Latin America Politics General Thread

[superrific]

I don't think Ive ever heard of Uruguay being a massive spot for money laundering.

because its not. it is used for laundering by regional gangs but it isnt some sort of cayman islands

 

[donbosco]

As I wrote on the previous page - look to Paraguay for contraband heaven.

I spent a bit of time in Ciudad del Este. There’s a bridge there over the border with Brasil called the Puente de Amistad. There is a steady stream of ‘smugglers’ literally marching across from P to B carrying all kinds of electronics etc. Trucks too. The customs agents don’t stop them for anything but bribes. Those agents have historically gone ‘on strike’ for raises and benefits — by actually doing their job and thereby completely gumming up a significant sector of the Paraguayan economy. When they get their raise they go back to taking bribes instead. This relationship to regional trade goes back to the 19th century there.

 

[superrific]

As I wrote on the previous page - look to Paraguay for contraband heaven.

I spent a bit of time in Ciudad del Este. There’s a bridge there over the border with Brasil called the Puente de Amistad. There is a steady stream of ‘smugglers’ literally marching across from P to B carrying all kinds of electronics etc. Trucks too. The customs agents don’t stop them for anything but bribes. Those agents have historically gone ‘on strike’ for raises and benefits — by actually doing their job and thereby completely gumming up a significant sector of the Paraguayan economy. When they get their raise they go back to taking bribes instead. This relationship to regional trade goes back to the 19th century there.

so everyone reading this understands, what you are describing is not money laundering. i have no doubt that is a pretty accurate description of a paraguayan black market. but it's just a black market. there are black markets everywhere. maybe more per capita and per gdp in paraguay than elsewhere.