Juan Bernardino Caballero de Añasco y Melgarejo (20 May 1839,

Ybycuí Ybycuí is a Paraguayan rural community of the department of Paraguari, located 120 km away from Asunción, and 40 km from the Ruta una (Route 1). Toponimics Its name means "Sandy" in Guaraní. Geography Ybycuí is located 122& ...

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

– 26 February 1912,

Asunción Asunción (, , , Guarani: Paraguay) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay. The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of ...

) was a

Paraguayan War The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadlies ...

veteran, the

President of Paraguay The president of Paraguay ( es, Presidente del Paraguay), officially known as the President of the Republic of Paraguay ( es, Presidente de la República del Paraguay), is according to the Constitution of Paraguay the head of the executive bran ...

from 1880 until 1886 and founder of the Colorado Party. He was the leading political figure in Paraguay from early-post-war period until the Liberal revolution of 1904.

Early life

Born in

, Caballero was a descendant of Spanish nobility, the son of Jose Ramón Caballero de Anazco (a descendant from

Túpac Huallpa Túpac Huallpa (or Huallpa Túpac) (1510 – October 1533), original name Auqui Huallpa Túpac, was the first vassal Sapa Inca installed by the Spanish conquistadors, during the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire led by Francisco Pizarro. Life ...

through

Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (12 April 1539 – 23 April 1616), born Gómez Suárez de Figueroa and known as El Inca, was a chronicler and writer born in the Viceroyalty of Peru. Sailing to Spain at 21, he was educated informally there, where he l ...

) and his wife Melchora Inés Melgarejo y Genés. Married twice, to María de la Concepción Díaz de Bedoya and to Julia Álvarez. From the first marriage he had two children, Ramon Caballero de Bedoya, married to Martha Cahen, and had issue, and Melchora Caballero de Bedoya, married to her distant cousin Carlos Francisco Saguier Pereira. Outside of his marriages he had a further 90 children, all formally recognized by him, and thus today he has myriad descendants.

Military service

Caballero joined the

Paraguayan Army To win or to die , march= Marcha al Mariscal Lopez , mascot= , equipment= , equipment_label= , battles= War of the Triple AllianceChaco War Paraguayan People's Army insurgency , anniversaries= 24 of July (Mariscal Lopez Birthday) , decorations= , b ...

in 1864 and fought in the

.Hooker, T.D., 2008, The Paraguayan War, Nottingham: Foundry Books, He participated in the

Mato Grosso Campaign The Mato Grosso campaign was an early Paraguayan offensive in the Paraguayan War. Paraguay invaded the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso (now Mato Grosso do Sul). Paraguayan offensive Paraguay took the initiative during the first phase of th ...

. Later he became the assistant of President

Francisco Solano López Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 – 1 March 1870) was President of Paraguay from 1862 until his death in 1870. He was the eldest son of Juana Pabla Carrillo and of President Carlos Antonio López, Francisco's predecessor. ...

Humaitá Humaitá is a town and ''distrito'' on the Paraguay River in southern Paraguay. During the Paraguayan War, it served as the main Paraguayan stronghold from 1866 until its fall in August 1868. During that time, it housed as many as 24,000 troops. ...

and remaining loyal, rose through the ranks. He became an increasingly important leader of rearguard actions, eventually becoming a cavalry general. Caballero was the greatest living war hero, who was captured by Brazilians on April 8, 1870 near the

Apa river The Apa River (Spanish: Río Apa, Portuguese: Rio Apa) is a river of Paraguay and Brazil. It is a tributary of the Paraguay River, which in turn is a tributary of the Paraná River. It starts in the Amambai Mountains of the Brazilian state of Ma ...

after the

Battle of Cerro Corá The Battle of Cerro Corá was fought on 1 March 1870 on a hill-surrounded valley of the same name, in the north-east of Paraguay. Background In February 1870, an allied column under the command of colonel Bento Martins de Meneses, learned t ...

and released in May 1871. During his arrest he became friendly with Brazilians and their political and military support was instrumental later, during his political career.

Post-war politics

Caballero returned to Asunción and became involved in politics, joining the López loyalist faction led by

Cándido Bareiro Cándido Pastor Bareiro Caballero (October 27, 1833 in Luque Paraguay – September 4, 1880 in Asuncion, Paraguay) was President of Paraguay from 27 November 1878 to 4 September 1880 and the leading politician of the post-war decade. Bareiro se ...

