Government authorizes construction of Binational Bridge between Brazil and Bolivia

A 1.22 km link over the Mamoré River will connect Guajará-Mirim, in Rondônia, and Guayaramerín, replacing the ferry crossing.

The Federal Government authorized on Friday (8) the start of construction work on the Binational Bridge that will connect Guajará-Mirim, in Rondônia, to Guayaramerín, in Bolivia. The service order was signed during a ceremony at the Palácio das Artes State Theater, in Porto Velho, with the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and the Minister of Transport, Renan Filho.

"The time for waiting is over. And the wait in this case was very long. Because since 1903, when Brazil signed a treaty annexing Acre, a neighboring state, we made a commitment to Bolivia to integrate our peoples and our infrastructure," stated Renan Filho.

The 1.22-kilometer bridge will be built over the Mamoré River, replacing the ferry crossing that currently connects the two cities. The project is part of the New Growth Acceleration Program (New PAC) and will be executed by the National Department of Transportation Infrastructure (DNIT), in partnership with the Bolivian government.

The projected investment is R$421.398 million, including basic and executive projects, land access, and the border complex. The Mamoré Consortium, winner of the bidding process announced in July, will be responsible for execution. The estimated completion time ranges from two and a half to three years.

The event in Porto Velho was also attended by Bolivian President Luis Arce; the mayor of the capital of Rondônia, Léo Moraes (Podemos); and the lieutenant governor of Rondônia, Sérgio Gonçalves. The state governor, Colonel Marcos Rocha (União Brasil), did not attend the ceremony.

"Today is a very special day for the Bolivian people, because a long-cherished dream has become a reality: the construction of the bridge connecting Guajará-Mirim to Guayaramerín. This project goes beyond infrastructure; it is a symbol of the brotherhood between our peoples (free translation)," declared Luis Arce.