The Yacyreta Dam

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

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

The Colorado Party

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

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...