V 
PARAGUAY 
Due to the ambitions of one man—Carlos 
Antonio Lopez—a dictator of the worst type, 
with Napoleonic designs, Paraguay, one of 
the finest of South American countries, one 
with brilliant prospects and holding the great 
est opportunities, is to-day the most backward 
and has the smallest population. 
Paraguay was discovered by Sebastian 
Cabot in 1526. Following him came Juan de 
Ayolas and Domingo Irala, who in 1536 
founded the city of Asuncion, now the capital 
of the republic. Up to 1810 it was a Spanish 
colony, being latterly governed by the Vice 
roy from the home country who resided in 
iBuenos Aires. At that time it was called the 
Province of Paraguay. It declared its inde 
pendence from the mother country in 1811, 
the Spanish Governor-General aiding in the 
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