Paraguay, 1996 — military coup attempt

Event Summary

Between 22 and 25 April 1996 General Lino Oviedo mounted a coup attempt against President Juan Carlos Wasmosy of Paraguay, in the most serious challenge to the country's young democracy since the 1989 overthrow of the dictator Alfredo Stroessner. Oviedo, the powerful army commander who had helped bring Stroessner down and had backed Wasmosy's 1993 election, declared himself in rebellion after Wasmosy moved to force him into retirement, refusing to step down and threatening to bomb the presidential palace. For three days Paraguay teetered on the brink as the standoff played out, but Oviedo's bid collapsed under domestic resistance and firm international pressure, notably from the United States and Paraguay's Mercosur neighbors, who made clear a coup would bring isolation.

Wasmosy initially offered Oviedo the defense ministry to defuse the crisis, then, amid public outcry, reversed course, removed him from the army, and prevailed. The episode entrenched civilian authority for the moment but did not end Oviedo's ambitions; his later prosecution and the associated turmoil fed directly into the deadly Paraguayan political crisis of March 1999.