This paper presents an analysis of the internationalisation of intermediate cities in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.Framed in the field of the paradiplomacy studies, it takes a critical stance on the use of SHORTS the concept and returns to alternative theoretical-methodological tools, such as subnational international policy and the international participation index.Taking a quantitative-qualitative approach, it notes a significantly higher internationalisation profile of these cities recently, with increasing levels of institutionalisation and a pre-eminence of unilateral and bilateral strategies.The originality of the work lies in its Embroidery Floss focus on a realm that has received relatively little attention in the speciality in Latin America, and in the study of general trends, going beyond the single case studies that dominate the field.