Brasiguayos

The term brasiguaio (Portuguese) or brasiguayo (Spanish) refers to individuals with social, cultural, or familial ties to both Brazil and Paraguay, particularly Brazilian migrants in Paraguay and their descendants. It may also include Paraguayans who migrated to Brazil and later returned. Population estimates for Brazilians residing in Paraguay vary widely, ranging from official Paraguayan census figures of around 81,592 to over 459,000 according to Brazilian diplomatic sources. According to 2024 estimates from the Observatory of Migrations in São Paulo, approximately 68,650 Paraguayans live in Brazil, with the largest concentration found in the states of Paraná, São Paulo, and Mato Grosso do Sul. Concentrated in Paraguayan border departments such as Alto Paraná and Canindeyú, brasiguaios are often of European descent and Portuguese-speaking, with some communities forming local majorities. The term, coined in 1985, emerged from the large-scale migration of Brazilians, primarily smallholder farmers from southern Brazil, to eastern Paraguay in the mid-20th century, driven by land scarcity and agricultural modernization in Brazil. While originally used to describe returnees to Brazil, brasiguaio has since evolved to represent a diverse population navigating dual identities, though it often carries socio-economic and political connotations.