Guajayví Indigenous People Await Authorities' Response on Bridge Construction

The indigenous community of San José Kupa’y in Guajayví faces ongoing neglect, with a critical lack of basic infrastructure hindering their daily lives. For months, residents have been pleading for the construction of a new bridge over the Tava’i stream, as the old one, built by the community itself, has fallen into disrepair. This isn't just an inconvenience; it's a significant obstacle to their development and well-being, isolating them further from essential services and opportunities.

Leaders like Severiano Vázquez have voiced the community's frustration, highlighting that their pleas to both the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) and the Paraguayan Indigenous Institute (Indi) have gone unanswered. This lack of response from government institutions is a recurring theme for many indigenous communities in Paraguay, who often find themselves forgotten by the very bodies meant to serve them. The community, established 200 years ago and located about 20 kilometers from Guajayví, is described as one of the poorest and most overlooked indigenous populations in the country.

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We ask our representative from Indi and the MOPC to expedite our claim of several years, that our president Hugo Samaniego and Minister Claudia Centurión take the necessary actions to at least solve this problem, and then we can look at other needs that require improvement.

While an official from the MOPC's social area, Pánfilo Agüero, stated that they are looking into the matter and other claims, the indigenous community's experience suggests a slow and inadequate response. The situation at the San José Kupa’y school, serving 21 students with limited resources, further illustrates the dire conditions. From a Paraguayan perspective, this story highlights a persistent failure in addressing the needs of indigenous populations, who continue to struggle for basic rights and infrastructure. The international focus often misses the deep-rooted systemic issues and the daily struggles faced by communities like San José Kupa’y, who are fighting for recognition and essential services.

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We are looking into how to respond to this request and other claims. Little by little, solutions will be provided to the indigenous communities in these areas.