The Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) has confirmed that the first stage of the commuter rail project, connecting Asunción and Luque, is estimated to cost between US$400 million and US$450 million, according to ABC Color. This figure does not include the extension to Ypacaraí, which remains under study. The clarification contradicts earlier statements by Ferrocarriles del Paraguay SA (Fepasa), which had indicated that the US$450 million estimate covered the entire project.
MOPC Director of Strategic Projects Amílcar Guillén told ABC Color that the preliminary engineering is underway and final cost estimates will be ready by October. The project received partial Senate approval this week, allowing a government-to-government agreement with Etihad Rail of the United Arab Emirates, bypassing public tender requirements. Opposition lawmakers criticized the lack of transparency and financial risks. The bill now goes to the Chamber of Deputies.
Separately, the Ministry of Health has executed the first phase of its debt payment plan to pharmaceutical suppliers, disbursing US$100 million in April, as reported by El Nacional. The plan, agreed upon with Economy Minister Óscar Lovera and Health Minister María Teresa Barán, aims to pay US$180 million in total, with 80% allocated to medicine debts and 20% to other health services. The government also committed US$150 million to construction companies between April and May, addressing a reported US$200 million debt in that sector.