José Gervasio Artigas flees to Paraguay

Background. José Gervasio Artigas, regarded as a national hero in Uruguay, was a soldier and statesman who supported the Primera Junta in Buenos Aires. After military setbacks, including defeats in the Banda Oriental, Artigas withdrew to Salto Chico in Entre Ríos. Lacking resources and men, he eventually retreated to Paraguay in September 1820, marking the beginning of his long exile.

Asylum in Paraguay. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, known as El Supremo, was the first dictator of Paraguay following its independence. In 1820, Francia granted asylum to Artigas and 200 of his men. This occurred during a period when Francia was consolidating power, having crushed plots against him earlier that year and enforcing strict political control over the country.

Exile and Death. Artigas lived in exile in Paraguay for thirty years. He remained there until his death on 23 September 1850, aged 86. During this time, Francia ruled Paraguay as a dictator, isolating the country from foreign commerce while fostering internal industries. Artigas' presence in Paraguay was part of a broader context of political instability and exile in the region.