Southern Cone infra watch

Buenos Aires province obtained nearly 18.2bn pesos (US$155mn) from a bond issue in local currency to finance infrastructure projects.

The initially offered amount was 7.5bn pesos, the local finance ministry said in a press release.

Finance minister Pablo López said this financing will benefit the 6X6 program, which entails, among other aspects, 792bn pesos for road paving, 345bn pesos for school, hospital and housing works, and 83bn pesos for rural roads and agriculture equipment. 

This year, 72bn pesos will be allocated to pave 10,000 blocks. 

PARAGUAY

Two contracts to rehabilitate a road linking national route PY06 with the Natalio-Los Cedrales export corridor were awarded for 192bn guaraníes (US$28mn), 26% less than the reference budget of 259bn guaraníes in the original tender, the public works ministry (MOPC) said in a press release. 

The first contract was awarded to Enrique Edgardo Díaz Benza Cano for 88.2bn guaraníes. It entails 27.4km between the Kimex intersection and the town of Kressburgo in Itapúa department.

The second lot was awarded for 105bn guaraníes to Consorcio Nueva Generación (Constructora Asunción-Sotec). It covers 29.8km between Kressburgo and the town of Carlos Antonio López. 

URUGUAY

Public infrastructure investments in Uruguay are so low that the 10,000 jobs that will be lost once works at the second UPM pulp mill wrap up can’t be replaced, the head of the local construction chamber (CCU) said. 

“It is understandable that the budget faced severe fiscal restrictions, but it's important to find financing alternatives to do more public works,” CCU head Diego O’Neill told Radio M24.

While he highlighted the roadworks agenda, he cautioned that the government lacks a long-term infrastructure plan, and that there won’t be enough projects by 2023 to cover the gap left by the UPM pulp mill and associated works such as the Central railway PPP.