File No. 834.00/133.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
Montevideo, March 8, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to report that the Provisional President of Paraguay, Liberato M. Rojas, was taken prisoner by two army officers, Garay and Goiburu (Colorados), on the night of February 28, and forced to resign. On February 29, the resignation was accepted by Congress, and Dr. Pedro Peña elected to succeed Rojas as Provisional President. Consul Ferris reports that the election was dictated by Garay, supported by twenty soldiers stationed in the Hall of Congress, and thirty more in other parts of the building. The new Cabinet is made up as follows:
- Minister of Foreign Relations, Fulgencio R. Moreno.
- Minister of the Interior, Dr. E. Lopez Moreira.
- Minister of War and Marine, Major Eugenio Garay.
- Minister of Treasury, Dr. Higinio Arbe.
- Minister of Justice, etc., Dr. Rogelio Urizar.
All of them are Colorados, except the Ministers of Treasury and Justice, who are Cívicos.
In a note of March 1, the new Minister of Foreign Relations informs the Legation of the change of government, and adds that it will be his earnest desire to maintain and develop the friendly relations that happily exist between his country and “the noble nation of the United States.”
* * * Colonel Jara has evacuated Humaitá, and is endeavoring to unite under his command several scattered detachments in the southern part of the country for a march upon Asuncion from the south and southeast. It looks like a race between the two old enemies, [Page 1274] Gondra and Jara, for the capture of the capital. Whichever may win will probably have to face the other in open revolution.
Meanwhile, famine and starvation are threatening the people of the unfortunate city. Committees of prominent men and women have made efforts to bring about a peaceful solution of the unseemly struggle, but without success.
Lately, there have been suggestions, more or less official, of intervention by Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, to end the anarchy and the misery, but as far as known, nothing definite has been agreed upon thus far. * * *
I have [etc.]