Escape to Paraguay

On the banks of the Parana river in the south of Paraguay lies a group of towns known as Colonias Unidas - or United Colonies. These German settlements were first established more than 100 years ago - by a handful of immigrant families wanting to farm the land. Since then - There's been a steady stream of new settlers, until June 2021 that is - when suddenly - the numbers began to spike - but why?

BBC Mundo's Mar Pichel travelled to the south American country where she discovered unvaccinated German citizens have been migrating to Paraguay illegally - since covid inoculation became a requirement for entry in January. Not only that - but many of the new settlers told her they had become immigrants themselves - because they were uncomfortable with immigrants in Germany.