August 15th, 1950. Asuncion

6:00 AM – 8:45 AM

President Chaves wakes up to a quiet office. His Cabinet will arrive in the Palacio de Lopez over the following hour and a half. The President mulls over reports that have arrived overnight from the frontier. When the Cabinet members arrive, they assemble for their morning meeting to review the Ministries.

General Alfredo Stroessner issues a telegram to Lt. Col. Mario Ortega – commander of Battalion 40 (an elite formation within Asuncion) – to prepare units within the city for “an emergency.”

Rafael Franco, accompanied by a group of close allies and bodyguards, sets forth from Corrientes up the Paraná River, entering Paraguay at approximately 7:14 AM.

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

The Cabinet disperses to their offices. Finance Minister Paiva sends a telegram to the Central Bank, inquiring as to the receipt of loan payments and confirmation of credit. The Bank does not respond in a timely manner, confusing Paiva, who writes a personal note to President Chaves with the intent to send in after lunch.

Lt. Col. Ortega officially mobilizes Battalion 40 at 10:01 and circulates the order sent from Stroessner to his field commanders.

Rafael Franco reaches Villeta City and rendezvouses with elements of the 3rd Infantry Division, who transport Franco to Stroessner’s personal office in eastern Asuncion. The two men meet and go over the day’s plan. Communiqués are sent to various officials within the Colorado Party requesting that they prepare an emergency session of Congress to be convened within the next 24 hours.

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

President Chaves is informed of unusual movements from Battalion 40 and troop movements outside of Asuncion. He sends a message to General Stroessner demanding an explanation. In the meantime, he sends a telegram to the Asuncion Chief of Police Roberto Pettit suggesting they prepare for a coup.

The Chief of Police receives the message at 1:04. But before he can mobilize units within the city the police headquarters are stormed by three squads from Battalion 40, who mortally wound Pettit and detain a large portion of the city police. Roadblocks are quickly raised around the station and checkpoints established at several major intersections. Pettit is rushed to hospital but dies in route.

At 2:00 PM General Stroessner orders the 3rd Infantry Division to enter Asuncion proper to reinforce Battalion 40 and detain prominent allies of President Chaves within the city. President Chaves flees the Palacio de Lopez and enters the Francisco Lopez Military Academy to seek asylum. Gen. Marcial Samaniego – a close ally of Stroessner – detains President Chaves and places him under guard in an office on academy grounds.

By 2:45 PM, Asuncion is secured.

At 2:54 PM, Congress assembles, and the Colorado Party terminates Chaves’ presidency. At precisely 3:00 PM, Rafael Franco enters Congress accompanied by nearly fifty fellow exiles as well as a detachment from the 5th Infantry Division. Franco officially requests he be restored to complete his Presidential term (1936-1937) on the contingency that he will form a mixed cabinet of Colorados, Liberals, and Military Officials. The Febreristas – not officially an organized party – will be registered with the Colorados and join the Congress.

3:00 PM – 3:50 PM

After some initial debate, Colorado leadership consents to Franco’s proposal and proclaim Rafael Franco President of Paraguay. In order to facilitate his cabinet, Franco declares a State of Siege with Congressional approval and relegalizes the Liberals, lifting their and his own supporters’ exile. In addition he orders the immediate exile of former President Chaves and several members of his Cabinet. They are escorted out of the country within the hour.

Chaves and his fellow exiles are taken west towards Chaco, where they are executed and their bodies dumped in a large grave, then covered. No record is maintained of the grave site.

4:00 PM

President Rafael Franco issues a public announcement of his reassumption of the Presidency along the lines of national restoration, recovery, and anti-communism, as well as announces his official cabinet:

All other ministries fall under a mixture of Liberal and Febrerista leadership. President Franco announces that new elections will be called in six months pending a “full reorganization” of the state.

Dissident Colorados are quickly detained on charges of sedition and exiled or executed.

6:30 PM

Asuncion remains under a lockdown as Battalion 40 units, accompanied by police loyalists, sweep the city for Chaves holdouts.

8:30 PM

Lockdown is lifted.

Paz y Progreso.