this article analyses the circumstances that surrounded the chaco war, between paraguay and bolivia, in the first half of the current century. it studies the evolution of the political and economic situation in the region since the war of the triple alliance, stressing also the interests of the neighbouring countries in the dispute of the belligerent countries over the chaco. paraguay and bolivia fought each other in order to control the region guided by economic reasons, mainly for paraguay, and strategic ones, mostly for bolivia, which, by possessing the chaco, would have access to the plata basin and easier drainage to its oil production. the deflagration of the conflict involved more directly the interests of argentina and brazil, two countries that played an important role in the development and in the conclusion of the chaco war.
