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province banded with Brazil and the Colorados in Uruguay on May 29, 1851. War
soon followed. Brazil led the charge to preserve Uruguay, ultimately overwhelming
Juan Manuel Rosas’s Argentine forces.
The Battle of Monte Caseros ended this war on February 3, 1852. Rosas fled to
Britain, ending Argentina’s broader territorial aims with Paraguay and Uruguay and
creating a power vacuum in Argentina.
MID#1527
Dispute Number: 1527
Date(s): March 22, 1872 to November 19, 1872
Participants: 140 Brazil/160 Argentina
Outcome (and Settlement): Compromise (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This dispute arose between Brazil and Argentina following the War of the
Triple Alliance. Its cause was the decision of Brazil minister Juan Maurice Wander-
ley, Barao de Cotegipe, to eschew the alliance with Argentina and negotiate directly
with Paraguay at the Asuncion Conference of 1872, in the war’s aftermath. Knowing
that negotiating unilaterally with Paraguay would not be well received in Buenos
Aires, Cotegipe nevertheless concluded the Cotegipe-Loizaga treaty of January 1872.
Brazil gained all its territorial claims in the treaty, and Paraguay even agreed to pay
an absurd war indemnity of US$300,000,000 in gold. No one expected Paraguay to
pay that debt, but the indemnity served as an informal signal that Paraguay agreed not
to recognize Argentine claims to the Gran Chaco. There was indeed furor in Buenos
Aires, though a British diplomat in Buenos Aires observed that Argentina had itself to
blame since they delayed the postwar negotiation process while contemplating the best
course of action for obtaining all of the Gran Chaco. When Argentina received word
of the Cotegipe-Loizaga treaty, it seized Villa Occidental, which angered Bolivia. A
March 22 letter from Brazil’s foreign minister (Correia) gave a thinly veiled warning
about Brazil’s interest of proceeding with this course of action, hoping that Argentina
would try to avoid war. Both sides had war fatigue and both had significant problems
domestically. Argentina was well aware that it could not force the issue. Bartolome
Mitre arrived in Rio de Janeiro on July 5, 1872, with the ambition to settle the dispute.
An agreement was signed on November 19, 1872. Brazil reaffirmed its obligations to
the alliance. Argentina recognized the Cotegipe-Loizaga treaties only after Argentina
and Uruguay were allowed to negotiate separately (or in tandem) with Paraguay.
Brazil acknowledged its allies’ right to do this and agreed to join forces with Uruguay
and Argentina to compel Paraguay into an agreement.
Coding changes: End Date changed from Missing.
MID#1526
Dispute Number: 1526
Date(s): March 24, 1874
Participants: 160 Argentina/140 Brazil
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None