born Nov. 3, 1912, Encarnación, Para.
Military leader and president of Paraguay (1954–89).
The son of a German immigrant, Stroessner joined the army in 1932 and rose to become commander in chief in 1951. He deposed Pres. Federico Chávez (b. 1881?
d. 1978) and was the sole candidate in the 1954 presidential elections. He stabilized the currency, moderated inflation, and provided some new schools and public health facilities, but he spent half the national income on the military establishment in order to preserve his authority and harshly suppressed his political opponents. After his election to an eighth successive term, he was deposed in a coup d'état and went into exile.