Although the Bioceanic Corridor is seen as a second Panama Canal and is expected to have a strong social and economic impact by connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the department of Alto Paraguay runs the risk of being left as a mere spectator of this development. While more than 600 km of the new route will cross the Paraguayan Chaco, passing through Boquerón and Alto Paraguay, the lack of basic infrastructure prevents the northernmost region from taking advantage of the opportunities.
Governor Arturo Méndez (HC) stated that while Boquerón is attracting private investment — such as the planned construction of two international hotels in Loma Plata and truck parking areas — Alto Paraguay suffers from impassable roads, a lack of drinking water, and a precarious electricity supply provided by ANDE.
"Until the Paraguayan State decides to invest in addressing these shortcomings that affect the long-neglected residents of Alto Paraguay, unfortunately we will be mere spectators of the economic development that the new Bioceanic route will generate," the governor said. According to him, the governor's office's attempt to keep the roads passable is hampered by the extent of the local road network and a shortage of resources.
The worsening road isolation is already having direct effects on the local economy. Until 2024, according to the Paraguayan Rural Association (ARP)-Regional Alto Chaco, the department accounted for 33% of the country's beef exports, with a herd of almost two million head. However, the floods that blocked roads in 2025 and 2026 reduced this share to 26%, according to the entity's president, Nevercindo Cordeiro.
"When we don't have roads, the animals lose weight, and that means economic losses," said the producer, calling on the national government to build permanent roads to unlock livestock farming and attract investment to the region. Meanwhile, in Boquerón, the progress of the route is already translating into modern gas stations and new hotel developments, highlighting the contrast between the two departments of the Paraguayan Chaco in the face of the regional integration project.