Juan Bautista Cantero Silva, Chaco War veteran, dies at 109

Juan Bautista Cantero Silva, the last veteran of the Chaco War residing in Alto Paraná, has passed away at the age of 109. He was honored with military funeral rites by the 3rd Infantry Division ‘Carandayty’.

Cantero Silva joined the Paraguayan Army as a teenager, participating in the final stages of the conflict between 1932 and 1935. Throughout his life, he became a significant historical figure for researchers, military contingents, and journalists, frequently sharing accounts of the extreme hardships faced during the war, such as the severe lack of fresh water on the battlefield.

During the conflict, he suffered the loss of 15 family members. In his later years, he lived in the Itakyry and San Alberto districts, where he was a respected community figure. He is survived by 11 children, along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.