Bulgarians in South America
Encyclopedia
Bulgarians have been settling in South America as economic emigrants
since the late 19th century. Their presence has been documented in Uruguay
since 1905, in Argentina
since 1906 and in Brazil
since the early 20th century.
diaspora in South America is strongest in Argentina, where 40,000 people of Bulgarian descent are thought to live, the diaspora itself assessing its size to be at least 80,000. However, according to official data, only around 3,000 people have declared Bulgarian nationality in Argentina. Bulgarians mainly live in Buenos Aires
, Berisso
, Mar del Plata
, Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña
, Las Breñas
and Comodoro Rivadavia
. The most significant wave of emigration was in the 1920s, following World War I
, when over 20,000 Bulgarians (mostly from northern Bulgaria
: around Veliko Tarnovo
, Lovech
, Pleven
, Vratsa
and Targovishte
) settled in Argentina. Some of them formed a compact community in the agricultural Chaco Province
, introducing the first tractor
to Chaco.
According to estimates, 1,800–5,000 Bulgarians live in Brazil, chiefly in Rio de Janeiro
, São Paulo
, Porto Alegre
and Belo Horizonte
, including many Bessarabian Bulgarians
and some Bulgarian Jews
and Bulgarian Armenians
. The most famous Brazilian of Bulgarian origin is President Dilma Rousseff
from the Workers' Party
. Her father Pétar was born in Gabrovo
and, as an active member of the Bulgarian Communist Party
in the 1920s, had to flee from Bulgaria in 1929 due to political persecution. Rousseff's wide margin over her rivals sparked a "Dilma fever" in Bulgaria. Although she does not speak Bulgarian and has never been to Bulgaria, she said in an interview that she does feel like a Bulgarian to a certain extent.
A notable Bulgarian diaspora also exists in Uruguay, numbering around 2,000. Most Bulgarians in this country live in Montevideo
, with some in Fray Bentos
, Punta del Este
, Maldonado
, Durazno
and Rocha
. In the late 1920s, there were around 4,000 Bulgarians in Uruguay.
A smaller number of Bulgarians have also settled in Chile
(today around 150, mostly in Santiago
), Venezuela
(today around 130), Peru
, Paraguay
, Colombia
. Out of South America, there are also figures for Mexico
(today around 250–300, mostly in Mexico City
), and Cuba
(today around 200, mostly in Havana
).
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
since the late 19th century. Their presence has been documented in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
since 1905, in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
since 1906 and in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
since the early 20th century.
History and distribution
The BulgarianBulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
diaspora in South America is strongest in Argentina, where 40,000 people of Bulgarian descent are thought to live, the diaspora itself assessing its size to be at least 80,000. However, according to official data, only around 3,000 people have declared Bulgarian nationality in Argentina. Bulgarians mainly live in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Berisso
Berisso
Berisso is the "cabecera" of the Department of Berisso of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It forms part of the Greater La Plata urban area and has a population of approximately 14.021 Inhabitants.-People:...
, Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
, Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña
Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña
Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña is a city in the . It is the second largest in the province. It is located west-northwest of the provincial capital Resistencia, on the main rail and road route across northern Argentina to Salta...
, Las Breñas
Las Breñas
Las Breñas is a city in Chaco Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Nueve de Julio Department.The economy of Las Breñas is centrad around agriculture and farming. It is home to a Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria facility....
and Comodoro Rivadavia
Comodoro Rivadavia
Comodoro Rivadavia is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San Jorge Basin....
. The most significant wave of emigration was in the 1920s, following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when over 20,000 Bulgarians (mostly from northern Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
: around Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
, Lovech
Lovech
Lovech is a town in north-central Bulgaria with a population of 36,296 as of February 2011. It is the administrative centre of the Lovech Province and of the subordinate Lovech Municipality. The town is located about 150 km northeast from the capital city of Sofia...
, Pleven
Pleven
Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality...
