Alfredo Stroessner was a Paraguayan military officer and dictator who ruled Paraguay from 1954 to 1989, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in South American history. Born on November 3, 1912, to a German immigrant family, he rose through the military ranks and seized power via a coup in 1954. During his 35-year authoritarian rule, he established a one-party state under the Colorado Party, brutally suppressing dissent and relying heavily on Cold War-era U.S. support. While his regime saw some economic development and infrastructure projects, including aspects of the Itaipú Dam, it was marked by severe human rights abuses and political persecution. He was overthrown by a military coup led by his own general, Andrés Rodríguez, in February 1989 and lived in exile in Brazil until his death on August 16, 2006.
