Guión rojo

Paramilitary formations are traditional for Paraguayan politics. A surge in their activity occurred in the 1930s. This was facilitated by the entry into the politics of many veterans of the Chaka War and the political crisis of the February Revolution of 1936 ("a joint Marxist - fascist coup against the liberal government" ^[1] ). By the end of the decade, on the whole, two opposing blocs had formed: on the right — the party of Colorado , on the left — the Liberal and Revolutionary february parties with the Communists adjoining them. The Paraguayan army and state apparatus played their own game, pushing ambitious authoritarian politicians out of their midst.

In rural areas, the conservative Colorado relied on the 15 thousandth peasant militia Py Nandi ^[2] . These formations were composed mainly of the rural poor (in the Guarani language, the name means "bloated", "tattered") of traditionalist , nationalist and anti-communist views. The militants Py Nandi were particularly cruel in the reprisals against left activists.

The Spanish Civil War , examples of phalangists , Italian black shirts , and German stormtroopers prompted the Paraguayan far-right to strengthen the power component.

In 1938 , Colorado leader Juan Natalisio González ^[3] decided to reform the party’s paramilitary structure. On the basis of rural Py Nandi and urban GACs ( Grupos de Acción Colorada - Colorado Action Groups ), another militia was created in 1942 , called Guión Rojo ( Gion Rojo - Red banner ; paradoxically, the color of international socialism and communism was the historical symbol of Paraguayan conservatives) . In the new organization, Gonzalez saw an instrument of his populist socio-economic doctrine close to corporatism ^[4] and his own promotion to the presidency ^[5] .

Politically, Guión Rojo was not much different from Py Nandi. However, differences in social composition and organizational structure were noticeable. Guión Rojo included not only peasants, but also city lumpen, representatives of the small and middle bourgeoisie, and the right-wing intelligentsia. The structure was more regular, closed to Colorado branches, with direct subordination to party functionaries and personally to Juan Natalisio Gonzalez.

In the ideology of Guión Rojo, along with the traditional conservative-nationalist attitudes of Colorado, the motives of fascist corporatism clearly sounded. The principles and methods of organization reflected the significant role of criminals. Obviously, the personality traits of the founder also appeared. Juan Natalisio González, a well-known intellectual, journalist, historian and writer, was prone to political romanticism. Gonzalez's national-populist views combined with the idea of ​​Colorado's corporate fraternity. Guión Rojo fighters understood his slogan “Red will not be poor” as a sanction for permissiveness.

In 1940 , the military dictatorship of Ihinio Morinigo was established in Paraguay. He spoke from the standpoint of nationalism and anti-communism, showed sympathy for the Axis states . Therefore, the party of Colorado, led by Gonzalez, supported the Morinigo regime. Since 1942, Guión Rojo has been a pro-government power structure. The organization’s militants attacked and participated in the reprisals against liberal and february oppositionists ^[6] . At the same time, relying on the "Gionists", Gonzalez strengthened his own positions, gradually seizing from Morinigo the levers of real power.

In 1947 , a civil war broke out in Paraguay. A coalition of liberals, febrists, and communists, with the support of most of the army, tried to overthrow Morinigo ^[7] . The military advantage was on the side of the opposition. Guión Rojo and Py Nandi units became the main force of the government side ^[8] . They played a very important role in the war, allowing Morinigo to hold out until mobilization of reinforcements reinforced with Argentine help. After the defeat of the opposition, Guión Rojo militants inflicted brutal reprisals on the vanquished throughout the country ^[9] .

Guión Rojo played an important role in the political consolidation of future stronism . In this wing of Colorado, extreme anti-communists, pro-fascist supporters, and supporters of an ultra-right political project, soon expressed by Alfredo Stroessner, were grouped. It is significant that the activist of Guión Rojo was Edgar Insfran , who poetized the methods of the militants as “a barbaric struggle for the truth of the people” ^[2] . Consisted of Guión Rojo and Juan Manuel Frutos Jr. , the future ideologist of the Stronistic regime.

In February 1948, Juan Natalicio González was elected President of Paraguay . Political alignment has changed: Ichinio Morinigo tried to prevent him from taking office. In the spring and summer of 1948, Guión Rojo organized an armed uprising ^[10] , which resulted in the overthrow of Morinigo and the assertion of Gonzalez in power. The Gionists also participated in suppressing the coup attempt in October 1948. However, in January 1949, Gonzalez was removed from power and emigrated from Paraguay.

Gonzalez’s departure from politics reduced Guión Rojo’s activity. However, the structure continued to exist, consolidating the extreme right-wing forces of Colorado. In 1954, this group, with Insfran holding a special place, strongly supported the coup that brought Alfredo Stroessner to power.

Guión Rojo was firmly associated with Juan Natalicio González, whom Stroessner considered a dangerous competitor. Despite Gonzalez’s refusal of opposition, the new head of state was suspicious of him. Therefore, the authorities did not encourage the organizational activity of Guión Rojo. After the death of Gonzalez in 1966, the organization ceased to exist. However, the functions of Guión Rojo continued to be performed by Py Nandi and other stronist assault brigades - Macheteros de Santani Pastor Coronel , Garroteros Ramona Aquino , Grupos de Acción Anticomunista Eugenio Hake .

The term “Guión Rojo” is the collective name for the far right wing of Colorado.

One of the constituted groups of the modern party of Colorado is called Movimiento Guión Rojo . Its leaders Miguel Angel Sithar and Nya Delo are positioned as carriers of the tradition of “true Colorado” ^[11] .