Da Amazônia ao Pacífico cruzando os Andes

Abstract

The Amazon Area (AA) is shared by 8 independent south american countries. Since colonial times it was felt the need of a road linking the AA to the Pacific Ocean. Up to the last decades of the 19th Century the Andes were, in technical and economical terms, almost an insuperable challenge. In the last years for Brazil, the country that has about 60% of the AA, that road has become almost a need for exporting grains, timber, woodpulp etc. (mainly to Japan). And Japan also wants an acess to that area. So, Brasil, together with Peru - the second, after Brazil, AA country that has the largest and westernmost coast in the Pacific - have developed projects for building that highway counting with the financial support of Japan, who offered it in several occasions. Those projects are trying to conciliate mainly (not only) the interests of Brazil, Peru and also of Bolivia, a mediterranean country that, with the highway, could finally have a free access to the Pacific coast. But USA is oppossed to building this road because the financing of Japan. Then, all the projects are again in stand-still. It seems that in the construction of the mentioned road are directly involved strategic interests of the big world powers.