Higinio Morínigo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids His Excellency Higinio Morínigo
Higinio Morínigo in circa 1940.
35th President of Paraguay
In office September 7, 1940 – June 3, 1948
Preceded by	José Félix Estigarribia
Succeeded by	Juan Manuel Frutos
Minister of War and Navy of Paraguay
In office May 17, 1940 – September 7, 1940
Preceded by	Eduardo Torreani Viera
Succeeded by	Paulino Ántola
Minister of the Interior of Paraguay
In office January 25, 1939 – August 15, 1939
Preceded by	Arturo Bray
Succeeded by	Nicolás Delgado
Personal details
Born	Higinio Morínigo Martínez January 11, 1897 Paraguarí, Paraguay
Died	January 27, 1983(1983-01-27) (aged 86) Asunción, Paraguay
Political party	None
Spouse	Dolores Ferrari (1932–1983)
Children	Higinio Emilio, Juan Alberto, Guillermo Gerardo

General Higinio Morínigo Martínez (born January 11, 1897 – died January 27, 1983) was a military general and important political figure in Paraguay. He served as the President and military dictator of Paraguay from September 7, 1940, to June 3, 1948. Many people disagreed with his rule. This disagreement eventually led to the Paraguayan civil war of 1947. A city in Paraguay, General Higinio Morínigo, is named in his honor.

Early Life and Military Career

Morínigo was born in 1897 in Paraguarí, Paraguay. His family were merchants and had both European and Guarani roots. He could speak both Spanish and the Guaraní language very well. Not much else is known about his early childhood.

He went to military college and joined the Paraguayan Army in 1922. He fought in the Chaco War, a big conflict for Paraguay. In 1936, he became the Army's Chief of Staff. Morínigo became well-known during the February Revolution of 1936. He led a group to find the remains of Francisco Solano López at the Battle of Cerro Corá site.

President José Félix Estigarribia was a hero from the Chaco War. He was also a supporter of the Liberal Party. Estigarribia promoted Morínigo to general. He then made him the Minister of War on May 2, 1940. President Estigarribia died unexpectedly in a plane crash on September 7, 1940. After his death, the army and Liberal ministers chose Morínigo. He became the interim President for two months until new elections could be held.

Morínigo's Presidency and Strong Rule

On September 30, 1940, the Liberal ministers resigned. They had growing disagreements with President Morínigo. On October 16, Morínigo announced that the presidential elections would be delayed for two years. Soon after, he declared a policy of "discipline, hierarchy and order." He also said that anyone spreading ideas against the government would be "confined."

On November 30, Morínigo banned all political parties. He took on very strong powers under a state of emergency. In a radio speech, he announced these changes. Morínigo stated, "The people and the Army from this moment will be under a single command." He was greatly helped by the 1940 Constitution. This document was written by the Liberals and Estigarribia. It gave the president huge executive powers.

To make his power even stronger, Morínigo removed Colonel Peredes. Peredes was an important Interior Minister. This happened on February 4, 1941. On April 17, 1941, he stopped an uprising. This uprising was by supporters of the February Revolution.

On April 25, 1942, he banned the Liberal Party. He accused them of working with Bolivia. He also sent the Party's leaders into exile. Morínigo's only remaining supporters were members of the Colorado Party and the Army. During his time as leader, he faced a lot of resistance. This included general strikes and military revolts. But he stayed in power by keeping the loyalty of the Paraguayan Army. The army received 45% of the country's budget.

Morínigo used a group called Guion Rojo (the "Red Banner"). This group was part of the right-wing Colorado Party. It was led by Juan Natalico Gonzalez. They acted like a special police force. They would scare away people who supported the febreristas and Liberals. Newspapers that opposed the government were shut down. Their publishers were sent away from the country.

Morínigo finally held presidential elections on February 15, 1943. He was the only candidate.

Paraguay During World War II

Many people in South America, including military officers, had some sympathy for Nazi and fascist ideas. When the United States entered World War II in 1941, it tried to influence Morínigo. The US wanted him to limit the power of Axis supporters. Morínigo kept Paraguay neutral for most of the war. He only officially declared war against the Axis in February 1945. He did not send any soldiers to fight.

