á ▁and ▁Mand is ov í , ▁and ▁organ ised ▁their ▁urban ▁layout ▁around ▁the ▁chap el ▁and ▁school . ▁By ▁November ▁the ▁army ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Par an á ▁near ▁Ap ip é ▁island , ▁and ▁there ▁Bel gr ano ▁took ▁measures ▁to ▁benefit ▁the ▁n atives ▁that ▁were ▁living ▁in ▁miss ions . ▁With ▁his ▁authority ▁as ▁speaker ▁of ▁the ▁Jun ta ▁he ▁gave ▁them ▁full ▁civil ▁and ▁political ▁rights , ▁granted ▁lands , ▁author ised ▁commerce ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁Provin ces , ▁and ▁lifted ▁their ▁restriction ▁on ▁taking ▁public ▁or ▁religious ▁office . ▁However , ▁the ▁Jun ta ▁requested ▁later ▁that ▁he ▁should ▁seek ▁authorization ▁for ▁such ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁future . ▁ ▁From ▁that ▁point ▁the ▁army ▁moved ▁to ▁Cand el aria , ▁which ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁strong hold ▁for ▁the ▁attack ▁into ▁Par agu ay . ▁The ▁terrain ▁gave ▁a ▁clear ▁advantage ▁to ▁the ▁Par agu ay an ▁governor ▁Vel az co ▁against ▁Bel gr ano : ▁the ▁Par an á ▁River , ▁nearly ▁ ▁wide , ▁was ▁an ▁effective ▁natural ▁bar rier , ▁and ▁once ▁it ▁was ▁crossed ▁the ▁patri otic ▁army ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁move ▁a ▁long ▁distance ▁across ▁a ▁land ▁without ▁supplies . ▁Sw amps , ▁hills , ▁rivers , ▁and ▁la kes ▁would ▁force ▁the ▁army ▁to ▁march ▁slowly , ▁making ▁a ▁possible ▁retre at ▁very ▁difficult . ▁The ▁Par ana ▁was ▁crossed ▁with ▁several ▁boats ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁December , ▁and ▁a ▁task ▁force ▁of ▁ 5 4 ▁Par