. The bombilla, guampa and thermus can all be ornamentally made and this is one industry that is doing well in Paraguay. The thermus is usually decorated with leather and can be custom made so that whatever the owner wants can be written on it.

Terere works really well with the hot and humid Paraguayan climate. During the summer most people usually have terere around and it does not matter what time it is.

It is also part of the Paraguayan culture. Whenever people are together, terere is made and shared. Everyone takes a turn drinking a sip while there is usually one person who pours it and passes it to is next to drink turn it is.

Paraguayan Mate

2009-03-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

Mate (or Paraguayan tea) is the crushed leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis (or yerba mate plant) which is a shrub or small tree that is found in the general area of Paraguay. The yerba mate is processed and cut down to small pieces.

This is a drink that is consumed hot. It is usually drank during the winter or in the morning by Paraguayans. This drink provides energy because it is highly caffinated. It is prepared by putting the dry leaves of the yerba mate into the special cup called a guampa (in Brazil it is called cuia). The guampa can be made of wood, silver, or a hollow bull horn. There is a metal straw which is traditionally silver called a bombilla (or bomba in Portuguese. Boiling water is poured in the guampa and the water is sucked through the bombilla. The pieces of yerba are not sucked though because the bombilla has a filter on the end that goes into the guampa. This practice is not only very common in Paraguay, it is also common in Argentina, Uruguay and southern Brazil.

The water is stored in a thermus which can be decoreted and ornamental. The same thing goes for the guampa and bombilla. This is an industry that still thrives in Paraguay.

The health benefits of yerba mate are starting to be seen around the world because it is a healthier alternative to other drinks and it has antioxidents.

More sources:

Good article on mate and its preparation

goyerbamate.com

Deforestation In Paraguay

2009-03-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Deforestation in Paraguay is an example of the destruction of the environment that goes on in most developing countries that through wanting to industrialize or because of lack of laws or resources and the will to implement them. Deforestation is a huge problem that has already taken away a big chunk of the country’s forests. There are no exact rates of deforestation in Paraguay, but the Secretariat of the Environment estimates that it is around 130,000 hectares a year.

Paraguay is separated into two regions, the eastern or Oriental Region that has 39 percent of the territory and 97 percent of the population and the western or Chaco Region that has 61 percent of the country’s surface but only 3 percent of the population. The east and west regions of Paraguay are divided by the Paraguay River and there is only about two percent of forest land left in the eastern region due to the expansion of soybean cultivation, cattle ranching and logging.

The destruction of Paraguayan forests is due to the cattle industry, soy farming and logging. There is a big issue with loggers coming in from Brazil and cutting down trees and taking them back to their country as raw materials. So, not only does Paraguay lose its forests but many times the country can not even profit from them. There is also the issue that only only a few hands own a great majority of the land and these hands only look to profit from the land. The model for development in Paraguay is, as in most of the world, an unsustainable model of progress.

Paraguay has a long history or even culture of corruption. This corruption is in all levels of government, from national to local. The Colorado Party has had a huge part in this. Because of this anyone who has the money and means to pay off authorities can do whatever he or she wants. And this includes the destruction of the Paraguayan ecosystem.

Almost all of the Paraguayan countryside is privately owned. Some of the primary responsible parties for all of the deforestation are private parties and the government that lets them do whatever they want. During the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner large sections of land were given to his friends and supporters (who were mostly all military generals). This has been passed down until today when few families own a lot of the land.

Paraguay has recently put into action a Zero Deforestation Law for the eastern region (or Upper Parana) of the country. “Before Paraguay's Zero Deforestation Law came into force in December 2004, the South American nation had the second highest deforestation rate in the world” (WWF, 2006).But, the destructive cattle ranchers and loggers are moving into the western region of the country. The Zero Deforestation Law expired at the end of 2008 but luckily it was renewed for another five years. But the western forests also need to be protected.

More sources:

WWF Paraguay

Interesting article on deforestation and indigenous peoples in Paraguay

Asuncion The Capital of Paraguay

2009-03-12T00:25:00.000-07:00

Asuncion is the capital of Paraguay and its largest city. It is located on the banks of the Paraguay River were it runs into the Pilcomayo River. Asuncion was founded on August 15, 1537 by the Spanish conquistadors and served as an important city for them. The full name of the city is Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, meaning “Our Lady of the Assumption,” (because that is on August 15). The city was an important base and became the most important to the Spanish.

Asunción is 117 sq km (45 sq mi). The city is the political, economic and education center of Paraguay center of Paraguay, most things happen there. Asuncion receives a lot of migration from rural Paraguay and according to a 1992 census, the city has 502,400 residents. The population (according to a 2003 census) of the Gran Asuncion area (Asuncion and connected surrounding small cities) is of about 1.6 million people.

