Ciudad del Este is a city born of a political decision rather than a slow urban evolution: founded in 1957 by order of President Alfredo Stroessner on the edge of a then nearly virgin forest, it has become in less than seven decades the second city of the country and one of the largest border trade hubs in South America. Its position, at the junction of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, makes it a commercial, tourist and logistics crossroads: people come for duty-free shopping, but also as a base to visit the Itaipu dam and, less than an hour away, the Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian side.
A city founded by decree, not by time
On January 28, 1957, President Alfredo Stroessner signed decree no. 24,634 instructing the Minister of the Interior Edgar L. Insfrán to found a city on the banks of the Paraná River. The city officially saw the light of day on February 3, 1957 under the name Puerto Flor de Lis, before being quickly renamed Puerto Presidente Stroessner in honor of the head of state. This planned foundation was part of the regime's "March to the East" policy, which sought to populate this forested region and open access for Paraguay to the Atlantic Ocean through Brazilian territory.
From the Friendship Bridge to the modern border city
The real turning point in Ciudad del Este's development came with the construction of the Friendship International Bridge, inaugurated on March 27, 1965, which links the city to Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil. This bridge, and then the Acaray and Itaipu dams built in the following decades, transformed a forest village into a major urban center. After the fall of Stroessner in 1989, a local referendum chose to abandon the dictator's name in favor of Ciudad del Este, a name that simply reflects the city's geographical position.
The capital of cross-border trade
Today, Ciudad del Este lives largely from border trade with Brazil and Argentina. Thousands of "paseros" cross the Friendship Bridge daily to take advantage of duty-free prices on electronics, perfumes, clothing and many other imported products. This economy, long associated with informality, is gradually diversifying into manufacturing and regional logistics, a topic explored in depth on the page economy of Paraguay.
Practical tips
| Useful information | |
|---|---|
| Getting there | 327 km from Asunción via the PY02/PY07 route, approximately 5 h by car. Local international airport. |
| Combine with | Itaipu Dam (15 min), Monday Falls (10 km), Iguazu Falls Brazilian side (1 h). |
| Customs | Check the customs allowances of your home country before any major purchase. |
| Getting around | Taxis and local buses; the commercial center is easily walkable. |
Sources
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