History of Paraguay (to 1811) Buenos Aires in 1580, the steady deterioration in the importance of Asunción contributed to growing political instability within the province. In 1617 the Río de la Plata Province was divided into two smaller provinces: Paraguay, with Asunción as its capital, and Río de la Plata, with headquarters in Buenos Aires. With this action, Asunción lost control of the Río de la Plata estuary and became dependent on Buenos Aires for maritime shipping. In 1776 the crown created the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata; Paraguay, which had been subordinate to Lima, now became an outpost of Buenos Aires. Located at
Paraguay–Spain relations part of the International Brigades for the Republican faction and they fought in the Battle of the Ebro. Paraguay maintained diplomatic relations throughout General Francisco Franco’s administration. Relations between Paraguay and Spain strengthened under the Presidency of Alfredo Stroessner. In July 1973, President Stroessner paid an official visit to Spain and met with General Franco. In October 1990, Spanish King Juan Carlos I paid his first official visit to Paraguay. The King would visit Paraguay again in 2006 and once more in 2011 to attend the Ibero-American Summit being held in the Paraguayan capital. In June 2015, Paraguayan President Horacio