Patagonia as a refuge from collapse: two empty Spains

Patagonia as a refuge: the paradise nobody lives in

Two Patagonian provinces, Río zaino and Chubut, cover an area equivalent to the whole of Spain. Yet barely 600,000 people live there. With a European crisis on the horizon, some have found the perfect refuge: Argentine Patagonia. Pristine nature, absolute peace and a minimal population. But that oasis has more rough edges than it seems.

Climate and logistics: the price of solitude

Supporters of this destination paint an idyllic picture, but reality imposes extreme conditions. Intense cold, constant wind and overwhelming distances. Hundreds of kilometres with nothing and no one. Depopulation is such that, in some spots, the possibility of spotting a living dinosaur is taken as a joke. For many, this is an insurmountable drawback. Others, however, see solitude as the greatest attraction.

Other routes: Asia, Mendoza and the shadow of Parravicini

Not everyone seeks refuge in South America. Some prefer Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore or Malaysia. Others opt for closer destinations, such as Mendoza, isolated and prosperous. The debate also has an esoteric side: the prophecies of Benjamin Solari Parravicini, who predicted that Argentina would become the "good Samaritan of the earth" after a great catastrophe, fuel the belief that the Andean country is the chosen place.

A viable plan or a mirage?

With these opposing views, the debate over the best refuge from a possible collapse remains open. Patagonia's advantages are isolation and an abundance of space; against it, a hostile climate and minimal infrastructure. Is it really the perfect bunker, or just a myth fed by the imagination? The answer probably lies somewhere in between.