Paraguayan President-elect Mario Abdo Benítez was received on Monday (11.6.2018) by Brazilian President Michel Temer, to whom he proposed improving physical integration between the two countries by building four new bridges.
“It is unacceptable that we only have one bridge” between Paraguay and Brazil, said Abdo Benítez after his meeting with Temer, held at the Planalto presidential palace, and in reference to the Friendship Bridge, inaugurated over the Paraná River in 1965.
The president-elect, who will take office on August 15, stressed that his visit to Brazil represented his first trip abroad since the elections last April, which he won with 46,4% of the votes against the opposition candidate Efraín Alegre, who obtained 42,7%.
Four bridges
“We are united with Brazil by both history and the challenges” that integration poses to the region, said Abdo Benítez, who explained that he proposed to Temer the construction of four more bridges between the two countries, two in the Paraguay River and other two on the Paraná.
He stressed that "the importance of improving land connections" is given by the fact that it will allow for greater dynamism in bilateral trade, which last year reached 1.300 billion dollars, with an increase of 12% compared to 2016.
Triple frontier
He also indicated that he agreed with Temer on "the need to have a coordinated fight against organized crime"transnational," which he said is "what has been most globalized in the world," and that this fight be carried out together with Argentina, especially in the border area between the three countries.
Shopping tourism
Abdo Benítez, who invited Temer to attend his inauguration, also declared his intention to promote the establishment of Brazilian companies in Paraguay and encourage so-called "shopping tourism", especially in the border regions.
During his visit to Temer, Abdo Benítez was accompanied by a small delegation made up of, among others, Senator Luis Alberto Castiglioni, whom he has already confirmed as future Minister of Foreign Affairs.
He also reiterated that he is proposing a greater opening to world trade that would even go through China, although he clarified that this will be done “while always respecting the historical friendship” and diplomatic ties that Paraguay has maintained with Taiwan for more than 60 years.
Source: IP
(AI) Brazil and Paraguai discuss the resumption of the construction of bridges between the countries. No@planalto, President Michel Temer met as the new Paraguayan president, @MaritoAbdo: https://t.co/L4nH0CSEWb pic.twitter.com/Cxfx1lcsDd
— Michel Temer (@Michel Temer) June 11th, 2018
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