Well, I didn't say what American I was referring to...pedantic asshole that I am. Perhaps not unlike the spoil sports constantly reminding everyone that December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000 was not, in fact, a millenial moment.
Anyway, I digress. I thought I'd update the ol' Daily Kos with some heartening international news of our neighbors in the western hemisphere. After 60 years of rule by the often brutal Colorado Party, Paraguay has new center-left president, an ex-bishop named Fernando Lugo.
This is wonderful news, and hopefully continues to move the western hemisphere (or those parts of it south of Brownsville, Texas, anyway) away from the darkness and brutality of the 20th century, a brutality that, sadly, our own country sometimes played a vigorous--if often covert--role.
The most well known leader in Paraguay's Colorado past is the very recently deceased Alfredo Stroessner, who ruled Paraguay forcefully from 1954 until 1989. Stroessner was known as one of the most brutally oppressive "anti-communist" leaders in the American sphere (anti-communist in quotes because, as we all know, communists were certainly not the only people caught up in these extreme rightist nets), and was considered a close ally until the Carter Administration, where the United States began to distance itself from leaders like Stroessner with there, well, "excesses" in terms of basic human rights. In fairness, the Reagan Administration continued the boycott of Paraguay begun during the previous Administration.
This about-face in the 70s does not, however, erase the fact that Stroessner was a strongly supported friend of our country during the Cold War, and was known as being particularly disinterested in the basic human rights of his citizens, especially when it came to non-Stroessner/Colorado right wing political ideologies.
As was often the case in Central and South America, members of the Catholic clergy represented some of the only power outside of the direct control of the state, and were a source of protest against the Colorado government. It is from this tradition that newly elected president Fernando Lugo emerges. According to Wikipedia (my apologies for such shoddy sourcing), after Stroessner had the Asuncion University essentially destroyed by police forces in 1972, the archbishop of Paraguay had the chief of police and minister of the interior excommunicated from the church in protest.
And, built on the graves of innocent people, the traditional defense of Stroessner is not too far off from that of his more famous Chilean counterpart, Augusto Pinochet: But look at that economy! Its modest improvements are only slightly bloodstained!
Stroessner was ousted in '89, but by his own party, which continued to rule until, well, now.
I should note, with some macabre regret, that Alfredo Strossner died a very old man in Brazil in 2006, something many of his countrymen did not get to experience because of him. I did not cry for him. It should be noted that, whether to placate the populace or out of legitimate malice, the ruling Colorado Party in 2006 did not allow Stroessner to reenter Paraguay to die in his homeland, and did not mark the occasion of his death. Added to this judgment is the sad fact that, like many other anti-communist crusaders around the world with less-than-stellar human rights records, Stroessner's power was partly based on, well, our government. In order for dictators of this sort to be successful, they usually need patrons. The US, the UK, the USSR in days of yore, whomever...someone with money and the wrong priorities.
But today is a different day. While the election occurred way back in April, I thought Mr. Lugo actually taking office merited some attention, and perhaps a few people will be introduced to a little bit about Paraguay through this diary.
After SIXTY YEARS, the Colorados are out. In its place, a former bishop who was rooted in the much noted "liberation theology" of left wing, South & Central American Catholicism.
Mr. Lugo has promised to tackle land reform issues as well as deeply ingrained corruption in government that has led to a lot of mistrust of government among the people of Paraguay.
He spoke to the people in both Spanish and the native language Guarani, and among other things stated:
"Today Paraguay breaks with its reputation for corruption, breaks with the few feudal lords of the past."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/...
By the way, Lugo wore sandals to his inauguration.
Here's wishing well Paraguay's new leader well: a man who hopes to successfully improve Paraguay's reputation for massive corruption and to leave the past behind--by steering a center-left course of moderation and progress akin to its powerful neighbor Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, if somewhat more to the left.
And here's also wishing that Paraguay--and all countries of this earth--have seen the last of the Alfredo Stroessner's of the world. I know it isn't true, but maybe someday it will be. Hey, if Paraguay can turn the page, maybe we all will.