War of the Triple Alliance: on March 29, 1865, Paraguay declared war on Argentina

2024-03-29 08:30:00

159 years ago, more precisely on March 29, 1865, the government of Paraguay declared war on Argentina. However, the conflict originated at the end of the previous year, when Marshal Francisco Solano LópezParaguayan president, decided to come to the aid of the Uruguayan government, led by the Blanco Party.

In that context, López warned both Argentina and Brazil that I would consider any aggression against Uruguay as an “attack on the balance of the States of La Plata”.

However, Brazil had a lot of interest in the eastern side, so it sent troops to invade it in October 1864 in support for the Colorado Party, opponent of the local government.

In retaliation, Paraguay seized a Brazilian merchant ship and kidnapped the governor of Mato Grossostarting the war between both countries.

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Solano López requested authorization from the Argentine president Bartolome Miter to cross Argentine territory towards Uruguay with his troops, but the request was rejected.

Argentina did not want to abandon its neutral position and maintained affinity with the Colorado Party of Uruguay.

In response, on March 18, 1865, the Congress of Paraguay authorized President López to declare war on Argentina, who published on the 29th of the same month the reasons why the decision was made.

The attempt by the president of Paraguay to support the Blanco Party in the Uruguayan government was late: its fall had already occurred as a consequence of the defeat in the Battle of Paysandú.

Francisco Solano López, painted by Aurelio García Corvalán in 1866.

The deadliest war in South America, with almost half a million dead

To try to reverse the situation, Paraguayan troops occupied the Argentine city of Corrientes in Aprilforcing Argentina to enter the war.

With the exception of Buenos Aires and Rosario, Argentina’s entry into the conflict was rejected by the population, to the point that a large part of those who made up the troops they did it forcefully.

The war ended in 1870 with the defeat of Paraguay.which had serious consequences especially in demographic terms.

With almost half a million fallen, it was the deadliest war in the history of South America.