The construction of the new bridge has demonstrated that modernity can come to distant and isolated places while at the same time showing respect for indigenous lands, identity, and the environment.

by Xinhua writers Cui Yuanlei, Yang Chunxue, Pei Jianrong

LA PAZ, Feb. 8  -- The Guarani people, an indigenous group living in Bolivia's southern lowlands, have long had the dream of enjoying modern bridges and highways.

Now, their dream has become reality.

After more than a year of hard work, the 306-meter-long Parapeti Bridge, whose construction was led by the China Railway Group Limited (CREC), was inaugurated on Friday.

Photo taken on Feb. 7, 2020 shows the opening ceremony of the Parapeti Bridge on the under-construction El Espino-Charagua-Boyuibe Highway in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei)

IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE

Before the construction of the Parapeti Bridge, the locals had to use an old small bridge that connected various Guarani communities in the area. Safety issues had troubled many for decades.

Now, running parallel to the old bridge, the new Parapeti Bridge over the Parapeti River boasts wider roads and a sturdier construction, said Mario Perez, an engineer and a bridge specialist.

Head Chief of the Guarani communities in the area, Eugenio Vitingay, said that the Parapeti Bridge will replace the old one that had been an essential part of local infrastructure.

"The most dangerous thing was to cross the old bridge, and now we feel safer with the new bridge," Vitingay said.