Asuncion has the main soccer teams, the national stadium (El Defensores del Chaco). There are also many landmarks monuments of the country. Some are the Pantheon of the Heroes (Panteon Nacional de los Heroes), Palacio de Lopez (were the president works) and the Cathedral.

Basic services in Asuncion (as in the rest of the country) are lacking. One big example is that whenever there are storms, the power goes out. Also when there are heavy rains, the streets of the city usually flood because of a lack of an adequate pipe and drain system. There are always problems with trash recollection, the maintenance of roads and other basic services. This again, proves the culture of corruption that the Colorado Party made a way of life in Paraguay.

The area of Gran Asuncion (Great Asuncion) includes the small cities of San Lorenzo, Lambaré, Fernando de la Mora, Capiatá, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, Villa Elisa and San Antonio.

Olimpia

2009-03-01T13:50:00.001-08:00

Olimpia is the most glorious soccer (football) club in Paraguay. Since soccer is the most popular sport in Paraguay, this is very important. Olimpia is the only Paraguayan soccer club to ever win international titles. Thus, Olimpia has brought honor and respect to Paraguayan soccer.

Dutch physical fitness instructor William Paats was who introduced soccer to Paraguay in 1888. He was also the one who founded Club Olimpia in July 25, 1902. Since then Olimpia has won 38 Paraguayan championships, 3 Copa Libertadores (1979, 1990, 2002), 1 Intercontinental Club Cup (1979) (which was a match between the winner of the South American Libertadores Cup and the European Champions League), 2 South-American Recopas (1991, 2003), 1 'Joao Havelange' Supercup (Supercopa Libertadores) (1990), 1 InterAmerican Cup (1980).

After having won the 2002 Copa Libertadores against Sao Caetano from Brazil, Olimpia played European giants Real Madrid for the Intercontinental Club Cup (which is held in Tokyo). In an intense game, Olimpia was defeated 2 - 0.

Olimpia has been on a dry spell with its last national title having been in 2000 and is last international title having been in 2003. With a new board of directors, it is hoped that Olimpia will be able to get out of its slump and start winning titles once again. Even through this dry spell, Olimpia is the soccer team that still draws the most people to the stadium in Paraguay.

Some of Olimpia's great players include: Raul Vicente Amarilla, Gustavo Benitez, Luis Monzon, Hugo Talavera, Miguel Angel Benitez, Hugo Almeida, Luis Alberto Cubilla, Julio Caceres, Roque Santacruz and Carlos Paredes.

More sources:

Official site for Club Olimpia

Fernando Lugo

2009-03-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

Fernando Lugo is a former Roman Catholic bishop who became the first non-colorado president of Paraguay in more than 60 years. The colorados had been ruling the country (and very badly) since 1947. Lugo lead a coallition of opposition political parties called the Patriotic Alliance for Change. He was alliade with the Liberal Party which is the second biggest party in Paraguay. This gave him a big push in his victory over the colorados. The 57 year old Lugo assumed office August 15, 2008 and his running mate and vice president is Federico Franco (who belongs to the Libertal Party).

Lugo was born in 1951 and became a priest in 1977. He was a missionary in Ecuador for five years. In 1992 Lugo was appointed head of the Divine Word order of Paraguay and two years later he was made a bishop. Lugo went on the serve ten years in the poor region of San Pedro, were he came to be known as the "bishop of the poor." Lugo has been highly influenced by the "liberation theology."

Lugo started gaining more national and even international attention when he helped organize and lead a big opposition rally in March 2006. Since the Paraguayan constitution prohibits ministers of any faith in becoming political candidates, Lugo resigned from the Catholic Church in December of 2006. The Vatican at first was undecided as to accepting his resignition or not and suspended him from his duties instead. In July, 2008 the Pope Benedict XVI decided to grant Lugo's request and remove his clerical status.

Lugo won with 41 percent of the vote while Blanca Ovelar, the Colorado Party candidate, recieved 31 percent of the vote. Lugo is preaching land reform and also renogotiaions of the treaties for both the Itaipu and Yacyreta dams (which Stroessner and previous colorado governments handled disastreoulsy).

The election of Lugo was an event of great joy for most paraguayans. Even many colorados voted for him because they were sick of all the corruption and poverty that the Colorado Party brought to the country. Sadly the Colorado Party is making things almost impossible for President Lugo. Every initiative and proposale is rejected and fought by the colorados. There are even splits in his own movement and this especially comes from the Liberal Party. Even his vice president has been making unfavorable comments on Lugo. Hopefully for those of us that want an equal and prosperous Paraguay, Lugo will be able to pull ahead with his plans.

