February Revolution (Paraguay)

February Revolution in Paraguay was a military coup d’état on February 17, 1936 that brought to power colonel Rafael Franco. The Revolution marked the end of the chaotic Liberal Party rule in Paraguay and started the ascendancy of military dictatorships that lasted for more than half a century.

Franco’s government rapidly carried out many reforms, main of which was the land reform. Franco was overthrown on August 13, 1937, but his influence and that of febreiristas continued to influence Paraguayan politics and eventually led to the Paraguayan Civil war of 1947 and establishment of Revolutionary Febrerista Party in 1951.

The revolution has been described as a "joint Marxist and fascist coup" which "laid the groundwork for the pro-Nazi dictatorship of Higinio Morínigo in 1940".

The main idea behind the Revolution can be summoned with a fragment from a play by Julio Correa about the war: "After this war…we will embrace the tricolor, in this war we have demonstrated who we are…,that we are strong in the face of wrong, that we have strength and heart. We are going to expel all the Bolivians and later we will expel all of the traitors and thieves. Our country is ours…,we won it with sweat, tears and blood. All the Paraguayans after this war will have a piece of land on which to build their homes."

After armistice was signed on June 12, 1935 President Eusebio Ayala quickly dismissed many soldiers from the army and due to the economic recession they were left unemployed, many of them staying in Asuncion in search of better opportunities. These Chaco War veterans and officers, dissatisfied with the weak Liberal politician leadership during the war and treatment of demobilized soldiers, who were sent home without pensions, found a leader in a populist officer, colonel Rafael Franco. He was a political and military troublemaker who by this time had been appointed the head the Military College and the National War Veteran’s Association with more than 100 000 members.

By the end of Chaco War, the term of President Ayala was ending and he supported the popular commander of Paraguayan forces in Chaco, José Félix Estigarribia as a possible candidate. There were also suspicions that Ayola with the help of Estigarribia might want to extend his rule for another term. Estigarribia also had opponents within the military, who were dissatisfied with his leadership during the war.

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Wikipedia