CHACO

The Chaco is a wide region covering parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
This page is only concerned with the part covering the Argentina-Paraguay frontier
region.
ARGENTINE TERRITORY OF THE CHACO
The Spanish penetrated into the Chaco as early as 1521. At first it seemed as if
they would succeed to conquer the area, but after the destruction of Nuestra Señora
de la Concepción del Bermejo - the major administrative center, founded 1585 - ca
1631 their rule became largely nominal and the native nations - the Chiriguana, the
Omarapa and many other - actually regained their independence, keeping it until the
end of the 19th century. (1) 
The territory continued nevertheless to be seen as part of the Spanish possessions,
most of it being included in the province - since 1782 intendency - of Paraguay, 
other parts being included in the provinces - later intendencies - of Buenos Aires
or Tucumán.
The division continued after the proclamation of the new states of Argentina and
Paraguay in the early 19th century and lasted until the War of the Tripple Alliance
(1865 - 1870), when the whole Chaco was occupied by Argentine troops.
In 1872 the area was organized as the Territory of the Chaco. After the Treaty of
Buenos Aires of 1876 the northern part (the so-called Chaco Boreal) was returned to
Paraguay, the Argentine Territory of the Chaco now only covering the central and
southern Chaco.

(1) In a last attempt to pacify the region the Spanish allowed the Jesuits to
    establish reducciones or pueblos among the natives (Nuestra Señora del 
    Buen Consejo among the Mataguayo, San Juan Bautista de Balbuena among the
    Isistinés and the Toquistiné, etc ) in the 18th century.
    These missions however never achieved the same organization or importance
    as those established in Misiones and finally suffered the same fate.
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CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS
Governors
Gobernadores

1872 - 1875   Gen. Julio de Vedia
1875          Belisario Gache*
1875 - 1876   Col. Napoleón Uriburu
1877 - 1878   Pantaleón Gómez
1878 - 1880   Gen. Lucio Victor Mansilla                     1831 - 1913        
1880 - 1883   Col. Francisco B. Bosch
1883 - 1884   Col. Ignacio Hamilton Fotheringham             1842 - 1925


ARGENTINE NATIONAL TERRITORY OF CHACO
In 1884 the Territory of Chaco was divided into the Argentine National Territories
of :

- Chaco (the southern Chaco, which had already formed a separate Jefetura Politica
  from 1874  to 1876)
- Formosa (the central Chaco)

At the same time the Argentine government conquered the independent Indian nations,
some resistance continuing however until the early 20th century.
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CHIEF ADMINISTRATORS
Governors
Gobernadores

(subordianted to the Minister of the Interior)

1884 - 1887   Col. Manuel Obligado
1887 - 1893   Gen. Antonio Donovan Atkins                    1849 - 1897        
1893 - 1905   Col. Enrique Luzuriaga                         1844 - 1930
1905          Martín Goitía
1905 - 1911   Col. Gregorio López
1911 - 1914   Anacarsis Lanus
1914 - 1917   Alejandro Gancedo
1917 - 1920   Enrique Cáceres
1920 - 1923   Capt. Oreste Arbo y Blanco
1923 - 1926   Fernando E. Centeno
1926 - 1929   Juan Carlos Cepeda
1929 - 1930   Ricardo Andreu
1930 - 1931   Armando Meabe
1931 - 1932   Juan S. Mac Lean
1932 - 1933   Juan Vrillaud
1933 - 1938   José C. Castells
1938 - 1941   Gustavo R. Lagerheim
1941 - 1943   Florencio M. Solari
1943 - 1944   Alberto M. Castro
1944 - 1946   Martín Carlos Martinez


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