This Saturday, March 1st, in **Puerto Pilcomayo**, **Formosa**, the great [paddle in defense of the Paraná](https://noticiasambientales.com/ong/remar-contracorriente-por-el-agua-la-campana-en-defensa-de-los-rios/) begins.
It is the campaign “Paddle Against the Current, for water and life”, which will take place over 22 days along the river.
The initiative already has the support of more than **120 organizations** from Argentina and various countries in the **La Plata Basin** and other basins in **Latin America and the Caribbean**.
## Paddle in defense of the Paraná: the initiative
The aim is to **value and defend natural resources** such as water and the environment in general. Against “extractivist models that destroy biodiversity, marginalize their communities, and threaten our sovereignty”.
The journey will take place from March 1st to 22nd, starting from **Puerto Pilcomayo, where the Paraná and Paraguay rivers meet**. This will mark the beginning of a journey that will cover more than 20 points, passing through key cities such as **Resistencia, Corrientes, Goya, Santa Fe, and Paraná**.
The purpose is to create spaces for meetings, **assemblies, talks, and cultural activities** at each stop. It will conclude in Rosario on **World Water Day**, where the arrival of several vessels and celebrations by participating organizations is expected.
The paddle will be led by **Luis “Cosita” Romero**, a fisherman and environmental leader who led the **historic paddle of 1996** when, along with his partner **Raúl Rocco**, they paddled to halt the installation of a highly impactful dam in the middle of the Paraná.
They are accompanied by **Mariano Martínez, an artist from Paraná, Nelson Yapura** a fisherman, and Francisco Paredes, a documentarian who will document the journey.
The main vessels are the canoes “Yaguarona” and “La del Zurdo”, which were refurbished thanks to the work of the participating collectives in Paraná. They expect to add more boats along the way, enriching the paddle with the **riverbank communities**.
## Exposing the environmental impact
The aim of the journey is to showcase the environmental, social, and cultural impact that the re-privatization of the so-called **[Paraná-Paraguay Waterway](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/hidrovia-parana-paraguay-que-puede-pasar-al-aumentar-la-profundidad-del-rio/)** will have. “It is nothing more than our Paraná River, the hydrological heart of Argentina and Latin America,” said the organizers.
The organization invites the **community and various institutional actors** to join and participate in the Paddle and the meetings, talks, and activities to strengthen the fight in defense of the Paraná and the rivers of Latin America.
Paddle Against the Current is a collective action initiative that brings together over **180 environmental, social, religious, cultural, and political organizations** in defense of water, life, and sovereignty.
## Campaign launch and the waterway issue
Coordinated by **Martha Arriola** (from Cuidadores de la Casa Común), the event featured a presentation panel with the participation of various referents.
Among them, **“Cosita” Romero** (Cuidadores de la Casa Común – Asociación Civil Aangareco Nderejhé), **Luciano Orellano** (Foro por la Recuperación del Paraná and Encuentro Federal por la Soberanía), **Alejandro Meitin** (Casa Río Lab / Ensenada), **Blanca Osuna** (National Legislator for Entre Ríos), **Nelson Yapura** (Asociación Civil de Pescadores de Alto Verde, member of the National Council of Indigenous and Peasant Agriculture, and advisor to the Indigenous Fishermen of Salta, among other provinces), **Ukai Gladys Do Nacimiento**, belonging to the Charrúa Nation People, and **Horacio Enriquez** of the Eco Urbano Foundation.
“What is happening that we are not able to defend our rivers, nature, our children, our grandchildren,” Romero questioned. “Dredging to **[44 feet deepens](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/hidrovia-parana-paraguay-que-puede-pasar-al-aumentar-la-profundidad-del-rio/)** the ecocide of our basin,” he pointed out.
“Nowhere in the world will you see **ships of 80,000 tons**. The Danube, which reaches the Black Sea, the Rhine that crosses six countries across Europe, how many tons circulate? **From 4000 to 6000 tons**. Here they want to put ships of 80,000 tons,” Orellano expressed.
