Long-standing tensions within Paraguay's ruling Colorado Party split the republic asunder yesterday morning as three gunmen killed the 66-year-old VicePresident, Dr Luis Maria Argana, in his car on the streets of the capital, Asuncion.
The Colorados, an old-established political party, was taken over by Gen Alfredo Stroessner as the vehicle for his 34-year dictatorship which ended when he was overthrown 10 years ago.
The Colorados, though deeply riven by factionalism, has been in power as long as most Paraguayans can remember.
Dr Argana's supporters rioted as news of the killing spread. Mr Juan Carlos Galaverna, a supporter of the dead Vice-President call for the "immediate resignation" of the President, Mr Raul Cubas, and the arrest of the former army commander, Gen Lino Oviedo.
Gen Oviedo, whose machismo and populist policies brought him a great popular following, was last year sentenced to 10 years in jail for his part in a failed coup against the then president, Mr Juan Carlos Wasmosy, in 1996.
He was thereby prevented for standing for the presidency himself and had to hand the candidacy over to his political ally and vice-presidential candidate, Mr Cubas.
Despite the fact that Mr Cubas and Dr Argana detested the sight of each other, Dr Argana had to be proclaimed as Mr Cubas's vice-presidential running mate because he occupied third position in the Colorado Party hierarchy and headed the Movement for Colorado Reconciliation.
The deal was stitched up a fortnight before last year's presidential elections.
Jointly they were elected to power last May and jointly they were cast into the snake pit of an impossible political relationship.
President Cubas released Gen Oviedo directly after he assumed office last August.
The move provoked a constitutional crisis after the Congress and the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional.