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The political campaign that resulted in Lugo’s election divided the peasant movement andsupport for EPP. Some wanted to form a single, unified and disciplined movement with single line ofaction, an option favored and pushed by the members of the EPP and their supporters. Others wantedto form a loose political coalition around the figure of Lugo, the alternative that ended up prevailing.It is this divisive political dynamic that explains EPP’s continued activity despite a leftist presidentin power.To beat the Colorado party, Lugo and other leftist parties had to form a coalition with non-leftistopposition parties and groups, particularly the traditional opposition Liberal party. This meant thatthe Lugo socialist agenda was moderated to maintain the coalition. Some leftist parties saw this aspolitically expedient to win and maintain power, a position from which they could gradually playpolitics and implement their own agenda, much like what had been done in Venezuela and Ecuador.However, it meant that most of Paraguay’s traditional political and social structure remained inplace. The EPP regarded this as a betrayal. A June 4, 2009 communiqué declared that the guerrillaswould not stop their action based solely on a change of president. The only acceptable path wasto implement immediate “radical and revolutionary changes.” The EPP condemned “treacherouspretend socialists” who made alliances with “pro-imperialists” and “pro-oligarchy” factionsrepresented in Lugo’s coalition. They categorically stated: “clearly and decisively the revolutionwill not be made with opportunists like you that have renounced the right of progress…” 33Unhappy with Lugo’s presidency the EPP decided to carry out actions to get increased nationalattention. On December 31, 2008, about twenty armed and uniformed individuals entered the militarypost of Tacuatí, which was only garrisoned by three men. Faced by a superior force, the soldierssurrendered. They were then handcuffed and put on display in the public patio. The insurgents stoletwo M-16s and 90 boxes of ammunition and threw grenades at the post structure, which caught fireand burned to the ground. Then the guerrillas scattered pamphlets with the name Popular ParaguayanArmy (EPP) on them and withdrew. 34 The attack was claimed to be in retaliation for the unsolveddeath of a peasant leader in Concepcion. 35This first attack on the military finally provoked a national response. More than 1,000 militaryand police were sent to the north to hunt for the insurgents. However, the operation was essentiallyfruitless, with no insurgents killed or captured. While the Army and police were beating the bushfor the EPP, the guerrillas had taken refuge on a small (11.5 hectare) farm in Yvyraty, 12 kilometersfrom Horqueta. They remained there until August 1, 2009. The camp was in a forested part of theproperty that belonged to Alejandro Ramos Morel, a leader of the Northern Peasant Organization(OCN), and his wife, Lurdes Ramírez. To eat they stole cattle from the farms in the area, preparingsumptuous barbecues along with abundant Brahma brand beer (ironically a product of Brazil).Many people apparently knew of their presence but nobody reportedly denounced them either out ofpolitical sympathy due to EPP support for peasant land claims through the OCN and other peasantorganizations, or out of fear. EPP took advantage of the lull to evaluate their situation and makefuture plans. This camp was not discovered until August 1, 2009 and then only by accident, when alocal peasant ran into the camp while he was looking for some stray cattle. The police came to searchthe farmhouse and, after a firefight, the EPP withdrew during the night. 36 Although the guerrillasescaped, they left behind a cache of documents, which would provide significant insight into thegroup’s nature, ideology, strategic and tactical plans. 37 More will be said about this later.33“Comunicado del EPP: Frente a la mentira reaccionaria, la verdad revolucionaria,” http://www.lahaine.org/index.php?p=17912, accessed June 4,200934“Atacan Destacamento military en Paraguay,” Associated Press, January 2, 2009.35“Carmen Villalba reivindico pare el EPP ataque de Tacuati,” La Nacion, January 4, 2009.36“El EPP farreaba con asado y cerveza cerca de Horqueta,” Ultima Hora, August 4, 2009.37“El EPP farreaba con asado y cerveza cerca de Horqueta,” op., cit.110Security and Defense Studies Review 2009/Edición 2009/ Edicão 2009/ Volume 9, Issues 1 & 2