154 Chapter 2
140 Brazil/145 Bolivia
MID#1178
Dispute Number: 1178
Date(s): August 8, 1902 to March 21, 1903
Participants: 140 Brazil/145 Bolivia
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Imposed)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The Acre River area was a contested boundary among the states of Brazil,
Bolivia, and Peru, that was desirable at the time because of its rich rubber deposits.
In this specific instance, Brazil initiated a blockade—on August 8, 1902—against
Bolivia as a reprisal for Bolivian attempts to sell concessions to the disputed territory.
France, Germany, Britain, Switzerland, and the United States all protested, the last of
the bunch voicing only mild protest in January 1903.
Brazil modified the blockade on February 20, 1903, to allow commercial transit,
but maintained an embargo on arms shipments into the disputed area. Subsequent
negotiations among the observing states effectively detached Bolivia from all foreign
support. Bolivia’s only hope for a favorable adjustment was an intervention, likely
from the Americans. An agreement on March 21 gave Brazil occupation much of the
contested territory east of the Purus. The Bolivian Syndicate, a New York City–based
rubber company, which Brazil neutralized in order to eliminate any chance of foreign
intervention, received a 110,000-pound indemnity. A later agreement was signed
at Petropolis on November 17. That agreement affixed the border in a manner that
afforded Brazil significant stretches of the Acre region. The concessions were so great
that Bolivia no longer had claims to any of the rubber-rich regions during the period
of the rubber boom.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from June 19, 1902. End Date changed from
Missing.
140 Brazil/150 Paraguay
MID#1587
Dispute Number: 1587
Date(s): September 1850 to October 14, 1850
Participants: 140 Brazil/150 Paraguay
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side B (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Brazil established a garrison in disputed territory in late 1850. Paraguay
responded by establishing two posts at the Fecho de Morros and the Pan de Azucar
and attempted to enter into talks with the Brazilian minister at Ascuncion. On October
14, after having failed to negotiate any sort of agreement, Paraguay sent in a small
force that successfully dispersed the Brazilian garrison after a brief engagement.