More sources:

Intersting article on Lugo in New York Times

Video Conference Story 3 (Goodbye Newspapers)

2009-02-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

Goodbye Newspapes

February 17, 2009

Mark Potts, a consultant for advice on new media projects, gave George Mason online journalism students a great presentation. Potts, who worked in the Washington Post “16 years something like that,” and is co-founder of backfence.com (which is a business directory for many of the major cities in the country) knows a lot about journalism. Potts started the online division of the Washington Post in 1993, so he knows a lot about online journalism. He also has a great blog called Recovering Journalist.

The core of Potts’ presentation was about what is happening to journalism (especially written newspapers). News organizations are cutting staff and as he put it, “newspapers will die this year.” According to Potts what is happening is a “perfect perfect storm” (also because of the economy). The “web has come flying in here and changed everything,” and everyone is on real time with “millions of different ways to get information.”

So, there are thousands of competitors, not only for content but also for advertisement. The biggest source of revenue for newspapers (around 50 percent) was classified advertising. Potts also emphasized that “gigantic one fits all advertising does not work anymore.” People are looking for specific adds and information and this spells “death” for newspapers.

If newspapers start charging for their online content, people will find other alternatives. Now it is way to late to start online subscriptions and if a newspaper decides to charge for online content, it has to be so much better.

Potts stated that “if newspapers go on strike the world will go on.” Potts thinks that by 2010 the news landscape will change dramatically. A lot of papers are not only laying off employeesand bankrupting, they are also starting to cut down production and distribution. The concept of a daily newspaper is going away.

George Mason student James Thompson stated, “I think that for newspapers to survive they would have to find some way to adapt by expanding the internet themselves and using their print newspapers as extension of their internet somehow. I agree with Potts that if newspapers can not adapt then in five years many will be out of business as competition continues to increase on the internet and the younger generations continue to grow accustomed to getting news from the internet more than newspapers.”

Potts stated that because there are so many sources of information, the general interest model does not work anymore. Next generation newspapers will be really local and probably have no paper product.

New forms of writing, blogs for example, are just another writing form. Blogs break news and there is also twitter and facebook.

Potts ended by saying that newspapers will mainly not exist in five years. He finished off by stating that our generation will determine what happens next.

The Yacyreta Dam

2009-02-22T17:14:00.000-08:00

The Yacyreta dam is a hydroelectric plant (that is still being built) between Paraguay and Argentina. It is on the Parana River and next to the Paraguayan city of Ayolas and the Argentinian city of Ituzaingó.

Composed of 20 turbines, the dam is 808 metres long. It has a power of 4,050 MW that can produce 19,080 GWh per year.

Often called a "monument to corruption," the dam project was established by the Argentinian Peronist government in 1973. Dictator Alfredo Stroessner was in power in Paraguay at that time.

After ten years of being stalled, construction started in 1983. The project has cost around $10 billion when it was expected to cost around $2.6 billion. The World Bank (which provided loans for the project) estimates that the Yacyreta dam could, up to date, be a loss of $11 billion. The dam started generating energy in 1994 and parts were still being finished in 2008.

The construction and flooding caused by the dam have affected tens of thousands of people in the surrounding areas. The Yacyreta dam has also affected the surrounding wildlife. Sadly through all of this the dam is still not functioning at full capacity because water levels are not high enough. The artificial raise of water levels has affected even more people.

The dam powers about 20 percent of Argentina and Paraguay sells its surplus energy to Brazil (at very low prices).

More Sources:

Article on Yacyreta and the World Bank

Article on Yacyreta, Corruption and the World Bank

Yacyreta Binacional in Bussiness News Americas

The Itaipu Dam

2009-02-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

The Itaipu hydroelectric power plant is the biggest of its kind in the world. Situated on the Parana River (the seventh largest river in the world) it was a joint construction venture between Paraguay and Brazil. It is run by the Itaipu Binacional company.

The ministers of foreign affairs of both Paraguay and Brazil signed the “Act of Iguaçu” in 1966, which began the studies of the hydroelectric potential of the Parana River. Construction started in 1975 and the last remaining expansions ended in 1991. The Itaipu Dam has 20 generators that produce 14,000 MW (megawatts). Around four million people resettled due the the construction of the dam and the construction of the dam also produced much environmental turmoil for the area.

The Itaipu dam is 7,919 meters long and has a maximum height of 196 meters. During the construction of the dam, approximately 50 million tons of rock and earth to dig a 1.3 mile bypass. This bypass shifted the course of the Parana River.

