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Paraguay

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Scenes from the Paraguayan War

The Paraguayans, led by the Marshal of the Republic Francisco Solano López, retaliated by attacking the Matto Grosso on 15 December 1864 and later declared war against Argentina on 23 March 1865. The “Blanco Government” was toppled and replaced by a “Colorado Government” under General Venancio Flores on 22 February 1865 and afterwards, the Argentine Republic, the Empire of Brazil and the Republic of Uruguay signed the Secret Treaty of the Triple Alliance against the Paraguayan Government, on 1 May 1865.

The Paraguayans held a ferocious resistance but were ultimately defeated in 1870 in the Battle of Cerro Corá, where Marshal Solano López was killed in action, refusing to surrender. The real causes of this war, which remains the bloodiest international conflict in the history of The Americas, are still highly debated.

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Battle of Cerro Cora

Paraguay lost 25–33% of its territory to Argentina and Brazil, was forced to pay an enormous war debt and to sell large amounts of national properties in order to restore its internal budget. But the worst consequence of the war was the catastrophic loss of population. At least 50% of the Paraguayans died during the conflict, numbers which took many decades for the country to return to.

During the pillaging of Asunción in 1869, the Imperial Brazilian Army packed up and transported the Paraguayan National Archives to Rio de Janeiro. Brazil’s records from the war have remained classified. This has made Paraguayan history in the Colonial and early National periods difficult to research and study.

20th Century:

In 1904 the Liberal revolution against the rule of Colorados broke out. The Liberal rule started a period of great political instability. Between 1904 and 1954 Paraguay had thirty-one presidents, most of whom were removed from office by force. Conflicts between the factions of the ruling Liberal party led to the Paraguayan Civil War of 1922.

The unresolved border conflict with Bolivia over the Chaco region finally erupted in the early 1930s in the Chaco War.

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Territorial Gain from Chaco War

After great losses Paraguay defeated Bolivia and established its sovereignty over most of the disputed Chaco region. After the war, military officers used popular dissatisfaction with the Liberal politicians to seize the power for themselves. On 17 February 1936, the February Revolution brought colonel Rafael Franco to power. Between 1940 and 1948, the country was ruled by general Higinio Morínigo. Dissatisfaction with his rule resulted in the Paraguayan civil war of 1947. In its aftermath Alfredo Stroessner began involvement in a string of plots, which resulted in his military coup d’état of 4 May 1954.

Stroessner Era, 1954–1989:

A series of unstable governments ensued until the establishment in 1954 of the regime of dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who remained in office for more than three decades until 1989. Paraguay was modernized to some extent under Stroessner’s regime, although his rule was marked by extensive human rights abuses.

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Alfredo Stroessner
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