During a ceremony for the delivery of public works in Beni on the border with Brazil, the dignitary recalled the efforts made with his peer, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to make it a reality with adjustments to the original project and, finally, to carry out the international bidding process.
Arce reminded Lula that Bolivia is interested in having access to the Atlantic Ocean through Guayaramerín.
He added that the Brazilian leader quickly agreed, and today a larger bridge is planned, “a worthy bridge for our brothers in Guayaramerín”.
The road infrastructure, financed by Brazil up to 70 million dollars in compliance with the 1903 Petrópolis Treaty, will be built under the “turnkey” or “integral bidding” modality, which according to the authorities will shorten the construction terms.
The work will include the modifications proposed by Bolivia to guarantee river navigation and land traffic to the Atlantic.
By means of the Petrópolis Agreement, Bolivia ceded to the South American giant an area of approximately 191 thousand square kilometers corresponding to the current Brazilian state of Acre.
Previously, in 1867, in the Treaty of Peace and Friendship, Bolivia handed over to Brazil another 164,242 square kilometers of the Acre region, which were annexed to the then province and current state of Amazonas.
In a conversation with Prensa Latina, the Brazilian ambassador in Bolivia, Luis Henrique Sobreira Lopes, assured that the process for the bridge bidding is going well, as a reflection of the good relations existing between the two countries.
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