, Vratsa
Vratsa
Vratsa is a city in northwestern Bulgaria, at the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Vratsa Province. As of February 2011, the town has a population of 60,482 inhabitants....
and Targovishte
Targovishte
Targovishte is a city in Bulgaria, capital of Targovishte Province. It is situated at the northern foot of the low mountain of Preslav on both banks of the Vrana River. The town is 335 km away to the north-east from the capital Sofia and about 125 km to the west from the city of Varna...
) settled in Argentina. Some of them formed a compact community in the agricultural Chaco Province
Chaco Province
Chaco is an Argentine province located in the north of the country, near the border with Paraguay. Its capital is Resistencia on the Paraná River opposite the city of Corrientes...
, introducing the first tractor
Tractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
to Chaco.
According to estimates, 1,800–5,000 Bulgarians live in Brazil, chiefly in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
and Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
, including many Bessarabian Bulgarians
Bessarabian Bulgarians
The Bessarabian Bulgarians are a Bulgarian minority group of the historical region of Bessarabia, inhabiting parts of present-day Ukraine and Moldova.- Location and number :-Modern Ukraine:...
and some Bulgarian Jews
History of the Jews in Bulgaria
The history of the Jews in Bulgaria dates to at least as early as the 2nd century CE. Since then, the Jews have had a continuous presence in the Bulgarian lands and have played an often considerable part in the history of Bulgaria from ancient times through the Middle Ages until...
and Bulgarian Armenians
Armenians in Bulgaria
Armenians are the fourth largest minority in Bulgaria, numbering 10,832 according to the 2001 census, while Armenian organizations estimate up to 22,000. They have been inhabiting the Balkans since no later than the 5th century, when they moved there as part of the Byzantine cavalry...
. The most famous Brazilian of Bulgarian origin is President Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....
from the Workers' Party
Workers' Party (Brazil)
The Workers' Party is a democratic socialist political party in Brazil. Launched in 1980, it is recognized as one of the largest and most important left-wing movements of Latin America. It governs at the federal level in a coalition government with several other parties since January 1, 2003...
. Her father Pétar was born in Gabrovo
Gabrovo
Gabrovo is a city in central northern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Gabrovo Province. It is situated at the foot of the central Balkan Mountains, in the valley of the Yantra River, and is known as an international capital of humour and satire , as well as noted for its Bulgarian National...
and, as an active member of the Bulgarian Communist Party
Bulgarian Communist Party
The Bulgarian Communist Party was the communist and Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946 until 1990 when the country ceased to be a communist state...
in the 1920s, had to flee from Bulgaria in 1929 due to political persecution. Rousseff's wide margin over her rivals sparked a "Dilma fever" in Bulgaria. Although she does not speak Bulgarian and has never been to Bulgaria, she said in an interview that she does feel like a Bulgarian to a certain extent.
A notable Bulgarian diaspora also exists in Uruguay, numbering around 2,000. Most Bulgarians in this country live in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, with some in Fray Bentos
Fray Bentos
Fray Bentos, the capital of the Río Negro Department of western Uruguay, is a port on the Uruguay River. It is close to the border with Argentina and about due north of Buenos Aires.-History:...
, Punta del Este
Punta del Este
Punta del Este is a resort town on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay. It is located on the intersection of Route 10 with Route 39, directly southeast of the department capital Maldonado and about east of Montevideo...
, Maldonado
Maldonado, Uruguay
Maldonado is the capital of Maldonado Department of Uruguay. It is located on Route 39 and shares borders with Punta del Este to the south, Pinares - Las Delicias to the south and to the east and suburb La Sonrisa to the north. Together they all for a unified metropolitan area. East of the city...
, Durazno
Durazno
Durazno is the capital of Durazno in Uruguay. It is located at the intersection of Routes 5 and 41, in the south of the department, close to the borders with the departments of Flores to the southwest and Florida| to the southeast. It is only northeast of the city of Trinidad, capital of Flores...
and Rocha
Rocha, Uruguay
-External links:*...
. In the late 1920s, there were around 4,000 Bulgarians in Uruguay.
