From Asunción to Junín: Bartolomé Mitre and Paraguay from 1862 to 1874

Abstract

Reaching the Argentinian presidency in 1862, Bartolomé Mitre faced his most challenging task in the war against the republican neighbour of Paraguay. While he was running the Allied forces, the victorious General in Pavón had to deal with not only the enemies’ resistance but also the distrust of Brazilian allies, the criticism upon the lead of the conflict and the national uprisings at the provinces. Even though the war against Paraguay had contributed to consolidating the national state and spreading Mitre’s name beyond the four countries involved, the conflict ruined his political capital conquered at the fights for the national organization. Mitre’s candidate defeat at the presidential election in 1868 and even Mitre’s in 1874 confirms the decline of his icon and of his nationalist party. Therefore, this article aims to analyze Bartolome Mitre’s performance in Paraguay during and, mainly, after the war against Paraguay. In order to do that, a broad bibliographic referential and periodicals of the four countries involved were consulted, especially from Buenos Aires, such as La Nación, La Tribuna, El Nacional and El Mosquito. From the analyse which had been made it is argued that his performance in relation to Paraguay ensured, simultaneously, his redemption with the victory reached in Cerro Corá, and his downfall, after a failed revolutionary attempt in the city of Junín.