The Battle of Boquerón, whose Paraguayan victory marks its 94th anniversary on September 29, left a legacy extending beyond the Chaco War: its events inspired music, literature, visual art and comics in Paraguay. The date was also commemorated with tributes in Asunción and at the former fort.
From September 9 to 29, 1932, Paraguayan troops commanded by then-Lieutenant Colonel José Félix Estigarribia surrounded the fort occupied by Bolivian forces. The position had trenches, machine-gun nests and heavy weapons. The Paraguayan advance required cutting paths through the Chaco vegetation to block supply routes; intense heat, difficult terrain and water shortages also shaped the fighting.
The Bolivian garrison, commanded by Colonel Manuel Marzana, surrendered on September 29 after running out of water, food and ammunition. The victory was Paraguay’s first major military achievement in the Chaco War, fought against Bolivia from 1932 to 1935. Beyond its strategic outcome, historians highlight its effect on the morale of Paraguayan troops.
The battle entered the country’s cultural output in different ways. In music, the war drove the development of the epic polka and the use of Guarani as a unifying element; “13 Tuyutí,” by Emiliano R. Fernández, portrays soldiers’ experiences. In literature, Augusto Roa Bastos addressed the social effects of the conflict in works such as “Hijo de hombre.” Visual artist Roberto Holden Jara depicted combatants and the Chaco landscape, while the comic series “Epopeya,” created by writer Javier Viveros and illustrators Enzo Pertile and Roberto Goiriz, brought episodes from the war to graphic novels.
In Asunción, members of the Boquerón Active Military Reserve laid a wreath at the National Pantheon of Heroes. José Cáceres, a member of the group, said the annual tribute keeps the combatants’ memory alive. The organization says it has maintained continuous training since 2011 to provide support in emergencies.
The victory is also associated with Paraguayan Soldier’s Day. The official commemorative ceremony took place on Monday, September 28, at the Victoria Barracks in San Lorenzo. The following day, Defense Minister Óscar González said Boquerón restored the country’s confidence and paved the way for Paraguay’s campaign in the Chaco.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance said that Canuto González Britos, 110, a resident of Luque, is the only Chaco War veteran currently listed as a beneficiary on the payroll. He receives G. 40,586,728 a month in pension, subsidy and social assistance. The September 2026 payroll also listed 3,954 veterans’ heirs, each receiving a monthly pension of 24 daily minimum wages, equivalent to G. 2,676,048.