That's what it will take to make sure that the brutal Paraguayan dictator, Alfredo Stroessner remains dead. Stroessner, one of the longest serving dictators in Latin American history (1954-1989) died today of stroke at the age of 93. He died in exile in Brazil where he lived after he was deposed in a coup in 1989.
Stroessner exemplified the cult of the personality:
John Vinocur, writing in The New York Times Magazine in 1984, offered this snapshot of Paraguay as its army goosestepped down the boulevards to celebrate General Stroessner’s 30 years in power:
“A continual state of siege over the entire period that literally places the president above the law; people with occasionally uncontrollable urges to fall into rivers or jump from planes with their arms and legs bound; serenades in front of the presidential palace featuring the ever-popular ‘Forward, My General’ and ‘Congratulations, My Great Friend’; foreign thieves, brutes and madmen hidden at a price; an economy administered so corruptly it is officially explained away as the ‘cost of peace’; a United Nations voting record on so-called key issues more favorable to the United States than any other ‘ally;’ a party newspaper that prints six front-page color pictures of the general every day.”
He also knew the value of the phrase "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
One former American ambassador to Asunción, Robert E. White, remembered General Stroessner as darkly brilliant at profiting from the mistakes others made. Once, Mr. White recalled, the Paraguayan ambassador to Buenos Aires had gambled away the embassy’s entire budget. Immediately, the ambassador was summoned to Asunción and handed a confession to sign. Then General Stroessner promoted him to foreign minister.
“He could never have an independent thought or deed after that,” Mr. White explained.
He was truly a vile man and kept his country in a state of fear. Open dissent resulted in torture or worse. He played a significant role in the development and implentation of Operation Condor. He shielded fugitive Nazis such as Josef Mengele.
He will not be missed.
I know this is offensive, but situation grants it... May the Devil keep him!
Posted by: Anna Fagundes | August 17, 2006 at 10:34 AM