The Itaipu dam and surrounding area is a major tourist attraction. Since its completion in 1991, more than nine millions tourists have visited the dam.

The Itaipu dam negotiations and treated were enacted during the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner in Paraguay. The dam produces about 90 percent of the energy that Paraguay needs and 20 percent of the energy Brazil needs. For this reason only one generator is usually used for Paraguay. The enery that the rest of the nine generators (the Paraguayan half) produce, is sold to Brazil.

Thanks to these negotiations by Stroessner, the Brazilians receive a very generous, and unfair (for the Paraguayans) price for the surplus energy. In Paraguay, electricity is redicuosly expensive for such a poor country with two dams (the other being the Yacyreta dam). I speak this with personal experience since I lived there. Thanks to the corruption of the Stroessner dictatorship, and colorado governments that came after, we pay alot for electricity when it should be next to free.

More sources:
More facts on the Itaipu dam and its construction

Some more facts

Another website with facts

Itaipu dam on Encyclopedia Britannica

Video Conference Story 2

2009-02-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

Obama’s Victory and Electronic Resources

January 29, 2009

Jose Antonio Vargas, a reporter for the Washington Post, gave a great conference and answered questions that mainly had to do with the participation of the general public in politics through electronic resources. Also, how Obama’s use of these resources helped him win the presidential election.

This video conference connected Vargas with students at George Mason University (Fairfax, Va), Pace University in Manhattan and the University of Denver. The video conference was transmitted on C-Span. The George Mason television studio is on the fourth floor of the Innovation Hall building in the Fairfax campus.

When asked if he believed Obama would have won without his electronic campaign Vargas responded that “Barack Obama would not have gotten elected without the internet.” He believes that Obamas movement had more energy and more involvement. “The fact that he (Obama) was able to raise three billion dollars from half a million donors was something that had never been seen before.” Vargas also stated about the great importance of people’s own personal networks in the organization, planning and carrying out events for the Obama campaign.

Also Vargas found it incredible how “kids organized on Facebook, took over caucuses,” and in one example, “they (kids) won Barack Obama the Iowa caucuses.”

On this issue, George Mason communication student James Thompson stated, “I think his (Vargas’) argument makes sense. Using the internet the way he did (Obama) helped him to communicate with a much larger audience than McCain by tapping into technologies young voters use to communicate more with them.”

Vargas also stressed the importance of text messaging in the Obama campaign. He stated that there are still many people without internet and that involved and organized them.

According to Vargas it is important for politicians (both liberal and conservative) to invite people into the process. He felt more energy in the democratic presidential campaign than in the republican campaign and this was and a big reason for that was that people felt more connected.

Vargas stressed the importance of youtube and other similar resources because they are a two-way form of communication. He stated “youtube is not tv.” The public has become a lot more important and is demanding and using two way communication with politicians to get what it wants.

Also, with all the information and forms of electronic communication available, Vargas stressed that“ At the end of the day it is about you,” referring to we (the general public) need to be responsible about the information that we believe and how we use it (especially to communicate). We as the public also need to do our research before we communicate or decide to believe something.

Jose Antonio Vargas in the Washington Post...

President Barack Obama on Facebook...

Interesting Blog Article on Iowa Caucus...

The Colorado Party

2009-02-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

The Colorado Party was funded in 1887 by Bernardino Caballero and has its headquarters in Asuncion (the capital). The Colorado Party has been in power from 1876 to 1904 and from 1948 to 2008. From 1947 to 1962 all other political parties were considered illegal.

The Colorado Party (Asociacion Nacional Republicana or National Republican Association) are right wing conservatives. They are called colorados because of their red flag. The party has always been characterized by corruption, violence and the traffic of favors.

Until recently it was required to be a member of the Colorado Party if you wanted free medical care, job security or promotions and other services. The Colorado Party controlled (and in many cases still does) the whole public sector of the Paraguayan government (national and local). Through this Paraguay has always been characterized as one of the most (if not the most) corrupt country in the world. The Colorado Party also served as one of support systems for the bloody dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner (the other being the military).

During election times after the dictatorship the Colorado Party has always resorted to fraud and violence to obtain victory. But, because the Colorado Party controls the public government system it is the greater employer. That is why it always has alot of popular support. Thankfully for those of us that want a more equal Paraguay, the Colorado Party was defeated on election day (April 20, 2008) by Fernando Lugo. Lugo lead a coallition of opposing political parties.

More sources:

Interesting article on Paraguay and the Colorado Party...

Another one...

Interesting article on Stroessner, the Colorado Party and torture used...

