Page "History of Paraguay" Paragraph 44

When the junta learned that a porteño diplomat was on his way to Asunción, it panicked because it realized it was not competent to negotiate without Francia.

In November 1812, the junta members invited Francia to take charge of foreign policy, an offer Francia accepted.

In return, the junta agreed to place one-half of the army and half the available munitions under Francia's command.

In the absence of anyone equal to him on the junta, Francia now controlled the government.

When the Argentine envoy, Nicolás de Herrera, arrived in May 1813, he learned to his dismay that all decisions had to await the meeting of a Paraguayan congress in late September.

Meanwhile, Paraguay again declared itself independent of Argentina and expelled two junta members known to be sympathetic to union with Argentina.

Under virtual house arrest, Herrera had little scope to build support for unification, even though he resorted to bribery.