Alfredo Stroessner

Alfredo Stroessner is in intensive care. The former dictator of Paraguay is 93 and lives in Brazil. I must admit I didn’t realize he was still alive.

When I teach courses on Latin America, I often get “Where are they now?” questions, and I think it would be interesting to look at where ousted dictators go, and why they end up in certain places. Stroessner was overthrown in 1989, at which time the new Paraguayan government requested that he be granted asylum in Brazil. Brazil gave him temporary asylum, which eventually became permanent. My guess is that the decision was made simply to avoid more instability, since Brazil shares a border.