Editing History of Uruguay (section)

==The Uruguayan War, 1864–65==
{{Main|Uruguayan War}}
[[File:Uruguayan War.svg|thumbnail|right|Uruguayan war, 1864–65]]
The Uruguayan War was fought between the governing [[National Party (Uruguay)|Blancos]] and an alliance of the [[Empire of Brazil]] with the [[Colorado Party (Uruguay)|Colorados]] who were supported by [[Argentina]]. In 1863, the Colorado leader [[Venancio Flores]] launched the [[Liberating Crusade]] aimed at toppling President [[Bernardo Berro]] and his Colorado–Blanco coalition (''Fusionist'') government. Flores was aided by Argentina's President [[Bartolomé Mitre]]. The ''Fusionist'' coalition collapsed as Colorados joined Flores's ranks.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

The Uruguayan civil war developed into a crisis of international scope that destabilized the entire region. Even before the Colorado rebellion, the Blancos had sought an alliance with [[Paraguay]]an dictator [[Francisco Solano López]]. Berro's now purely Blanco government also received support from Argentine [[Federalist Party (Argentina)|Federalists]], who opposed Mitre and his [[Unitarian Party|Unitarians]]. The situation deteriorated as the Empire of Brazil was drawn into the conflict. Brazil decided to intervene to reestablish the security of its southern frontiers and its influence over regional affairs. In a combined offensive against Blanco strongholds, the Brazilian–Colorado troops advanced through Uruguayan territory, eventually surrounding [[Montevideo]]. Faced with certain defeat, the Blanco government capitulated on 20 February 1865.<ref>{{cite web |title=Caudillos and Political Stability |url=http://countrystudies.us/uruguay/9.htm |website=Country Studies US |access-date=28 May 2020}}</ref>

The short-lived war would have been regarded as an outstanding success for Brazilian and Argentine interests, had Paraguayan intervention in support of the Blancos (with attacks upon Brazilian and Argentine provinces) not led to the long and costly [[Paraguayan War]].{{Citation needed|reason=the idea that the war dragged on due to Paraguyan intervention is not common knowledge|date=July 2024}} In February 1868, former Presidents [[Bernardo Berro]] and [[Venancio Flores]] were assassinated.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bethell |first=Leslie |url=https://sas-space.sas.ac.uk/3585/1/B28_-_The_Paraguayan_War_%281864-1870%29.pdf |title=THE PARAGUAYAN WAR (1864-1870) |publisher=Institute of Latin American Studies, University of London |year=1996 |isbn=1-900039-08-7 |pages=34}}</ref>