In Paraguay, Land Dispute Underscores Regional Tensions

Landless workers in southeastern Paraguay, known as carperos, arrived in Asuncion on Jan. 30 bearing a petition with 10,000 signatures in protest of ongoing conflicts over land distribution in the Alto Parana and Itapua departments. The protest comes in the wake of a Jan. 21 carpero attack on Brazilian landowners. While such tension is not unusual in Paraguay, this month's developments point to a larger geopolitical issue — Brazil's expanding influence in Paraguay and in the region.