Case 237 - Power Play in Paraguay: The Rise and Fall of General Alfredo Stroessner

Sondrol, Paul C.

This case study looks at the factors behind the overthrow of General Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled Paraguay from 1954 to 1989—making him the longest-lasting dictator in the country’s history. To give students the background necessary to understand the durability and the ultimate demise of the Stroessner regime, the case offers an overview of Paraguayan political culture and history, the means by which Stroessner consolidated his authority and blocked challenges to his rule, and the forces which ultimately undermined and terminated his dictatorship. Primarily intended for courses on Latin American politics, politics in developing nations, inter-American relations, or comparative politics, this case study is an excellent point of departure for an examination of the nature of democratic transitions in nations with long traditions of autocratic rule.