Ayolas fishermen secure food aid from Yacyretá after protests

Commercial fishermen in Ayolas will receive food packages from Yacyretá’s binational company this week, after repeated protests outside its offices. Rolando Ferreira, president of the United Fishermen’s Association of Ayolas, said the delivery is expected between Thursday and Friday.

The agreement followed an indefinite strike that began on Sept. 1. Fishermen had gathered outside the company and blocked the Atinguy bridge after earlier promises of assistance failed to materialize. On Sept. 3, they agreed to a truce that included the food delivery and a commitment related to algae removal.

The sector says the food is urgently needed because the fishing season is nearing its end. “There is great urgency in receiving these supplies, considering that the fishing season is in its final stretch; we are only two months away from the start of the closed season,” Ferreira said.

Other long-standing demands remain unresolved. Fishermen are seeking job quotas and access to temporary work and construction linked to the Aña Cuá project, which they describe as compensation for the crisis affecting fishing. They also want damaged fishing equipment replaced, saying excessive algae growth in the Paraná River has disrupted their activities.

The dispute over unanswered demands has continued since December 2025. The fishermen suspended an earlier protest in late July after Yacyretá asked them to wait, but later resumed mobilization when the promised assistance did not arrive. They remain alert to possible further breaches of the latest agreement.

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There is great urgency in receiving these supplies, considering that the fishing season is in its final stretch; we are only two months away from the start of the closed season.