The United States was worried about German influence in the region. Argentina also seemed to favor the Axis. The US wanted to pull Paraguay away from German and Argentine influence. At the same time, the United States wanted to increase its presence in the region. It worked closely with Brazil, which was Argentina's traditional rival. To do this, the United States gave Paraguay a lot of money and supplies. This was part of the Lend-Lease Agreement. They also gave loans for public works. And they offered technical help in farming and health care. The United States Department of State supported closer ties between Brazil and Paraguay. They especially liked Brazil's offer to pay for a road project. This road was meant to make Paraguay less dependent on Argentina.

The United States protested about German and Argentine activities in Paraguay. But Morínigo did not listen. The United States saw its goal as fighting the fascist threat. However, Paraguayan officials believed their best interests were in economic benefits. They did not want to upset Germany until the war's outcome was clear. Many Paraguayans thought Germany was no more a threat to Paraguay's sovereignty than the United States.

Morínigo did not act against German economic and diplomatic interests until the very end of the war. This made the United States and Britain unhappy. German agents had convinced many Paraguayans to support the Axis. The first Nazi Party branch in South America was started in Paraguay in 1931. Schools, churches, hospitals, and other groups for German immigrants actively supported the Axis. All these organizations openly displayed swastikas and pictures of Adolf Hitler.

Morínigo's government showed some support for the Axis. Many Paraguayan military officers and government officials openly sympathized with the Axis. For example, the national police chief named his son Adolfo Hirohito. These were names of well-known Axis leaders. By 1941, the official newspaper El País openly supported Germany. At the same time, the government strictly controlled labor unions that supported the Allied side. Police cadets even wore swastikas and Italian symbols on their uniforms.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 changed things. Germany then declared war against the United States. This gave the United States the power it needed. It forced Morínigo to publicly support the Allied cause. Morínigo officially cut off diplomatic relations with the Axis countries in 1942. However, he did not declare war against Germany until February 1945. Even so, Morínigo kept close ties with the Argentine military. This military was heavily influenced by Germany throughout the war. He also provided a safe place for Axis spies and agents.

World War II made it easier for Morínigo to rule Paraguay and keep the army happy. The war increased demand for Paraguayan products like meat, hides, and cotton. This boosted the country's earnings from exports. More importantly, the United States' policy towards Latin America at this time helped Paraguay. Paraguay received American financial aid. This money was used to improve roads and other important projects.

Changes After the War

After World War II, the US put pressure on South American countries to become more democratic. On June 9, 1946, Morínigo removed Colonel Benitez Vera. Vera was a right-wing head of the army. Morínigo then stopped a small uprising by Vera's supporters. He then created a new government. This government included members of the Colorado Party and leftist febreristas. These were followers of former leader Rafael Franco. Morínigo also allowed some political freedoms. He even made the Paraguayan Communist Party legal. Despite these changes, in September 1946, he ordered that opposition groups be stopped. He used the Red Banner group to attack the office of the Liberal newspaper El País.

The Civil War of 1947

The febreristas felt that Morínigo was favoring the right-wing Colorados. So, they joined forces with the Liberal Party and the Communist Party. This led to the Civil War of 1947.

The political parties used the relaxed rules to gain influence in the government. In January 1947, officers loyal to the Colorado Party took control of the army. On January 11, the febreristas left the government. They asked the army to overthrow Morínigo. Morínigo responded by declaring a state of emergency. He arrested febreristas, Liberals, and Communists.

On March 7, a bloody civil war began. About 80% of soldiers and 90% of officers were against Morínigo. However, he had the support of Colorado party groups and Argentine President Juan Peron. He managed to win the conflict. This war caused thousands of deaths. Up to 300,000 people had to flee their homes as refugees. The future leader Alfredo Stroessner was one of the few officers who stayed loyal to Morínigo during the civil war. For the next 15 years, the Colorado Party was the only legal party in Paraguay.

Removal from Power

On February 15, 1948, Morínigo held presidential elections. The only candidate allowed to run was Juan Natalico Gonzalez. He was the leader of the Colorado Party's Red Banner group. Morínigo had agreed with Gonzalez that if he supported Gonzalez for President, he could stay as the army's commander-in-chief. To stop this, on June 3, some Colorado Party loyalists revolted. They were led by Felipe Molas López. They sent Morínigo into exile in Argentina. Supreme Court Chief Justice Juan Manuel Frutos was sworn in as interim President. He served the last two months of Morínigo's term. Gonzalez was officially made President on August 15, 1948.

See also

In Spanish: Higinio Morínigo para niños