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.

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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