WI: Francisco Solano López captured alive

[GameBawesome]

Francisco Solano López was the Dictator/President of Paraguay during the 1860s to 1870s. He would bring Paraguay in the disastrous Paraguayan War, against the Empire of Brazil, and Argentina, the two powers of the Region, and also Uruguay. López would die during the war, while trying to kill a Brazilian General, and dying in the struggle with soldiers.

So, what if Francisco Solano López was captured alive?

How would this effect the peace negotiations?
What would happen to Francisco Solano López?
How would the Paraguayan Government deal with López?

 

[Slime_blob]

Francisco Solano López was the Dictator/President of Paraguay during the 1860s to 1870s. He would bring Paraguay in the disastrous Paraguayan War, against the Empire of Brazil, and Argentina, the two powers of the Region, and also Uruguay. López would die during the war, while trying to kill a Brazilian General, and dying in the struggle with soldiers.

So, what if Francisco Solano López was captured alive?

How would this effect the peace negotiations?
What would happen to Francisco Solano López?
How would the Paraguayan Government deal with López?

That megalomaniac would rather die. So I assume that he will just get exiled instead as he wont agree to any peace terms the Tripple alliance placed. After his image becomes better, I assume that he wouldve considered a hero, as he stood in defiance against the imperialistic powers of the region. And go back to Paraguay

 

[Aghasverov]

That megalomaniac would rather die. So I assume that he will just get exiled instead as he wont agree to any peace terms the Tripple alliance placed. After his image becomes better, I assume that he wouldve considered a hero, as he stood in defiance against the imperialistic powers of the region. And go back to Paraguay

Exiled, or locked up as an incurable lunatic?
And if he somehow had made it back to Paraguay, would the Paraguayans have wanted the man back who had led the nation into ruin? FWIU much of the current adulation of Solano Lopez stems from later revisionism, and may not have exactly been what the (surviving) Paraguayans of the 1870's thought of him at the time...

 

[A Repentant Heretic]

Honestly, from what I read, Mitre or Pedro II might just execute or assassinate him even if he gets captured alive.

 

[Aghasverov]

Honestly, from what I read, Mitre or Pedro II might just execute or assassinate him even if he gets captured alive.

Doesn't seem like Pedro's style, unless he could portray it as executing an "enemy of humanity" and a threat to the peace of the continent, or some such. I wouldn't rule it out, though...

 

[unprincipled peter]

The version of his death that I read was that he was shot while trying to swim across a river, fleeing a Brazilian force that surprised his camp.

Anyhoo, if he's captured, he gets imprisoned until the country surrenders. The war was just about over, so alive or dead, things are winding down. Perhaps some fanatics fight on in his name, but I'm guessing everything progresses as OTL. The question is what to do with him. His methods were pretty barbaric/heinous, so he could easily be tried and executed for some crime. Or simply locked up for life. He's way too dangerous/demented a person to just send off to exile.

 

[Diego]

It changes little for Paraguay, Solano would probably end his days in prison. But other than that Paraguay would follow the same path of OTL.

It would be different if Solano evaded capture for years and the allies just pulled off from Paraguay signing some treaty with the new government, then Solano would have a chance of going back to power, but only for a very short time.

 

[Lalli]

Not sure if this would change anything. Solano is either trialed and then hanged or put to prison resto of life, sent to exile to such place where he can't cause any troubles or then he just commits suicide.

 

[Slime_blob]

Exiled, or locked up as an incurable lunatic?
And if he somehow had made it back to Paraguay, would the Paraguayans have wanted the man back who had led the nation into ruin? FWIU much of the current adulation of Solano Lopez stems from later revisionism, and may not have exactly been what the (surviving) Paraguayans of the 1870's thought of him at the time...

Well yes this might be better,