Asunción, Agencia IP.- The payment schedule proposed by Argentina to Yacyretá of USD 36 million for the purchase of energy for the period 2022 is “a partial payment of the total” of that year, and what has been paid so far does not represent “even 10% of the total debt” demanded by Paraguay.
The Minister of Economy, Carlos Fernández, provided these declarations this past Sunday during an emergency meeting of the National Economic Team (EEN, by its acronym in Spanish) that analyzed the new obstacles from Argentina to the transportation of gas and fuel.
Another of the points discussed was the “escalation of unilateral measures” regarding the debts of Argentina for the purchase of energy from the Binational Entity Yacyretá (EBY, by its acronym in Spanish) that affects the Treasury and the regular operation of the hydroelectric plant on the Paraguayan side.
Minister Fernández holds that the debt is from USD 92 million for payments to the Treasury (for the transfer of energy) and another USD 60 million for the operation of EBY. Therefore, he ratified the initial amount estimated by the Government of USD 150 million of debt.
The proposal in Argentina was to pay USD 36 million in three disbursements of USD 12 million, the first of which was made on Thursday evening.
“The amount is much more than what the Chancellor (Santiago) Cafiero says”, said Fernández about the declarations of the Argentinian Minister, pointing out the debt recognized by Argentina in 2022.
“Far below expectations and far below the promises they made to regularize even in 2022”, said Minister Fernández regarding the proposed payment commitment.
The EEN analyzed on Sunday the impact that this new measure communicated to the Paraguayan barges will have; that said, this Monday, there will not be a provision for the exportation to our country. To this, the impediment to charging and the transit of trucks with gas in provision plants of Argentina is added.
The National Chancellor, Rubén Ramírez, said these measures do not count on administrative resolutions from competent Argentine bodies to explain the reasons. He regretted the situation, and that the dialogue is carried out «through informal channels».