Alfredo Stroessner

2009-02-15T18:50:00.001-08:00

Alfredo Stroessner was one the longest running dictators the world had ever seen. He ruled Paraguay with an iron fist from 1954 to 1989. Born on November 3, 1912, Stroessner joined the army at 17 years of age. He was named commander and chief of the armed forces in 1951 and led the coup that overthrew President Federico Chavez in 1954. Stroessner became president that same year.

Stroessner belonged to the Colorado Party that had been ruling since 1948 (and would continue to rule until 2006).

Stroessner himself was overthrown in 1989 Gen. Andres Rodriguez who had most of the country’s popular support at that time. Exiled in Brazil, Stroessner died in 2006 a very rich man.

During his regime, thousands of people were tortured and murdered. These people usually belonged to opposition parties or were socialists. One method of murder used was throwing people off planes.

Abundance and riches for those around him (usually army generals) also characterized Stroessner’s reign. The rest of the country lived in poverty.

Very good article on Stroessner...

Interesting article on Andres Rodriguez...

Video Conference Story 1

2009-02-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

Copyright and Fair Use

Fairfax, Virginia - Claudia Holland who is the University Copyright Officer gave a very interesting and informing presentation on copyright and fair use, at George Mason University on January 27, 2009.

As Holland put it, copyrights have been around for a long time and are protected in Article I Section 8 Clause 8 of the Constitution. Protected works include everything that is registered. But this is also for a limited time. This is used to promote creation.

Works that are not protected are: ideas, methods of operation, principles and basic facts. The public domain (created by the federal government) are works that are no longer registered.

The rights of copyright owners include: reproduction, derivative, public distribution, public performance, public display and digital or audio transmission. This is at the moment in which the work is fixed n some medium. For example, photograph, painting, score, CD, flash drive, video recording, research paper, fishing lure, etc.

How long do copyrights last? This all depends on when the work was created. The copyright laws are confusing and complex but generally they last the lifetime of the owner plus 70 years. This has been defined in 1998.

James Thompson, a student in that class stated, “I knew there were rules for copyright but I was amazed by how many there were.”

What is very gray though is Fair Use. It is still not very clear what individuals can and cannot do with protected material. This can be narrowed by the purpose of use. One example is to use in an educational manner instead commercial use. Also, the nature of the material is taken into account. The portion or amount of material used is also important.

Applications supported by Fair Use include: critics, comments, news reporting and teaching. Holland finished by stating that in a court of law, fair use is used as a defense against claims of infringement.

Interesting further reading...

The Chaco War

2009-02-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

The Chaco War (1932-1935) was Paraguay’s second and last war to date

Paraguay’s second war was The Chaco War and it was fought against Bolivia. There had been aggressions between them prior to the war, as Bolivia wanted to expand (through the Chaco Boreal region that both countries share).

The war took a heavy toll on both sides with both sides losing 100,000 men. Bolivian forces made some advances at first but were stopped and pushed back. Then Paraguayan forces started advancing into Bolivia even though they were outnumbered.

Through the meditation of other countries a cease-fire was agreed on June 12, 1935. A treaty signed in 1938 awarded Paraguay with three-quarters of the Chaco Boreal.

More Sources:

Image taken from:

Long article on the war:

Another long article on the war:

Pictures and articles on the war:

CIA facts on Paraguay:

War of the Triple Alliance

2009-02-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

Let us start with a little bit of history about Paraguay.

Paraguay has had a rough history. Upon declaring itself independent on May 14, 1811, it became the most prosperous country in South America at that time. Three dictatorships came and during that time the country had no external debt and there was free education for everyone. Also, the government provided large amounts of land that it rented to farmers. During the third government came the War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), a war that killed the two-thirds of the male population and devastated the countryside. Not only did Paraguay lose a lot of territory but this war also halted the country economically.

The War of the Triple Alliance was fought between Paraguay and the alliance of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Britain was also getting nervous at the thought of a powerful empire that could threaten its interests in South America. In 1863 there was a coup in Uruguay and the defeated government was allied to Paraguay. Paraguay (led by Francisco Solano Lopez) wanted to intervene. Brazil was helping the coup leaders, so war was declared on Brazil. But to be able to fight and help their allies in Uruguay, Paraguayan forces would need to cross through Argentina, which denied them. War was declared against Argentina. The coup in Uruguay triumphed, and the new Uruguayan government declared war against Paraguay. The allies created the Triple Alliance pact and received much economic help from the British (in terms of loans).

Sources:

Long article on war:

http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/tango/triple1864.htm

Long article on war:

http://countrystudies.us/paraguay/11.htm

CIA facts on Paraguay:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pa.html