Abstract

The transhumance of goat breeders from Coquimbo (Chile) in the High Valleys of Calingasta (San Juan, Argentina) is a unique case in the American continent due to its long history and the integration and cross-border cooperation links involved. This is an ancestral practice carried out by a very humble economic sector, and one that has been sustained over the years thanks to the social, economic, and cultural integration of Coquimbo and San Juan. However, the recent practice of summer pasturing was interrupted for more than a decade –between 2001 and 2013–, postponed in 2019 and again interrupted in 2020. This article explores the experience of the reopening in 2013, the debates and effects of its postponement in 2019 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The objective is to highlight the will for integration and cross-border cooperation between Coquimbo and San Juan, which is reflected in the para-diplomatic actions undertaken by both sub-state governments in the search for solutions. The article draws on primary sources –proceedings, news articles and interviews with key informants–, and a secondary bibliography to provide context.