San Pedro: Grave Road Crisis Amid Extremely Slow Repair of PY08 Route

Rural roads in San Pedro, Paraguay, are in deplorable condition, with paved routes destroyed. The repair of Ruta PY08, infamously known as the "route of death," is advancing at an extremely slow pace, causing significant concern among residents and road users.

Following public pressure due to numerous deaths recorded on the PY08, the first machinery arrived in January to begin maintenance on the Calle 6.000–Azote’y section. This initiative by the Central Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), aimed to appease public discontent over the disastrous state of the road, a problem residents have protested for years.

The intervention covers approximately 150 kilometers between Calle 6.000 in the Guajayvi district of San Pedro department and Azote’y in the Concepción department. However, the work began timidly and continues at a very slow rhythm. Citizens report that the works have not even reached 10 kilometers of the planned 150. Temporary pothole repairs made months ago are already showing significant deterioration, and sections in the districts of General Resquín, Lima, and Santa Rosa del Aguaray are riddled with potholes, turning the journey into a constant risk for drivers and passengers.

Attempts to get a statement from the company responsible for the work were unsuccessful, with security personnel stating that managers would not speak to the press. According to explanations provided, any official information on the progress of the works must come from the MOPC. The MOPC signed a contract worth over $15 million on January 14 with TOCSA SA, represented by Sara María Blanco de Dose, for the maintenance and improvement of Ruta PY08. During the contract signing, Public Works Minister Claudia Centurión assured that the government would implement an intensive plan for the recovery and maintenance of existing road infrastructure, in addition to executing new projects. Nevertheless, in San Pedro, the public is still awaiting concrete results and an effective response to a problem that continues to claim lives and hinder the development of the entire region.