Editing Isolationism (section)

===Paraguay===
In 1814, three years after [[Independence of Paraguay|it gained its independence]] on May 14, 1811, Paraguay was taken over by the [[dictator]] [[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]]. During his rule which lasted from 1814 until his death in 1840, he closed Paraguay's borders and prohibited trade or any relationship between Paraguay and the outside world. The [[Spaniards|Spanish]] settlers who had arrived in Paraguay just before it gained its independence were required to marry old colonists or the native [[Guaraní people|Guaraní]] in order to create a single [[Demographics of Paraguay|Paraguayan people]].

Francia had a particular dislike of foreigners, and any foreigners who attempted to enter the country were not allowed to leave for an indefinite period of time. An independent character, he hated European influences and the [[Catholic Church]] and in order to try to keep foreigners at bay, he turned church courtyards into artillery parks and turned confession boxes into border sentry posts.<ref name=":0" />