Báez, Cecilio (1862–1941)

Cecilio Báez (b. 1 February 1862; d. 18 June 1941), politician, intellectual, diplomat, public servant, and provisional president of Paraguay (1905–1906). Cecilio Báez was one of the founders of the Liberal Party in 1887 and later its president. He was a deputy in Congress for several terms, beginning in 1895. He might be remembered most as the party's leading theoretician. Báez was also known for denouncing Francisco Solano López, the controversial leader who led Paraguay into disastrous War of the Triple Alliance in 1864. He was appointed provisional president on 9 December 1905 for eleven months. Because of his influence, he was often able to keep the Liberals somewhat united in spite of their tendency to splinter into factions. By profession a doctor of law and a historiographer, Báez was instrumental in shaping a national education program. His prolific writings dealt with Paraguayan history as well as literary, legal, and political issues. He was a great advocate of democracy as well as a strong critic of the Catholic Church. Báez was the National University's rector throughout the 1920s and 1930s. After the Chaco War with Bolivia, Báez, as foreign minister, signed the peace treaty on 28 July 1938.

See alsoParaguay, Political Parties: Liberal Party .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Paul H. Lewis, Paraguay Under Stroessner (1980).

Harris Gaylord Warren, Rebirth of the Paraguayan Republic (1985).

Riordan Roett and Richard Scott Sacks, Paraguay: The Personalist Legacy (1991).

Additional Bibliography

Aguero Wagner, Luis. Historia ocultada: La policía de la cultura y otros capítulos negados de la historia paraguaya. Asunción: 2006.

Dávalos, Juan Santiago. Cecilio Báez como ideólogo. Asunción: Escuela Técnica Salesiana, 1967.

Farcau, Bruce W. The Chaco War: Bolivia and Paraguay, 1932–1935. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1996.

                                    Miguel A. Gatti