Which early European explorers reached the Paraguay region in the 1520s?

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The earliest European explorers to reach the region of Paraguay in the 1520s were Alejo GarcĂ­a and Sebastian Cabot.12

  • Alejo GarcĂ­a: In 1524, he traveled from the Brazilian coast to reach the area.12
  • Sebastian Cabot: Beginning in 1526, the Italian explorer conducted a detailed study of the RĂ­o de la Plata estuary and ascended the ParanĂĄ and Paraguay rivers.134

These explorers were motivated by the search for routes to the mineral wealth of Peru and were aided by the GuaranĂ­ people, who were natural allies due to their own historical conflicts with neighboring groups.12