The authorities in Paraguay say they're investigating the discovery of hundreds of barrels of toxic waste in the capital, Asuncion. According to customs officials, the barrels were found on Tuesday during a routine inspection of a warehouse. The waste is believed to be part of a consignment that entered the country illegally more than five years ago. As one of our South America correspondents Stephen Cviich reports, the discovery also has implications for Paraguay's tense political situation.

The authorities say they have not yet been able to establish exactly what's in the barrels, but they know they contain more than one-hundred-and-thirty thousand litres of toxic waste. One official said they still needed to obtain special scientific equipment before they could carry out a thorough examination.

The barrels were allegedly found on Tuesday during a routine inspection of a warehouse. They are thought to have been part of a consignment which entered the country illegally from Europe more than five years ago.

However, the authorities haven't been able to explain how they managed to lie there undetected for so long. Toxic waste is a highly sensitive subject in Paraguay.

It's never been established beyond doubt exactly who was responsible for the shipment of dangerous chemicals. But in the past few months, some newspapers have started to link the plots with the name of Lino Oviedo, Paraguay's controversial former army commander and now, presidential candidate.

It's alleged that Mr Oviedo conspired with his country's ambassador in Germany to ship the waste from the port of Bremen across the Atlantic and then up river to Asuncion. The former general denies the allegations, which he regards as part of a plot by the government to discredit him.