Cirilo Antonio Rivarola Acosta (1836 – 31 December 1878) was the 4th

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: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

and served from 1870 to 1871.

Biography

The Rivarola family was important in Paraguayan politics throughout the 19th century, and often found itself at odds with the Francia and López governments. During most of the

War of the Triple Alliance 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 ...

, Rivarola served in the

Paraguayan Army The Paraguayan Army () is the ground force branch of the Armed Forces of Paraguay. It is organized into three corps and nine divisions, and several commands and direction. It has gone to war on many occasions, notably in the War of the Triple A ...

, reaching the rank of Sergeant. In 1869, however, amidst a wave of repression led by then president

Francisco Solano López Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 or 1826 – 1 March 1870) was a Paraguay, Paraguayan statesman, Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician who served as President of Paraguay between 1862 and 1870, of which he serve ...

, he was arrested due to reasons unknown. He then escaped captivity and in some of the war's remaining months served as a spy for the

allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...

. Afterwards, he went to

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 ...

, where, thanks in part to his good relations with the Brazilian authorities, he was made one of the triumvirs who headed the provisional government that was created (mostly by Silva Paranhos, the chief Brazilian diplomat in Paraguay then). As both other triumvirs eventually resigned, Rivarola wound up being president of Paraguay until August 31, 1870, when the Paraguayan Congress elected

Facundo Machaín Facundo Machaín (November 26, 1845 – October 29, 1877) was head of state and government of Paraguay, president of Paraguay. His period of government lasted barely one day between August 31 and September 1, 1870, but was important for the politi ...

president along with the new constitution's proclamation. On the very next day, however, Rivarola's presidency was renewed, as the Brazilian occupiers disagreed with Machaín's nomination. Rivarola then presided over Paraguay's settlement with the alliance, the return to peace, and the harsh first years of the 1870s. He resigned in December 1871 due to a constitutional crisis. This was part of a ploy he had orchestrated with

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 until his assassination on April 12, 1877 by Juansilvano Godoi and Major Jose Dolores M ...

, president of the senate, where Gill would refuse his resignation and give him more power, but when the motion came to the Senate floor, Gill accepted it unreservedly.Prado, Mario L. F. (2022), ''O Processo de Recuperação Econômica do Paraguai após a Guerra da Tríplice Aliança (1870-1890)'', University of São Paulo, São Paulo, p. 40 During the next few years, Rivarola, owner of an important estate in the south of the country, several times rebelled against the government in Asunción, most of them with Argentinian support, for during the 1870s Brazilian influence was preponderant in most Paraguayan governments. In 1878, while on his way to a meeting with President

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 ...

, after he had been given a pardon, Rivarola was assassinated, stabbed to death by masked individuals in broad daylight. No one was ever arrested for this crime, despite it having happened less than 100 meters from the presidential palace.

References

1836 births 1878 deaths Politicians from Asunción Paraguayan people of Italian descent Presidents of Paraguay Assassinated Paraguayan politicians Deaths by stabbing in Paraguay Paraguayan murder victims Politicians assassinated in the 1870s Assassinated presidents in South America National presidents assassinated in the 19th century Deaths by stabbing {{Paraguay-politician-stub