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The Latin American Integration Route (RILA), also known as the Bioceanic Route, is an initiative with the potential to promote the development of the Brazil-Paraguay border zone. The creators of RILA aim, since the creation of the proposal in 2006 (which would be made official in 2015), to boost logistic activities, with the goal to increasing exports of commodities (grains, ores and meat) and, secondly, to boost regional tourism activity. In this sense, this article aims to analyze the potential and obstacles that involve the governance of tourism at the border between Brazil and Paraguay, specifically between the twin cities of Porto Murtinho (BR) and Carmelo Peralta (PY). Regarding the methodology, the present work configures a qualitative research, based on bibliographical and documentary approach, under an interdisciplinary perspective, anchored in the references of Tourism and Political Geography. The theoretical-empirical results correspond to the conceptual delimitation of what configures the governance of tourism in international border territories and the organization of the institutional matrix that will support the understanding of the organization of tourism and its governance in the researched territory. Furthermore, maps were created that demonstrate the intersection between the main tourism development policy in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and the RILA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Border management in Brazil cuts across state projects, land disputes and traffics repression, in a complex Latin American context. Analyses of the 1,765 km stretch between two triple borders in the Southern Cone show a dissimilar security architecture in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, reflecting national perspectives and problems. Despite existing cooperation and coordination agreements, border control is managed without a coherent and shared framework. National mindsets impose barriers to regional interoperability. Also, distinct population and network densities account for multiple border conditions. Since concrete institutional contacts are insufficient, the regional structure is heavily reliant on personal and temporary relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although AIDS care is generally improving in French Guiana, disparities among regions and certain key populations remain significant. The purpose of this study was to describe the spatial and clinical characteristics of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in remote areas in comparison to those followed in hospitals on the urban coast of French Guiana. The data presented were obtained from outpatient on primary care centers located in rural regions away from the urban coast. Data were compared with that from medical records of PLHIV treated in French Guiana's urban care. The evolution of the annual rate of discovery of HIV seropositivity indicates a lag in remote areas as compared to urban and coastal areas. In recent years, the epidemic appeared as particularly active in rural areas among Brazilian patients. The median age of PLHIV in remote areas was 43.8 years, the sex ratio (M/F) was 0.93. Nearly 37% of PLHIV were discovered with advanced disease (<200 CD4/mm3). The percentage of virological success after six months of HAART was 80% and 88% in remote areas and urban area, respectively. Efforts must be made to control and halt the spread of the HIV epidemic, as these remote sites represent strategic points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work focuses on the Brazilian-Uruguayan border region at Aceguá/Aceguá in an attempt to describe the literacy activities carried out in one or more languages (BORTOLINI, 2009; HORNBERGER, 2004) by students and their relatives outside the school context, in their daily lives. This research articulated quantitative and qualitative methodological perspectives (cf. RAUEN, 2006), and made use of forms applied in interviews, observations and field notes. The results suggest that the manifestation of different languages occur in the daily activities of border subjects. Even though Portuguese is the predominant language in use in some of the activities, biliteracy was found to be an important and current phenomenon in the lives of the individuals of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The border area between French Guiana and Brazil is an active HIV-transmission zone. The aim of the present study was to describe HIV knowledge, risk and the level of stigma among inhabitants of this border area.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 621 inhabitants over 18 years of age in the border cities of Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock in French Guiana and Oiapoque in Brazil. It was conducted between October 2017 and February 2018. An anonymous standardized questionnaire was filled out by culturally-trained mediators, then analyzed using STATA 12.Results: Almost half (45.9%) of the individuals had a low education level. Participants whose native language was Portuguese or French demonstrated better HIV knowledge than other populations, notably native Amerindian and creole-speaking people. HIV risk behavior was more frequent in men and in younger age groups. People with good HIV knowledge reported having performed more HIV tests in the last year than participants with poor knowledge. The stigma level was high and reported in 74.8% of respondents.Conclusions: These results illustrate the need for initiatives to improve HIV prevention among autochthonous populations on both sides of this border area. Cross-border collaboration on health policies could produce common key messages adapted to the education level and multi-linguistic populations who live in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]