The history of international relations of Brazil and Venezuela is fundamental for South American security and stability. The Venezuelan-Brazilian migratory crisis (2015-2021) created a certain level of uncertainty but also generated confidence-building measures capable of mobilizing public opinion, integrating governmental public policies, inducing multilevel and multiactor coordination, and networking international organizations with civil society organizations. By critically assessing Brazilian-Venezuelan border relations we could draw some insights on how to think on security and humanitarian functioning in 21st Century global politics. An in-depth perspective based on historical bilateral relations makes it possible to realize that today's Venezuelan-Brazilian migratory crisis connects itself to multiple tensions of the past that echoes through the present and paves the way to re-imagine the future of South America’s international relations. The historical background produces, at the same time, nodes of tension and the platform of the strategic partnership between Brazil and Venezuela. In the second part, we move on to critically thinking on ideas, discourses, and actions taken in face of. The Venezuelan-Brazilian border relations under a migratory crisis make the case for an improved context of defense, security, and humanitarian politics grounded on confidence-building measures, envisioning the future of a strategic partnership.