The group set up a provisional government in 1869, mainly under Brazilian auspices and signed the 1870 peace accords, which guaranteed Paraguay's independence and free river navigation.

Believing that more freedom would cure Paraguay's ills, they abolished slavery and founded a constitutional government as soon as they came to power.

The country was slowly being repopulated by former Brazilian soldiers who had fought in the War of the Triple Alliance, and Paraguay's government encouraged European immigration.

Between 1962 and 1975 the United States provided $ 146 million to Paraguay's military government and Paraguayan officers were trained at the US Army School of the Americas.

Paraguay's colonial history was one of general calm punctuated by turbulent political events ; the country's economy at the time made it unimportant to the Spanish crown, and the distance of its capital from other new cities on the South American continent led to isolation.

He was also correct in his assumption that neither Brazil nor Argentina paid much attention to Paraguay's interests when they formulated their policies.

He was clear that preserving Uruguayan " independence " was crucial to Paraguay's future as a nation.

Paraguay's population was only about 450, 000 in 1865, a figure lower than the number of people in the Brazilian National Guard, and amounted to less than one-twentieth of the combined allied population of 11 million.

Many Paraguayans believed Germany was no more of a threat to Paraguay's sovereignty than the United States.

In May 1993, Colorado Party candidate Juan Carlos Wasmosy was elected as Paraguay's first civilian president in almost 40 years in what international observers deemed fair and free elections.

Paraguay's economy also was characterized by a large underground sector, in which smuggling and contraband had become normal features by the 1970s.

Paraguay's poverty was mostly a rural phenomenon, which increasingly involved competition for land in the eastern region near the Brazilian border, especially in the departments ( administrative divisions ) of Alto Paraná, Canendiyú, and Caaguazú.

Unlike most of its neighbors, however, Paraguay's economy was controlled not by a traditional, landed elite, but by foreign companies.

Paraguay's economic performance was also set back by world recession, poor weather conditions, and growing political and economic instability in Brazil and Argentina.

Virtually every subsector of Paraguay's manufacturing was characterized by numerous small-to medium-sized firms and a few large firms, which often were foreign owned.

One of Paraguay's fastest growing industries was the new, relatively modern plastics subsector, which supplied a wide variety of goods to the local market.

Relations between Paraguay and Venezuela have improved since Paraguay's new leftist President Fernando Lugo was inaugurated, a change from 61 unbroken years of Colorado party rule.

This, of course, was forced into practice by Paraguayan dictator Francisco Solano López's disastrous 1865 invasion of northern Argentine territory, leading to an alliance between 1820s-era adversaries Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay and the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives ( particularly Paraguay's own ).

Guaraní persisted with enough vigor to be made official because the Jesuits elected it as the language to preach Roman Catholicism to the Indians ( Guaraní was the language of the autonomous Jesuit Reducciones ) and because Paraguay's dictators for a time shut the country's borders and thereby protected the local culture and language.

This widespread consumption turned it into Paraguay's main commodity above other wares, such as tobacco, and Indian labour was used to harvest wild stands.

Stroessner was known for several positive economic policies, including the building of the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world in Itaipu Dam, developing Paraguay's economy: although Paraguay received only 15 % of the contracts, it was a major factor allowing the country to have the highest rate of growth in Latin America for most of the 1970s.

The anthem's lyrics are by Francisco Acuña de Figueroa, who was also author of the lyrics to Paraguay's national anthem ; " Paraguayos, República o Muerte ".

When Paraguay's independence was declared, on 15 May 1811, he was appointed secretary to the national junta by congress meeting on June 17 1811.

His underground prison was known as the ' chamber of truth ', and most of Paraguay's manufactures were made with prison labour.

A 1956 agreement with Brazil to improve the transport link between the two countries by building roads and a bridge over the Río Paraná broke Paraguay's traditional dependence on Argentine goodwill for the smooth flow of Paraguayan international trade.

Influenced by Paraguay's support for the United States intervention in the Dominican Republic in 1965, the United States became friendlier to Stroessner in the mid-1960s under President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Law 550 opened Paraguay's doors even further to foreign investors by providing income-tax breaks, duty-free capital imports, and additional incentives for companies that invested in priority areas, especially the Chaco.

As a result of this, today 90 % of Paraguay's population are mestizo, and the main language is the native Guaraní, spoken by 90 % of the population as a first language, with Spanish spoken as a first language by 10 % of the population, and fluently spoken by a further 75 %, making Paraguay one of the most bilingual countries in the world.

The city's economy ( and Paraguay's economy as well ) relies heavily on the mood of the Brazilian economy, as 95 % of Paraguay's share of the energy generated by the Itaipu Dam is sold to Brazil ( for US $ 300 million ), and that every day many Brazilians cross the border to buy less expensive products ( US $ 1. 2 billion, mostly electronics ).

With Paraguay's weak legal infrastructure, little can be done by way of enforcement or sanctions.

He was dismissed from the position of armed forces chief after President Eusebio Ayala was overthrown in the Febrerista revolution by Rafael Franco, but served as Paraguay's ambassador to the United States.

His shot was initially saved by Brazil's goal keeper Julio Cesar, but fell into the path of Salvador Cabañas who would score Paraguay's second goal.

Santa Cruz performances in Paraguay's national youth teams led to a call-up to by national team coach Ever Hugo Almeida for the 1999 Copa América held in Paraguay.

On 13 July, Santa Cruz then played just 39 minutes of Paraguay's last group stage match against Venezuela before being replaced by Nelson Haedo Valdez.

Since 1992, under the Paraguay's Ministry of Education and Culture ( MEC ) Act, Guaraní in its " pure form " — different from the day-to-day speech of jopará — has been taught in schools.

Desperate for cash because of heavy debts incurred in London in the early postwar period, the Colorados lacked a source of funds except through the sale of the state's vast holdings, which comprised more than 95 percent of Paraguay's total land.

About 95 percent of Paraguay's population resides in the Paraneña region, which has all the significant orographic features and a more predictable climate.

In the cable, Ambassador White relates a conversation with General Alejandro Fretes Davalos, chief of staff of Paraguay's armed forces, who told him that the South American intelligence chiefs involved in Condor " keep in touch with one another through a U. S. communications installation in the Panama Canal Zone which covers all of Latin America ".

The Jaguar inhabits all of Alto Paraguay's national parksAlto Paraguay contains a varied and large amount of natural resources, which is why this department is home to several national parks, each with different characteristics.

In the cable, Ambassador White relates a conversation with General Alejandro Fretes Dávalos, chief of staff of Paraguay's armed forces, who told him that the South American intelligence chiefs involved in Condor " keep in touch with one another through a U. S. communications installation in the Panama Canal Zone which covers all of Latin America ".

In Paraguay's second game against Brazil, Santa Cruz scored in the first minute of the match which ultimately ended in a 1 – 1 draw on 10 January.