Ciudad del Este

do comércio de fronteira ao centro de São Paulo

Abstract

The commercial dynamics of Ciudad del Este is the basis for many representations of Paraguay in Brazil. These are pejorative images that associate “from Paraguay” and “Paraguayan” with “smuggling” and “fake” and tell nothing about the development of border trade. In this article, we seek to discuss these representations analyzing the development of the trade dynamics from the diplomatic rapprochement between the two countries, the “sacoleiros” tourism and the migratory flows linking Ciudad del Este and São Paulo.