Pro-Government Militias
Colorado Party Militia (Paraguay)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | yes |
| PGM ID Number: | 272 |
| Country: | Paraguay |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 1947 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | The Colorado Party Militia emerged in 1947, when a civil war broke out. It was an irregular militia out of peasant followers of the Colorado Party, which backed the regime. |
| Date dissolved: | Feb. 3, 1989 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | In 1989 Stroessner was ousted in a coup and the Colorado Militia was disbanded. |
| Termination Type(s): | change in government |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no information |
| Former Armed Group? | no information |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | military |
| Government Link(s): | political party |
| If link to party, name of party: | National Republican Association - Colorado Party (ANR-PC) |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | village/rural; party activists |
| Primary Membership: | political |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | None |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | civilians; unarmed political opposition, government critics; students |
| Purpose(s): | intimidation of civilians |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The Colorado Party Militia was also known as garroteros (because of the garrotes they carried) or py nandi (barefoot ones). One news source mentions them in the context of another group, which, however, is only briefly mentioned, the GAA, or Anti-Communist Action Group. The Colorado Party Militia vandalized churches where political dissidents held anti-government demonstrations. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The PGM actions and government reaction suggest that the group’s main purpose was to intimidate civilians and political opposition. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The Colorado Party Militia attacked students with clubs and whips, while the police did nothing to halt the attacks. In 1988, the armed Militia broke up a panel discussion, which was lauded by the Minister of Justice and other Government authorities. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | We have no information on the overall force strength. A news source form 1986 mentions a mob of about 100 armed PGM members. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The Colorado Party Militia was armed with clubs/truncheons, whips made of steel cables, garrotes, electrified cattle prods, chains, shotguns and dogs. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The PGM was linked to the Colorado Party and to the government of President Alfredo Stroessner. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.