President Lopez’s son Francisco Solano Lopez, born…

President Lopez’s son Francisco Solano Lopez, born near Asunción, had been made commander-in-chief of the Paraguayan army by his father, in 1846, during the spasmodic hostilities then prevailing with Argentina.

He had been sent in 1853 as minister plenipotentiary, to Britain, France and Italy, and was to spend a year and a half in Europe.

Empowered to conclude commercial treaties, he has purchased large quantities of arms and military supplies, together with several steamers, and has organized a project for building a railroad and establishing a French colony in Paraguay.

In Europe, Lopez had nurtured a Napoleonic image of himself.

He becomes Paraguay’s minister of war in 1855, and later vice-president to his long-ruling father.