156 Chapter 2
Negotiations followed, but ended in deadlock on May 25, 1857. Brazil played hard-
ball as a response. On September 16, 1857, Jose Maria da Silva Paranhos mobilized,
proclaiming that they were prepared to settle the boundary issue by force of arms.
Troops were then concentrated on the frontier of Rio Grande. Further, Paranhos took
advantage of Lopez’s suspicion of everyone in his neighborhood by concluding a
treaty on amicable terms with Argentina. The agreement with Argentina, and corollary
celebration, foreshadowed the eventual War of the Triple Alliance.
On January 7, 1858, Paranhos eventually arrived in Asuncion to warn Lopez that
Brazil was prepared for conflict and that Lopez had no ally in his corner. Lopez even-
tually conceded. On February 12, 1858, Lopez and Paranhos signed a river treaty. This
treaty essentially reproduced the earlier agreement at Parana of November 20, 1857,
between Argentina and Brazil. By the terms of the agreement, Lopez had to withdraw
his previous decrees about river navigation. While this treaty ended the dispute, the
pressure put on Lopez did not make him any more inclined to treat Brazil (and Argen-
tina) warmly. The border issue was still left unsatisfied (because of the six-year delay)
and Brazil had compelled Paraguay into revising the status quo on unfavorable terms.
The War of the Triple Alliance would come shortly.
MID#1589
Dispute Number: 1589
Date(s): April 1862 to May 1862
Participants: 140 Brazil/150 Paraguay
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: In April 1862, tensions across the border increased when President Lopez
of Paraguay began to complain that Brazilian forces were encroaching on Paraguayan
territory, including a brief attack on local forces. One reason for this encroachment
was the strategic importance to Brazil of river access to Mato Grosso. In response to
this, Lopez began to fortify Humaita, an important fortress that controlled access to
Asuncion on the River Paraguay, and increase his standing army. In May, a corre-
spondence between President Lopez and Brazilian Minister Borges contained accusa-
tions by Lopez that a Brazilian force had violated Paraguay’s northern border. Borges
denied the accusation. Tensions gradually eased as no further incidents occurred for
some time.
MID#1590
Dispute Number: 1590
Date(s): August 30, 1863 to March 1, 1870
Participants: 150 Paraguay/140 Brazil, 160 Argentina
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side B (Imposed)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: The War of the Triple Alliance pitted Paraguay against the allied forces of
Brazil and Argentina. The legacy of European colonialism in South America left the
area encompassing modern day Uruguay uncertain.