A smaller number of Bulgarians have also settled in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(today around 150, mostly in Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
), Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
(today around 130), Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. Out of South America, there are also figures for Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(today around 250–300, mostly in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
), and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
(today around 200, mostly in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
).
Notable figures
- Luis Bacalov (b. 1933), Academy Award-winning Argentine composer
- Iván Drenikoff, VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n scholar - Alphonse Emanuiloff–Max, Uruguayan political scientist, journalist and honorary consul
- Fabián EstoyanoffFabián EstoyanoffFabián Larry Estoyanoff Poggio is an Uruguayan footballer of Bulgarian descent who plays for Greek club Panionios as a right winger.-Early years:...
(b. 1982), Uruguayan footballer - Juan Carlos Bacileff Ivanoff, Argentine politician, vice-governor of Chaco ProvinceChaco ProvinceChaco is an Argentine province located in the north of the country, near the border with Paraguay. Its capital is Resistencia on the Paraná River opposite the city of Corrientes...
(2007–) - Jorge Kurteff (b. 1916), Argentine metal sculptor
- Jorge LazaroffJorge LazaroffJorge Ovidio Lazaroff Cesconi was an Uruguayan composer, singer and guitarist.His father was a Bulgarian immigrant and his mother was born in Salta, Argentina.-Discography:*Albañil *Dos...
(19501989), Uruguayan composer - Miguel and Juan Lazaroff, founders of UruguayUruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an football club Danubio F.C.Danubio F.C.-History:Danubio was founded by the Bulgarian born brothers, Miguel and Juan Lazaroff, on March 1, 1932 together with other youths from the "Republica de Nicaragua" school in Montevideo...
(named after the Danube RiverDanubeThe Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
) - Luis Petcoff NaidenoffLuis Petcoff NaidenoffLuis Carlos Petcoff Naidenoff is an Argentine Radical Civic Union politician. He sits in the Argentine Senate representing Formosa Province....
(b. 1967), Argentine politician, senatorArgentine SenateThe Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires... - Teodoro PetkoffTeodoro PetkoffTeodoro Petkoff Malec is a Venezuelan politician, ex-guerrilla, journalist and economist. One of the most prominent politicians on the left in Venezuela, Petkoff began as a communist but gravitated towards liberalism in the 1990s. As Minister of Planning he oversaw President Rafael Caldera's...
(b. 1932), Venezuelan politician and former government minister - Dilma RousseffDilma RousseffDilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....
(b. 1947), President of BrazilPresident of BrazilThe president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces... - Carlos Tenev (19411997), Argentine politician, senator (1988–1989) and deputyArgentine Chamber of DeputiesThe Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
(1993–1997) - Florencio Tenev (19291999), Argentine politician, governor of Chaco Province (1983–1987)
- João Cláudio Todorov (b. 1941), Brazilian psychologist, former rector of the University of Brasília
- Aleksandar TsankovAleksandar TsankovAleksander Tsolov Tsankov was a leading Bulgarian right wing politician between the two World Wars.-Biography:...
(18791959), Bulgarian right wing politician who spent the last 10 years of his life as an exile in Argentina - Jaime YankelevichJaime YankelevichJaime Yankelevich was an Argentine engineer and businessman who was a pioneer in the development of his country's radio and television media.-Life and times:...
(18961952), Argentine radio mogul who introduced television in Argentina
See also
- Bulgarian diasporaBulgarian diasporaBulgarian diaspora consists of Bulgarian emigrants and their descendants.The number of Bulgarians outside Bulgaria has sharply increased since 1991, following the collapse of the communism in Eastern Europe. Over one million Bulgarians have left the country, either permanently or as temporary...
- Immigration to ArgentinaImmigration to ArgentinaImmigration in Argentina, can be divided in several major stages:* Spanish colonization starting in the 16th century, integrating the indigenous inhabitants ....
- Immigration to BrazilImmigration to BrazilImmigration to Brazil is the movement to Brazil of foreign persons to reside permanently. It should not be confused with the colonisation of the country by the Portuguese, or with the forcible bringing of people from Africa as slaves....
- Immigration to Uruguay