At the end of 2017, former President Federico Franco, with a triumphalist spirit, announced that very soon “we would bathe in oil”, generating hope that spilled like a soap bubble after it became known that the vile lie was part of a ruse of the British oil company President Energy, which drilled two wells on Chaco soil, in order for its shares to rebound in London.
Later, in October 2014, Franco again attacked with no less enthusiasm, celebrating the discovery of oil in Guaraní lands. He recalled in various media, his illustrious vision to finish off with the air of a statesman, “his keys to national progress” with a forceful: “God is Paraguayan”.
75 years have passed since the first drilling that was carried out in the Chaco by the Unión Oíl company in 1947, with a depth of 2,310 meters and the greatest achievement is to have more information about what happens in those depths. Subsequently, several companies came to the country in search of black gold. In total, more than 60 oil wells have been drilled throughout the country and without results to date, despite repeated energy advances from Franco.
Although former President Franco did not find oil, “he managed to increase his net worth of goods by 748% in four years. That is to say, he now owns seven times more assets than he had in 2008”, according to what the comparative chart of Última Hora publishes in detail on October 14, 2012. The note concludes “It is in charge of the Comptroller to investigate.” Ten years later, citizen Federico Franco is in good health, fully exercising his freedom, and there is no doubt that he goes through life repeating the litany “God is Paraguayan”.
I hope it rains oil
Since this episode in recent history, the planet has changed radically, and most of the world’s governments are trying to draw lessons from the pandemic and the ongoing open-ended war, in one of the most complicated periods in the history of humanity, especially due to uncertainty, the emergence of new hegemonies and the displacement of the axes of global power, in a state of unstable balance.
However, it seems that this complicated scenario will never reach us, located in the heart of Latin America, and therefore some politicians in our honorable Chamber of Deputies seem to remain in their eternal electoral bubble. The replacement of fossil fuels, climate change, the defense of biodiversity, the promotion of clean energy and even the electric vehicles that pass in front of their noses, seem to be a dead letter. The fuel bonus is still as valid as in Franco’s time, high-consumption vehicles are part of the Parliamentarians’ fleet and the fate of their relatives and future generations is fixed with a couple of prayers to the Most High, who surely has us well regarded as fervent defenders of the family. Everything is the same as yesterday. Our national clock is stopped in time, except when a donation arrives that offers us ecological transport and as such it is advisable to receive gifts from foreign brothers, concerned about environmental issues. It has always been like this and proof of it is the humility with which we accept these gifts, whether or not they are priorities for the development of the country. Our image of hospitality and cordiality must be maintained at any cost.
The honorable deputies, even in the midst of this new world atmosphere, did not hesitate just a few days ago to modify the Law 5723/16 that declares the Médanos del Chaco National Park as a Protected Wilderness Area under Public Domain.
Several columns have been published on this topic, social networks etc. but you, dear reader, may ask yourself, what is all this for? There are new visionaries who want to fulfill Franco’s dream: OIL IN THE CHACO, NOW AND AS IT IS!
We must intervene in a protected wild area, violate the home of the friendly Tirika, until yesterday representative of our national pride. No matter. Here is a new business at the door and these opportunities should not be missed. We have shown since the recovery of the rule of law 30 years ago that, in full democracy, what works best for us is doing good business. We have impeccable reflexes and where profitability is, our fine sense of smell far exceeds that of poor Tirika. Total, this little animal has already completed its cycle. He was in Asunción, all the visitors took a stuffed animal and now we are in another one: it is time for business.
But the law, in a tone of doubt, a deputy commented to the other party (they voted without distinction of colors), says that Prospecting, exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons is prohibited. In how many items? In two, 4 and 6. No problem, we changed both and that’s it.
There is also a statement from more than 60 environmental and business organizations that have spoken out against it. Don’t worry colleague, that’s how these are who always complain and go against the prosperity of Paraguay and its people. It is that there are nomadic foresters living in that area. Well, let them move a little, there are many hectares where they can be and if they are nomads, it does not matter to them a little further than a little more here.
In these profound disquisitions were the honorable when another deputy came up with the idea of naming article 9 “which approves the agreement on climate change adopted by the United Nations conference on environment and development held in Brazil, and Paraguay has been a signatory since 1 October 2015. Well, actually that was a long time ago and what matters here is the well-being of the country and that our people feel good. Modesto, a deputy who was silent, managed to say, but there are very few people there, animals, some guanacos and other things that we do not know very well… All the more reason we go for the oil and stop depending on the Bolivians who extract it on the other side of the border and nothing touches us.
An advisor to the deputies’ environment committee slipped in a sandwich. There is also a problem. Above is the Yrenda aquifer, a regional hydrogeological system that covers about two thirds of the Western Region of Paraguay and part of the Argentine and Bolivian Chaco, which is transnational and a source of drinking water for Chaco communities in the area in the three countries. And if there is oil, it is below the aquifer and the risk of contamination is very great. On the other hand, the general interest is always prioritized over the particular interest, said the adviser solemnly, as our Constitution indicates.
That is what there is no doubt about. We have been working tirelessly since the origins of the Republic and our objectives have been very clear for a long time: First the homeland, second the homeland and then God who enlightens us.
.fb-background-color { background: #ffffff !important; } .fb_iframe_widget_fluid_desktop iframe { width: 400px !important; }
The entrance “God is Paraguayan” was first published in The Independent.