. He was one of the leaders of March and June 1873 revolts and January 1874 revolt against the politically powerful

Benigno Ferreira Benigno Asunción Ferreira (January 13, 1846 – June 14, 1920) was President of Paraguay November 25, 1906 – July 4, 1908. He was a member of the Liberal Party. The general and doctor Benigno Ferrerira was one of the main protagonists in the p ...

who was forced to go into exile in February 1874. Because of his growing influence, Caballero was made Interior minister in the government of

Salvador Jovellanos Salvador Silvestre del Rosario Jovellanos Guanes (December 31, 1833 – February 11, 1881) was a Paraguayan politician. He served as Vice President in 1871, and President from December 18, 1871 – November 25, 1874. His main concern as president ...

. In November 1874 Caballero was appointed Minister of Justice, Worship and Education under the new President

Juan Bautista Gill Juan Bautista Gill García (''Juan Bautista Gill Garcia del Barrio'') (October 28, 1840 – April 12, 1877) was President of Paraguay from November 25, 1874 to April 12, 1877 and the only Paraguayan President to be assassinated while in office. ...

. Together with Vice President

Higinio Uriarte José Higinio Uriarte y García del Barrio (11 January 1843 in Asunción – 21 April 1909) was a Paraguayan politician and President from April 12, 1877 to November 25, 1878. He was Juan Bautista Gill's cousin. He served as President of the Ch ...

he was sent to London in 1874-75 to clarify the situation with financial loans. After the death of

in 1877, he helped to ensure that his political ally

was elected to the Presidency.

The coup of 1880

On September 4, 1880, after the death of

his Vice President Adolfo Saguier was arrested by the Minister of War and Navy Pedro Duarte. Adolfo Saguier was then asked to sign his resignation. On the same day

Senate of Paraguay The Chamber of Senators of Paraguay (''Cámara de Senadores''), the upper house of the National Congress, has 45 members, elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. The Paraguayan bicameral legislature, which included the Sen ...

met and elected Caballero to the Presidency. Thus, after the short presidencies of politically stronger Gill and Bareiro, the leader of 1873-74 rebellions had come to power.

Presidency

During his rule Civil Register was established, the city of Villa Florida was founded and the General Department of Immigration created. In June 1881 Banco Nacional and private Bance del Paraguay were established. During his presidency much of the land previously owned by the state and the ruling López family was sold off in order to raise money.

Later political life

Caballero rigged the 1886 Presidential election to ensure the victory of his close ally

Patricio Escobar Patricio Escobar (March 17, 1843 – April 19, 1912) was the President of Paraguay between November 25, 1886 and November 25, 1890. His life He was born in San José de los Arroyos on March 17, 1843. His parents were José Escobar and Ana Bella ...

. In response, his political opponents founded the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

and two months later Caballero founded the ruling Colorado Party. From 1887 to 1904 as a former President he was also member of the

, and its

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

in 1894 and 1902.https://www.csj.gov.py/cache/lederes/R-1-011894-L-5-0.pdf Caballero maintained a large degree of control as he remained commander of the army and Colorado Party. His favored candidates controlled the country until 1894, when Juan Bautista Eguzquiza overthrew

Juan Gualberto González Juan Gualberto González (July 12, 1851 – July 30, 1912) was the President of Paraguay and served from 1890 until his forced resignation in 1894. His life Juan Gualberto González was born in Asunción on July 12, 1851. He married with tea ...

. Caballero helped to organize another coup in 1902, putting

Juan Antonio Escurra Juan Antonio Escurra (May 6, 1859 – August 24, 1929) was the President of Paraguay from 1902 to 1904. He was born on May 6, 1859 in Caraguatay, Cordillera department. He was married with Josefa M. Rojas, woman from a traditional family, who later ...

in power, but after Escurra's overthrow by the Argentine Army, the Liberals took power. Caballero is remembered as one of the greatest Paraguayan political leaders and is buried in the

National Pantheon of the Heroes The National Pantheon of the Heroes ( es, Panteón Nacional de los Héroes), whose full name National Pantheon of Heroes and Oratory of the Virgin of the Asuncion ( es, Panteón Nacional de los Héroes y Oratorio de la Virgen de la Asunción) is a ...

. The Paraguayan town of General Bernardino Caballero is named after him.