Allow me to inform you that since YEARS Brazil has a protectionist policy.
As long as there are barriers to trade with Paraguay (its ally MERCOSUR), and while not stop thinking that Brazil is like an empire in South America for his size ... I doubt that a lot of help from the government of Brazil

Pablo Acuña, Asunción, Paraguay

3. The Treaty is not in force till the year 2023, only one part of the Treaty, the so called "Anexo C". The main part of the Treaty could be negociated any time.

Andreas, Bochum, Germany

2. Brazil sells energy from Itaipu ilegally to Argentina in spite of the Treaty forbidding it, for ten times more the money they pay to Paraguay. 3. The main creditor of Itaipu is Electrobras, the debt was arranged by the brazilian administrators of Itaipu, this is a strategy to control Itaipu.

Andreas, Bochum, Germany

Please check your sources next time... would you like to read about how Churchill sign the Munich agreement and Chamberlain won the war?

Andreas, Bochum, Germany

It was Mr Santos from Nagoya, not Mr Nagoya i was refering to.

Andreas, Bochum, Germany

Also, Mr Nagoya from Japan says that Paraguay did not put any dime for the construction of Itaipu, so Paraguay should not receive anything in return. This is a fallacy, because: 1. Paraguay pays for half of the debt of Itaipu in spite of only getting 5% of the energy.

Andreas, Bochum, Germany

The price Brazil pays for the energy generated in Itaipu is US$ 45. However Itaipu was not a gift from heaven, it was built by men and it cost money. US$ 42 are directed to pay the debt and interest BRAZIL took in the 1970's to build the plant, and cover the operational costs of the company...

Diogo Santos, Nagoya, Japan

...The debt is being paid by the bi national company created to administer Itaipu, but it was taken by the Brazilian Government with bonds issued by Banco do Brasil in the 1970s. Paraguay did not give a dime to build the pant, all Paraguay had to do was to sit and wait till the debt is paid...

Diogo Santos, Nagoya, Japan

...to start receiving full price for the energy generated by a plant that is the result of investments fully made by Brazil. Paraguay is not selling energy too cheap to Brazil, it is paying its half of the huge debt taken to build an asset to which it is partner.

Diogo Santos, Nagoya, Japan

Itaipu is a signed contract negotiated by governments and international beneficiarion to nucleos power Brazilians and paraguayos.Brasil should reconsider its renegotiation if you want to keep the peace in South America. Lula and the Brazilian congress will be responsible for this peace.

Ernesto Paoletti, Asuncion, Paraguay

I agree with Hector Ferreira, in the point that UK had financied the war againt Paraguay. As a matter of fact Brazil should accept a renegociation of the Itaipu treaty, because the price they pay for the energy is low.

Victor Romero Mendiola, Asuncion, Paraguay

Sorry about my poor english vocabulary. I`m brazilian and have some reasons to desagree with your opinion about the alternatives that our comrade Lugo should choose. In first place, I have to remember you that who pay the bill of Paraguay War was UK. In second place, the economic policies of Lula represents the continuism of Fernando Henrique. Including the president of our Central Bank, Henrique Meireles, is a member of his party, PSDB and ex-president of Bank Boston here... We could not acept that elected presidents keep lying for the poor people, who had elected them. And if Lugo have made a promisse for his people, like land reform and a renegociaton of the Itaipu treaty, he will break with this "subcolonialism" - what caracterizes Paraguay today - and will make the left line governments get more stronger on latin america.

Hector Ferreira, Fortaleza, Brazil

Lugo is not an admirer of Chavez... you have a wrong information..

Giampaolo Ficorilli, Asuncion, Paraguay

'In 2005, Bolivia, the poorest nation in South America, elected a new president, Evo Morales, who looked to Mr Chávez for his inspiration. Paraguay, the second poorest state there, must not repeat that mistake.'

On the contrary, Lula is the mistake, his plans are only token left wing. His popularity has dimished because he still serves the very agend that has troubled latin america.
Lugo is an admirer of Chavez and should rightly emulate his example.

brian, canberra, australia