The current global economic crisis has raised the degree of complexity when it comes to predicting likely scenarios and defining civil society strategies on infrastructure investments in South America.. At this moment, It is difficult to predict how the two major processes that were guiding the course and determining the scenario for the next few years will be at the end of the crisis.

One of the processes we have been tracking is the transformation of the agricultural economy driven by the new capital flow from the stock market for the acquisition of industries and grain farms and also for the large scale investments in sugar cane plants for the production of sugar-ethanol and the generation of electrical energy. In reality this process promoted a new cycle of growth.

The other important process could be defined as political/economical with Brazil as an emerging regional the protagonist. From the governments of South America arise new regional institutions such as Unasul. Another element is the large-scale investment of Brazilian companies such as Petrobras, as well as loans from Bank of Brazil and BNDES for infrastructure and other sectors of the economy of South American countries. It’s important to note that before the crisis a new integration proposal was being prepared, probably distinct from IIRSA.

How will the next few years be? Will investors like Soros, Bill Gates and funds formed from the stock markets continue to provide money for biofuel plants and agricultural production? Will the Inter-American Bank of Development continue with its policy for biofuels? Roberto Vellutini, director of infrastructure and environment for the Bank, recently reported to a newspaper a new line of credit of 6 billion USD for South America.

Will the production of electricity from biomass continue to expand? How will the results of this new scenario reflect on the expansion of large infrastructure in the distinct South American territories?

This situation is so complex that there is also the possibility that the World Bank, previously distant from large infrastructure projects will start to finance them again, as recently reported by another newspaper.