Stories of Paraná - The Battle of Jaguapita

Stories of Paraná - The Battle of Jaguapita

The Battle of Jaguapita
Norma Thais Villela

Nothing like a good campaign to take seriously the sleepy towns of the Paraná, a few decades ago.
Political differences - or perhaps small animosities kept silent for years - divided communities where everyone knew everyone else, undid old cronies, broke engagements, ambushes and pitched breakers, caused death oaths, occasionally someone actually tumbled shot dead or knife.
It was so in 1948 in the small Jaguapita, northern Paraná. The city seethed with elections, transformed into real battlefield, the UDN and the PSD. In the political leadership of the PSD, the "Colonel" Faustino Sebastião, Miguel Camargo led the UDN.
The PSD had beard and hair that year.
Besides electing Moyses Lupion to the state government, the party also won the city hall Jaguapita. Udenistas did not conform, and discomfort to the plot was a step: warned everyone that the elected mayor, Alfredo Batissioto simply would not take possession.
The PSD party members, in turn, listened silently taunts, and promised to get back to the point.
This was the climate of the city.
Remember that the campaign had been fairly warm with the murder, including the friend Peixoto, in full parish fete.
Other two jurors death, had to disappear.
Our house, a small farm on the edge of the road was two miles from downtown Jaguapita. One afternoon, the bus of Transportation Carrera leaves in front of her friend Ophelia house with two small children.
Asks for help to bring them to the farm of his father.
Harness the horse, I and the baby in front, Ophelia and another child on the back.
In the city, a move unusual, people leaving or taking refuge in the primary school, only masonry construction in Jaguapita.
Horse went to the entrance of the farm.
By passing the gate, on the way to headquarters, we noticed that everything was quiet.
Too quiet.
No movement in the house, no window or door. "Ophelia - I said - we will return. Nobody's at home." Therein, the father of Ophelia PSD staunch, out into the courtyard, armed, to help her daughter and grandchildren to dismount. He warned:
- "Tonight, we will wipe out the opposition and end these threats that the elected mayor will not take.
Let's set fire to the houses of all udenistas. And the burn is scheduled to begin just by your father's house (UDN were all at home), but I'll see if I can handle the staff. I do not guarantee anything, but I'll try ... "
He was not kidding.
That was the reason for the movement in the city. The final confrontation between the two rival political factions would be that night.
As we talked, went out of the corrals mestizos who were in ambush, all armed to the teeth ...
At home, I told my father, and just in case, he also prepared to protect us. There was Facu withstand the wee hours of the night.
As American settlers westward, awaiting an attack by Indians, so we felt.
But word-of-night, when the tension was greatest, here comes the cavalry saving: home we saw passing by the road trucks with Army soldiers on the way to town.
Our house was saved. The not so quiet Jaguapita was safe - for relief on both sides.
The elected mayor took office. And the opposition continued to exist.

Norma Thais Villela, housewife


Source: Stories of Paraná, Brasil.