Paraguay Demanded Brazil Return the Cannon "El Cristiano," Captured During the War of the Triple Alliance and Currently Displayed at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro

Paraguay Demanded Brazil Return the Cannon “El Cristiano,” Captured During the War of the Triple Alliance and Currently Displayed at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro

Written by Rafaela Fabris

Published on 02/05/2024 at 18:10

Foto: IA/Divulgação

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Paraguay Continues to Demand the Return of the Cannon “El Cristiano” to Brazil, a Military Artifact Captured During the War of the Triple Alliance and Currently Displayed at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro. The Demand Reignites Questions About the Custody and Conservation of War Trophies in a Context of Historical and Diplomatic Preservation Between the Two Countries.

According to a report from G1, in a continuation of historical claims, Paraguay requests Brazil to repatriate the cannon “El Cristiano”, a military symbol captured by the Brazilian Army during the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), and which is currently on display at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro. This request reignites discussions about the conservation and appropriation of historical artifacts among the involved nations.

The War of the Triple Alliance, involving Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, is marked as one of the most devastating conflicts in South America, with deep consequences for Paraguay, which lost a large part of its population and territory following the war. “El Cristiano”, a bronze cannon made from church bells, became a powerful symbol of this conflict, distinguished by its crucial role in battles and its representation of Paraguayan resistance.

Argentina and Uruguay Have Already Returned War Trophies to Paraguay, and Brazil Did the Same With Other Items During Negotiations for the Construction of the Itaipu Dam

Historically, Argentina and Uruguay have already returned war trophies to Paraguay, and Brazil did the same with other items during the negotiations for the construction of the Itaipu Dam, but the cannon remains in Brazil. In 2010 and again in 2014, the Brazilian government promised to evaluate the return of the cannon, but concrete actions have not been observed.

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The Issue of the Cannon’s Repatriation Divides Opinions Within Paraguay

Paraguay demanded Brazil return the cannon "El Cristiano", captured during the War of the Triple Alliance and now displayed at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro — Cannon El Cristiano displayed in the Court of Cannons at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro Photo: Wikipedia/Disclosure

Currently, the issue of the cannon’s repatriation divides opinions within Paraguay itself. While President Santiago Peña Palácios reinforces the request for return as part of his mandate, local journalists and historians, such as Andrés Gutiérrez, argue that the cannon may be better preserved in Brazil, given the lack of resources for heritage maintenance in Paraguay. This viewpoint highlights the irony of the situation: while Paraguay struggles to recover its heritage, it faces significant challenges in preserving what it already has.

“El Cristiano” Puts Into Perspective the Complexities of Brazil and Paraguay Relations

The situation of the cannon “El Cristiano” puts into perspective the complexities of the relations between Brazil and Paraguay, bringing discussions to the forefront about the duty of countries to preserve and respect historical artifacts in a global context. With the cannon still on Brazilian soil and negotiations at an impasse, the future of this important historical artifact remains uncertain, reflecting the lasting scars of a conflict that shaped the fate of a nation.

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Fábio Salgado

#6435

03/05/2024 07:55

A resposta é NÃO!!

-1

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Alberto Acuña

#68745

Reply to Fábio Salgado

29/10/2024 09:08

Tienen que devolver un símbolo de los ultrajes, torturas y asesinatos cometidos por el ejercito imperial en territorio paraguayo de las cuales no se salvaron mujeres, ancianos y niños, además del territorio legítimamente paraguayo despojado en tratados injustos con un gobierno maniatado.
El Brasil debe mucho al Paraguay, y una forma simbólica de comenzar las reparaciones son las de devolver lo robado, dejando de lado la prepotente respuesta “A resposta é NAO!!”.

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Paraguay Demanded Brazil Return the Cannon “El Cristiano,” Captured During the War of the Triple Alliance and Currently Displayed at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro

Argentina and Uruguay Have Already Returned War Trophies to Paraguay, and Brazil Did the Same With Other Items During Negotiations for the Construction of the Itaipu Dam

The Issue of the Cannon’s Repatriation Divides Opinions Within Paraguay

“El Cristiano” Puts Into Perspective the Complexities of Brazil and Paraguay Relations

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Paraguay Demanded Brazil Return the Cannon “El Cristiano,” Captured During the War of the Triple Alliance and Currently Displayed at the National Historical Museum in Rio de Janeiro

Argentina and Uruguay Have Already Returned War Trophies to Paraguay, and Brazil Did the Same With Other Items During Negotiations for the Construction of the Itaipu Dam

The Issue of the Cannon’s Repatriation Divides Opinions Within Paraguay

“El Cristiano” Puts Into Perspective the Complexities of Brazil and Paraguay Relations

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has ceased to be a climatic phenomenon and has become a biological system that feeds on itself, with 8,000 kilometers in length, 37 million tons of algae, and scientists confirm that it is now permanent.

China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

A robot named Walter does the work of five bricklayers per hour and can save the construction industry, where the average age of professionals is 46 years and almost no one wants to learn the trade anymore, in the United Kingdom.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Engineers had to pour concrete mixed with tons of ice throughout entire nights in the Dubai desert to erect the Burj Khalifa; any carelessness could clog the pipes half a mile high.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

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China is building a colossal 110-meter radio telescope in the mountains of Xinjiang, with a 6,000-ton structure and a fully steerable antenna, to capture weak signals from deep space.

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