Raúl Casal Ribeiro Velazco (14 August 1887 – 1956) was a Paraguayan politician; he was
vice president of Paraguay
A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...
between 1932 and 1936, during
Eusebio Ayala's government. His term was heavily marked by the
Chaco War
The Chaco War (, [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 wa ...]
and later immigrated to Paraguay, and his mother, Elodia Velazco, was Uruguayan. He studied in the
Colegio Nacional de la Capital in
Asunción
Asunción (, ) 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 Asunción in the north ...
, Paraguay's capital and his birthplace. He had an active life in the student movement as he studied law in the
Universidad Nacional de Asunción, wrote for various newspapers and joined 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. For example, while the political systems ...
in his youth. He taught in various schools, including the Paraguayan
military school.
Between 1923 and 1925, and 1928 and the early 1930s he was a
national deputy, serving a term as
president of the chamber.
Between 1924 and 1928, he was Chief of Police for Asunción, and it was during his term
its still-existing Mounted Group was created.
[ He was a member of the Ateneo Paraguayo.][
In the late 1920s, he was made Minister of War and Navy (amidst tensions with general Schenoni, the previous minister, and the Liberal administration)] and Minister of Foreign Affairs. These were very important positions then because of Paraguay's border tensions with Bolivia and the military rearmament program that accompanied them. These eventually led to the Chaco War
The Chaco War (, [vice president of Paraguay
A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...]
; he was Eusebio Ayala's running mate. During this period he was also President of the Senate
President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the Speaker (politics), speaker in some other assemblies.
The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's Order of succession, succes ...
; their government lasted until the February Revolution
The February Revolution (), known in Soviet historiography as the February Bourgeois Democratic Revolution and sometimes as the March Revolution or February Coup was the first of Russian Revolution, two revolutions which took place in Russia ...
in 1936. During newly-installed president Rafael Franco's term, he left the country, returning only when Franco was deposed in August 1937. In 1940, when dictator Higinio Morínigo took power, he once again left the country, heading to Argentina, where he resided until 1952, when he finally returned to Paraguay during his friend Federico Chaves's presidency. He died in 1956.[
]
References
External links
Biography (in Spanish)
{{s-end
Vice presidents of Paraguay
Politicians from Asunción
Defence ministers of Paraguay
Ministers of foreign affairs of Paraguay
Liberal Party (Paraguay) politicians
20th-century Paraguayan politicians
1887 births
1956 deaths
Presidents of the Senate of Paraguay
Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay
Universidad Nacional de Asunción alumni