1811, Paraguay's Independence

Hi again! I now found this video about Paraguay's Independence in 1811. It is a cartoon movie made in commemoration of a the two hundred anniversary of Paraguay's independence. The video is in Spanish, but I'll write the most important facts in this post.

The Independence of Paraguay

In 1808 Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain and converted it into another French province, putting his own brother Joseph Bonaparte in the throne of Spain. When the news arrived to Paraguay, the authorities began to think about liberty, not knowing what would happen to them. The creoles were resented of the Spanish because they had every high post in government and church, while they weren't born in the New World. In Argentina the people began to arise, to get rid of Spanish control. They once sent an army against Paraguay to capture the governor Velasco, who was Spanish. They wanted to annex Paraguay to the government of Buenos Aires and get them rid of the Spanish. The governor created a little army, and even the creoles fought with him against the army: they wouldn't get rid of Spanish government to be conquered by other people.

The battle began, and it seemed that for Paraguay it was lost, so their forces retreated. Still, while the enemy soldiers were sacking the city, the Paraguayans fell on them, crushing them until they fled. They left them continue marching south for a while, and when their soldiers were tired Paraguayans attacked them again, but they saw that they were even killing young boys, so they stopped the assault. The enemy general accepted defeat sacrificing himself for the good of his men, but the Paraguayans spared them all, inviting them to dinner and letting them go back to their home. 

It had been a great victory; still, when they went back they found out that the Spanish were leaving because they thought they had lost the battle, taking all of their riches with them.They noticed that the Spanish fled while Paraguayans stayed to fight, which revived independence dreams. They thought of making a treaty with the Portuguese, but some were skeptical towards the idea.

Somebody told the government about the conspiracy, so they sent soldiers to arrest the leaders. When they told Francia that they had arrested their leaders, he told them that the Age of the Conquistadors was gone, and it was time for the Americas to continue on their own. For some time the conspirators were in prison, thinking about freedom, not for themselves, but for Paraguay. Many others were thinking about this, many Spanish trembled in fear.

Meanwhile, the news about rebellion in the Americas were beginning to arise doubts within the Spanish: that in Buenos Aires Spanish generals were laying down their swords, that in Venezuela people from good families like Simon Bolivar were leading the rebellion, that creoles formed most of the rebels. The Spanish were looking from help from Portugal, whose queen was sister to the king of Spain.

Francia was one of the most important leaders of Paraguay's Independence War

When the rebels heard about this, they began to make plans of a new government, rid of the Spanish. They decided that they needed Francia to lead their rebellion, and Francia accepted to be the one. He proposed to keep the Spanish happy, and send them out of the capital city slowly. That same night, they captured their artillery and other barracks. Still, no blood had been spilled. They threatened the governor and then he accepted to send all his troops away in exchange of his life.

It was a bloodless and successful revolution, that liberated the people of Paraguay, giving them long-wanted freedom.