What is the name of Pawnee's Venezuelan sister city?

The story behind the answer

Pawnee's Venezuelan sister city is Boraqua. The fictional city is introduced in “Sister City,” the fifth episode of Parks and Recreation’s second season, when Leslie Knope prepares to welcome its parks-department delegation.

The delegation, led by Raul, immediately creates a clash of cultures. The visitors treat Pawnee as primitive, boast about Venezuela’s oil wealth, and misunderstand local customs. Their behavior turns the sister-city exchange into one of the show’s most pointed political comedies. Boraqua itself is fictional, so it should not be confused with real Venezuelan cities such as Barinas, Valencia, or Maracay.

The relationship ends badly after Leslie discovers that Raul’s video message is part of a “Committee to Humiliate and Shame America.” She tears up a $35,000 check intended to help fill Pawnee’s infamous pit, and Raul declares that Pawnee is no longer Boraqua’s sister city. The episode originally aired on October 15, 2009, and guest-starred Fred Armisen as Raul.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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