Brief Published (Dubai time, UTC+4) · source dated 2026-10-02
In 2025, Paraguay issued 40,600 residence permits to foreigners, a record for this South American country. More than half of these permits were granted to Brazilians, primarily supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro, reports France 24.
This migration is explained by fears of President Lula’s victory in the October 2026 elections, as well as by the economic crisis Brazil is experiencing, which Bolsonaro supporters blame for worsening under Lula’s administration. Paraguay has thus become a fiscal and political refuge for this segment of the Brazilian population.
The phenomenon is expected to intensify in 2026, according to forecasts from Paraguayan authorities and analyses relayed by France 24.