By Martin Almada
Distinguished human rights activist and lawyer, winner of the Right Livelihood Award Foundation’s Alternative Nobel Peace Prize (2002). The article is part of an unpublished book.
I want to recall a little history. Evoke two important events of opposite political portents carried out by the Paraguayan Armed Forces that point to the important role played by the military establishment in our history.
These are two proclamations which, although apparently proclaiming similar political ideas such as democracy and respect for human rights, are in fact completely opposite and propose diametrically opposed situations.
1) The military-democratic proclamation of the revolution of March 8, 1947, promulgated by the revolutionary government installed in the city of Concepción and supported by liberal, socialist (Febrerista) and communist soldiers, demanded:
a) Normalization of the country to finally end the regime of persecution, illegalities and the dissolution of the armed institutions, in order to ensure above all broad freedoms and legality for all political parties.
b) Effective purge of the police institution and dictatorship-addicted army commanders.
c) Free elections.
d) And finally, measures to reduce the cost of living and to improve people’s emergency situation.
This proclamation was a response to the rebellion that was taking place in the country against the government of dictator Higinio Morínigo (1940-1948), which led to divisions within the army. Part of the armed forces took pro-popular positions with a truly democratic program.
But they were defeated in August of the same year, 1947, by the corrupt part of the army and the Colorado party, and in particular by the intervention of the Argentine government of Juan Domingo Perón (first term 1946-1955) and the support of the United States. which he viewed with suspicion communist participation (although it was very small) among the revolutionary forces.
Alfredo Stroessner was part of the sector of the armed forces opposed to the democratic revolution and from then on the full hegemony of the Colorado Party was consolidated and the power of this colonel, who would lead a long military dictatorship (1954-1989), supported by the United states.
It was far removed from the democratic principles of the armed forces sector established in March 1947.
SO THAT EVERYTHING REMAINS THE SAME
2) The other proclamation is the one inspired by coup leader General Andrés Rodríguez on February 2-3, 1989, backed by the Colorado/Stronist Conservative military, demanding:
a) Restoring the dignity of the armed forces.
b) Complete reunification of Coloradismo in government.
c) Beginning of a democratization process.
d) respect for human rights
e) Respect for the Catholic religion.
With this proclamation and the idea of “neither winners nor losers”, General Andrés Rodríguez (1989–1993) consolidated the triad that Stroessner had launched on May 4, 1954: armed forces/government/Colorado Party.
As in the work “El Gatopardo” by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, something was changed so that everything stayed the same. Thus, after February 3, 1989, officials and oppressors of the dictatorship easily became officials of democracy. The corrupt nature of the state did not change, although the political regime seemed to change.
The failure of the state to sanction torture and to cover its practice with impunity supports the systematic use of this practice by the security forces to this day.
We are aware that the armed forces did not bring us democracy; What they brought us was impunity. Democracy was conquered by the people after a long struggle on the streets of 35 years. But it is still an imperfect democracy, embedded with elements of the old dictatorship.
Paraguayan Airlines (LAP) stewardess Lilian Segovia recalls being called on February 3, 1989 on an urgent special flight to take General Alfredo Stroessner to Brazil.
As they parted, Stroessner said to the pilots and other crew members: “Good luck with the new government and support your new president” (Diario Última Hora, Asunción, February 15, 1989). With this statement one wonders whether it was not a self-coup….
To end this endless process of transition with a democratic façade, we need the armed forces to serve the people like the military did in March 1947.
A few armed forces that stop caring about the pain of the people, turn politics into a business and serve a minority that has always corrupted them and used them to their advantage. The soldiers of the March Revolution of 1947 showed that this is possible.
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