González, Juan Natalicio (1897–1966)

Juan Natalicio González (b. 8 September 1897; d. 6 December 1966), Paraguayan poet, historian, journalist, statesman, and president (1948–1949). González was born in Villerrica and studied at the Colegio Nacional in Asunción. He began his literary career under the guidance of Juan O'Leary, with whom he shared many stylistic and thematic traits. González later became associated with many other Paraguayan apologists in the task of reconstructing the image of their country. In 1920, he founded the journal Guaranía, which went through several stages as a vital cultural vehicle and continued to be published into the 1940s. In 1925 González lived in Paris, where he was active in publishing. The dominant Colorado Party supported him in his bid for president and he assumed office on 15 August 1948. His own party quickly disagreed with some of his policies and had him removed in February 1949, after which he resided in Mexico.

Throughout his life he dedicated himself to national themes. His Solano López y otros ensayos (1926) is his best-known work, followed by Proceso y formación de la cultura paraguaya (1938).

See alsoArgentina: The Twentieth Century; Literature: Spanish America.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

J. Natalicio González, Motivos de la tierra escarlata (1952), and Ideología guaraní (1958).

Hugo Rodríguez-Alcalá, Historia de la literatura paraguaya (1971), pp. 80-81; 98-99.

Additional Bibliography

Amaral, Raúl. Los presidentes del Paraguay (1844–1954): Crónica política. Asunción: Centro Paraguayo de Estudios Sociológicos, 1994.

Caeiro, Daniel. Crónica de un matrimonio politico: La relación histórica entre peronistas y colorados. Asunción: Intercontinental Editora, 2001.

Prieto Yegros, Leandro. Natalicio y el "Guion Roja." Asunción: Editorial Cuadernos Republicanos, 1997.

                              Catalina Segovia-Case