Uruguay requests Paraguay to intervene in September…

Uruguay requests Paraguay to intervene in September 1864, after Brazil has begun supporting the rising revolution in Uruguay by Venancio Flores against the Blanco party government of Atanasio Aguirre, who is an ally of Paraguay, which does not have friendly relations with Brazil.

Diplomatically, López wants to ally himself with Uruguay's ruling Blanco Party.

The Colorado party is connected to Brazil and Argentin López accurately assesses the Brazilian intervention in Uruguay as a slight to the region's lesser powers.

He is also correct in his assumption that neither Brazil nor Argentina pay much attention to Paraguay's interests when they formulate their policies.

He is clear that preserving Uruguayan "independence" is crucial to Paraguay's future as a nation.

Having built his army into one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, López uses it to play power broker in the Rio de la Plata region.

Consistent with his plans to start a Paraguayan "third force" between Argentina and Brazil, López commits the nation to Uruguay's aid.

López manifests this support via a letter to Brazil, in which he says that any occupation of Uruguayan lands by Brazil will be considered as an attack on Paraguay.