Areguá: They denounce that ANDE does not attend to complaints
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Residents in Areguá, Paraguay, are complaining that the national electricity company, ANDE, has failed to address a broken public streetlight.
- The streetlight has been out for two weeks following a storm, leaving the area in darkness and raising safety concerns.
- Despite multiple complaints, ANDE has not yet repaired the light, leading to frustration among locals.
Residents of Areguá are voicing strong frustration over the perceived inaction of the National Electricity Administration (ANDE), Paraguay's state-owned power company. A specific complaint highlights a broken public streetlight in the Santo Domingo de Guzmán and San Roque neighborhoods, which has been out of service for two weeks. This prolonged darkness, a consequence of a storm, has left the community feeling vulnerable and neglected by the very entity responsible for maintaining essential services.
The affected residents have reportedly filed at least six separate complaints with ANDE since the streetlight initially failed. However, their persistent calls for repair have gone unanswered. According to one resident, José Luis Tone, the lack of response is particularly concerning, especially given the time elapsed since the initial incident. He noted that while a long weekend might explain some delay, the continued lack of action suggests a deeper issue, possibly a shortage of replacement parts, as he heard speculated.
This situation raises serious concerns about public safety and the reliability of infrastructure maintenance in Areguá. The absence of adequate street lighting creates an environment conducive to potential criminal activity, a fear shared by the local population. The community is appealing to ANDE authorities to address the issue promptly, emphasizing the need for basic services to be restored to ensure their safety and well-being. The lack of response from ANDE, including the unresponsiveness of its president, Félix Sosa, to media inquiries, further exacerbates the public's dissatisfaction.
This incident underscores a broader issue of service delivery and accountability within public utilities in Paraguay. While ANDE is tasked with providing reliable electricity and maintaining related infrastructure, the experiences of Areguá residents suggest a gap between this mandate and its execution. The community's plea for a simple streetlight repair highlights the impact of such failures on daily life and security, urging for greater responsiveness and efficiency from the national electricity provider.
We have made more than six reiterations since more than a week ago. We have to take into account that last week was a long weekend, but it is already Wednesday, and it seems they do not have spare parts for the bulbs. That is what we heard on a program.
Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.