South America's two biggest democracies, Argentina and Brazil, last week were courting South America's last dictator—General Alfredo Stroessner of cattle-raising Paraguay (pop. 1,700,000). In Stroessner's capital of Asuncion, Argentine delegations promised to expedite Paraguay shipping to Argentine ports on the lower Parana River, and planned joint harnessing of a waterfall. Brazil had a military, economic and cultural cooperation drive going. Its Foreign Minister, Horacio Lafer, calls Stroessner's regime "one of peace and progress."
The cordiality was not for love of Stroessner. It came, rather, from 1) the historic tug of influence...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
