Mariscal Estigarribia
Encyclopedia
Mariscal Estigarribia is a town in the Boquerón Department
, Paraguay
.
(IATA code: ESG), which some media reports claim is a US military base set up to provide access to the strategic Triple Frontera region.
400 US troops arrived in Paraguay in July 2005, shortly after the Paraguayan Senate granted US troops diplomatic immunity
. Hundreds of US military personnel are rotated though Paraguay each year, though the military has stated that the total number in the country will not exceed 10-20 at any time.
According to the Clarín Argentinian newspaper, Mariscal Estigarribia would be a strategic location for a military base because of its proximity to the Triple Frontera between Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina; the Guarani aquifer
; and Bolivia (less than 200km_ at a time when "Washington's magnifying glass goes on the Altiplano
and points toward Venezuelan Hugo Chávez
—the regional demon according to Bush's administration
—as the instigator of the instability in the region".
The US and Paraguayan governments deny that the US military is establishing a base at Mariscal Estigarribia. The US government said "...limited, short-term deployments of U.S. military personnel are scheduled to take place for a series of joint exercises with the Paraguayan military between July 2005 and December 2006. Most personnel deployed will not remain in Paraguay for more than 45 days."
A Brazilian weekly news magazine, CartaCapital, published an investigative article on 25 April 2008, that dismisses what it calls a conspiracy theory
about the base.
Boquerón Department
Boquerón is a department in the western region of Paraguay. It is the country's largest department, with an area of , but its population is only 45,617 . The department includes the Russian Mennonite colonies of Fernheim, Menno and its administrative center Loma Plata and Neuland. The capital is...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
Strategic importance
Mariscal Estigarribia is home to Dr. Luis Maria Argaña International AirportDr. Luis Maria Argaña International Airport
Dr. Luis Maria Argaña International Airport is an airport that serves the small city of Mariscal Estigarribia, in the Boquerón Department of Paraguay....
(IATA code: ESG), which some media reports claim is a US military base set up to provide access to the strategic Triple Frontera region.
400 US troops arrived in Paraguay in July 2005, shortly after the Paraguayan Senate granted US troops diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
. Hundreds of US military personnel are rotated though Paraguay each year, though the military has stated that the total number in the country will not exceed 10-20 at any time.
According to the Clarín Argentinian newspaper, Mariscal Estigarribia would be a strategic location for a military base because of its proximity to the Triple Frontera between Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina; the Guarani aquifer
Guaraní Aquifer
The Guarani Aquifer, l beneath the surfacntina]], Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, is one of the world's largest aquifer systems and is an important source of fresh water. Named after the Guarani people, it covers 1,200,000 km², with a volume of about 40,000 km³, a thickness of between 50 m and 800 m...
; and Bolivia (less than 200km_ at a time when "Washington's magnifying glass goes on the Altiplano
Altiplano
The Altiplano , in west-central South America, where the Andes are at their widest, is the most extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside of Tibet...
and points toward Venezuelan Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
—the regional demon according to Bush's administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
—as the instigator of the instability in the region".
The US and Paraguayan governments deny that the US military is establishing a base at Mariscal Estigarribia. The US government said "...limited, short-term deployments of U.S. military personnel are scheduled to take place for a series of joint exercises with the Paraguayan military between July 2005 and December 2006. Most personnel deployed will not remain in Paraguay for more than 45 days."
A Brazilian weekly news magazine, CartaCapital, published an investigative article on 25 April 2008, that dismisses what it calls a conspiracy theory
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
about the base.
External links
- Mariscal Estigarribia airbase at Helis.com - includes Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
- Dr Luís María Argaña International Airport