The Chamber of Deputies approved a resolution this week declaring the protection and conservation of Médanos del Chaco National Park a matter of national interest, but the measure does not end the effort to authorize the exploration of possible hydrocarbons in the area.
The text, presented by Deputy Mauricio Espínola of the Colorado Party (ANR), calls on the Executive Branch to guarantee the park’s environmental, water, historical, cultural and territorial preservation. The resolution is declaratory and creates no new obligation, but it reinforces duties already established in Paraguayan law.
The bill at the center of the controversy was introduced by Deputy José Rodríguez of the Honor Colorado wing, a movement led by former President Horacio Cartes. The proposal amends Articles 4 and 6 of Law No. 5,723/2016, which declared the park a protected wild area under public ownership, to allow the exploration, prospecting and research of resources at the site.
There is no technical or scientific confirmation that hydrocarbons exist beneath the park. Even so, Rodríguez supports opening the area and brought alleged representatives of residents to a technical meeting at the Chamber, arguing that the activity could bring development to the departments of Boquerón and Alto Paraguay.
The MADES environment ministry, the body responsible for environmental policy, and the Paraguayan Indigenous Institute, which oversees Indigenous affairs, reiterated their opposition to the bill. The institutions pointed to risks to the ecosystem and Indigenous communities, as well as Paraguay’s international commitments to protect the region.
The park is part of the Chaco Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO, and has environmental and cultural significance that extends beyond the boundaries of the two departments. Any authorization for exploration could also affect international conservation commitments and the territorial rights of Indigenous peoples.
Rodríguez’s proposal is identical to a bill rejected in June 2023. The declaration approved now came after weeks of obstruction of Espínola’s initiative, which he attributed its approval to the support of other lawmakers and civil groups that organized mobilizations in defense of Médanos del Chaco.
The opposition of the environmental and Indigenous institutions is also consistent with an earlier decision by the Supreme Court of Justice. The resolution therefore increases political pressure on the government of Santiago Peña to preserve the park, while the exploration bill remains under consideration.