Wakker in Paraguay (2026)

An observational and judgment-free series about alert Dutch people fleeing regulations, refugees, and the government. Ex-criminals, conspiracy theorists, money-grabbers, chemtrails professors, radiation experts, COVID-19 deniers, and meat eaters meet in the promised land of Paraguay. Paraguay has a turbulent history. After the war, it served as a refuge for 1,000 to 2,000 Nazis (including Josef Mengele), and from 1954 onward, dictator Stroessner (until 1989!) conducted a reign of terror. But now everything is different for our men and women of steadfastness.

"It's best not to have natives as neighbors; it leads to trouble," and so the enterprising Dutchmen happily integrate among themselves. Seeking ultimate freedom, but protected and armed. Not everything is rosy, as it soon becomes clear. Whereupon our fortune seekers sigh that it illustrates "how the Jews must have felt." Awake in Paraguay is an intriguing documentary about waking up with a healthy dose of common sense. Lost in Paraguay.

Translated from Dutch · View original

Sleeping rich with colonial fantasies

'Wakker in Paraguay' (2026) reinforces my belief that conspiracy thinking is, at its core, primarily an alternative business model in which gullible people fall for smooth sales pitches. With its drone shots and Roos Ouwehand's sarcastic voice-over, the docuseries sketches the contrast between the Netherlands and Paraguay with such delightful viciousness: that over-regulated little country pitted against the open fields and alluring freedom of South America. But between the lines, you can sense how little these Dutch people have truly read up on their new home: their own history, the strict handling of COVID-19, the social problems, and the high housing prices caused by the arrival of foreigners. Meanwhile, snake oil salesmen like the Engel family and Jeroen Pols offer a welcoming hand to bring in new flock members, while they themselves so clearly profit from it. After all, the dreams of others are worth a fortune.

Translated from Dutch · View original