In this study, strain magnitudes and tectonic shortening across the Chapada Diamantina fold-and-thrust belt are calculated by finite strain analysis, cross-section restoration and kinematic forward models. A total of 9 complete 3D strain analyses on oriented samples were conducted by the Inertia Tensor method and best fit ellipsoids were computed, resulting in strain ratios (X/Z) varying from 1.190 to 2.504. Predominant oblate shaped ellipsoids related to down-dipping stretching directions are associated with regional transport direction from SW to NE, with reverse faults, upright axial-plane fold and sub-horizontal axis. The restoration of the cross-section yielded a shortening of 19.37%, understood as the minimum tectonic shortening. The adopted model assumes the inversion of former extensional faults (steep thrusts), where the structural architecture of the area is mainly controlled by the inherited rift basin architecture, with basement involvement in a combination of thick and thin skin deformation. Similarly, the assessment of kinematic forward models resulted in a minimum shortening of 18.5%. Comparably, finite strain data integration techniques yielded a total of 21.65% of regional tectonic shortening, representing the horizontal component of ductile flattening strain across the section due to penetrative strain. Therefore, we present, by three different and independent approaches, an estimate range of tectonic shortening between 18%–22% at the western Chapada Diamantina region, but the total amount of shortening across the Paramirim aulacogen might have been greater. These results suggest that the western and eastern parts of the São Francisco craton could not be considered as rigidly linked during the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian Brasiliano orogeny, with the Paramirim aulacogen exerting an import role.