Less than seven months, the road respite at Mercado 4 in Asunción lasted. The intersection of Avenida Rodríguez de Francia and Capitán Arturo Battilana Street has again become a minefield of potholes and wastewater. The resurfacing carried out in October 2025 by Mayor Luis Bello's (ANR-HC) administration did not withstand the seasonal rains and has already disintegrated.
The mayor maintains the model of his predecessor, Óscar “Nenecho” Rodríguez (ANR-HC), of abandoning road infrastructure. In 2025, the two administrations collected more than US$18.2 million earmarked exclusively for street maintenance and pothole patching, an amount that far exceeded initial budget estimates. However, the funds are not reflected in reality: the road has again developed deep ruptures in a short time.
At the intersection, wastewater covers the potholes, hiding the risk for drivers and pedestrians. Merchants and shoppers at Mercado 4 must maneuver onto the curb or cross the sidewalk through mud to avoid falls or being splashed by vehicles. Heavy truck and public transport traffic worsens the problem, as heavy vehicles pound the asphalt pits, accelerating mechanical wear and axle deterioration.
The economic impact directly affects commercial activity. Although Mercado 4 operates as a high-traffic hub daily, access difficulties drive away customers and complicate goods unloading logistics. The asphalt destruction on Rodríguez de Francia is not an isolated case: structural damage extends continuously from the historic center to the market's commercial zone, connecting to the general public discontent with the ruined streets in the microcenter.
The potholes, sinkholes, and water losses accumulated in various neighborhoods show that the road problem is widespread under Luis Bello's administration, whose institutional response cannot contain the deterioration of the capital's pavements.