Alfredo Stroessner

Alfredo Stroessner (November 3rd 1912 with Encarnación with the Paraguay - August 16th 2006 with Brasilia with the Brazil) was a Militaire, a Politician and a Head of State, president of the republic of Paraguay of 1954 with 1989.

A military career

Wire of a brewer of Bavarian origin , Hugo Stroessner, arrived in the country in 1895, and of a Paraguay enne, Heriberta Matiauda, Alfredo Stroessner engages in the army at the seventeen years age. A fulgurating military career was going to lead it to the top of the Paraguayan military hierarchy in less than 20 years.

It is thus named lieutenant two years only after its engagement. In 1932, when the Guerre of Chaco bursts, it is sent to the face. Very quickly, it goes up regularly in rank, reward of courage and the skill of which it makes proof on the ground and with its honesty towards the general Higinio Moríñigo.

It receives after the war two decorations: the Cruz del Chaco and the Cruz del Defensor .

In 1948, it is propelled to the row of Général as a chief of the armed forces. At 36 years, he is the youngest general of South America.

The coup d'etat of May 4th, 1954

To be promoted with the rank of general in full period of instability makes it possible to Alfredo Stroessner to seize the power by a Coup d'etat, which it does six years later, while counting in particular on the support of the Parti Colorado, to which it had adhered in 1951. The May 4th 1954, it reverses Federico Chávez, then is named president by the military Junte within the framework of which it had concluded the coup d'etat. It is then supported by the Argentinian peronist, which worries about the chronic state of instability of this country then under its influence.

The presidency Stroessner (1954-1989)

Alfredo Stroessner preserves the capacity during more than 34 years, becoming thus the South American president longest with the capacity after another South American Dictateur, the president Fidel Castro of Cuba. Stroessner is re-elected with eight recoveries, every five years, of 1958 with 1988.

For the period when it was with the capacity, Paraguay knew a relatively stable Economic growth, from approximately 3 or 4% per annum, except for the economic boom of 1976 - 1981 during which it exceeded 10% per annum. Its economic policy rested mainly on great work, with the construction of the Barrage of Itaipu, and a relative liberalization of the exchanges with the adjoining countries (Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay). The treaty of the Río of Plata, signed in 1973, facilitated these exchanges by settling frontier disagreements which persisted since the end of the XIXe century.

However, the fact that the country is kept relative away of the international community, because of the violations of the Human rights which occurred there, blocked the economic development of the country.

In fact, certain observers of Paraguay estimate that between 1954 and 1989, Stroessner ordered at least a thousand of assassinations and disappearances and that two million Paraguayans (approximately one the third of the population) chose the Exil for political reasons or economic under its mode.

On the external level, Stroessner broke as of 1960 the diplomatic relations which Paraguay with Cuba maintained, following the cuban Révolution. It accomplishes many voyages abroad, with the Japan, the the United States and in France, but especially in Germany, country for which it tested a true fascination, even if the relations between the two countries worsened little by little whereas several criminals Nazi S like the doctor of Auschwitz, Josef Mengele, took refuge in its country.

In the years 1970, it actively supports the Opération Condor which aims at eliminating from the opponents to the dictatorial modes in South America and gives asylum to the deposed Nicaraguan president Anastasio Somoza. When this one is assassinated in 1980 by a Commando Argentinian guerillas, Stroessner claims the head of the culprits causing a hardening of the revealing mode but of its weakness, since Paraguay proves to be unable to fight against the Argentinian Montoneros which infiltrate in the South of the country.

At the end of the years 1980, the Démocratie returns to the Brésil and in Argentine, which weakens Stroessner. The population goes down regularly in the streets to protest against the abuses the mode. These peaceful demonstrations, organized by the trade unions and the movements on the left, are repressed hard. The United States, which had always supported the president, ends up giving up it, while the diplomatic insulation of the country had catastrophic consequences on its economy.

In 1987, at the convention of the Left Colorado, of the rumors circulate about a disease whose Stroessner would be reached, and some plan to choose his/her son Gustavo Stroessner like candidate. But with the elections of 1988, Alfredo Stroessner is re-elected triumphantly with 88,8% of the voices. It receives the same year the visit of the pope Jean-Paul II, which calls openly in its declarations with the evolution of the mode towards the democracy.

The February 3rd 1989, Stroessner is finally reversed by other Coup d'etat, carried out by the general Andrés Rodríguez Pedotti, supported by the the United States. Stroessner is exiled then with the Brésil, and settles with Brasilia.

In 2004, its grandson is candidate for the presidency of the Colorado Party in the department of Alto Parana - where Stroessner was very popular - but it is largely beaten.

In August 2006, Alfredo Stroessner dies of a Pneumonie, following a Surgical operation for a Hernie, whereas it does not weigh any more that 45 kg for 1,90 Mr. It are buried the August 17th with the Campamento cemetery of Paz of Brasilia, during a private ceremony. The transfer of its remainders to Paraguay is considered.

In spite of its dictatorial mode, Stroessner had admirors who baptized hospitals, schools, villages and towns of his name or that of his close relations.

Source

One of the last of a disastrous time - the Stroessner ex-dictator died in exile , the Duty , 2006-08-17

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