Paraguay today... Part of the German colonists of this first generation of immigrants, were also the parents of Alfredo Stroessner, who was born on Novembers, 1912, in Encarnacion (in the South of Paraguay). As Commander of the Army (1952 - 1954), Stroessner took power by means of a coup d'etat, to become President. After a relatively bloodless military coup in 1989, the government power passed to the hands of General Andres Rodriguez who, in May of same year, was elected as the first President of a new democracy, having obtained a majority of 70 % of votes. The strongest and most powerful party was and continues to be that of the "Colorados". The next President of the Republic, Juan Carlos Wasmosy, who was the first Paraguayan president to be elected in free elections, was nominated by the Colorado Party. Beginning in 1989, the democratization process has maintained its continuity, however, the small "tip" as a retribution for a favour or so that any paper work be accelerated still continues forming part of the customs in dealings with authorities, secretaries or officials... In the meantime, besides a large number of domestic banks, many branches of important banks from the United States of America, Great Britain, Germany, Japan and several other countries established themselves in Paraguay. It is not inappropriate to currently consider the country as "the Switzerland of South America". Indeed, with its outstanding economic development, its monetary stability, low cost of living and the minimum or almost nonexistent tax burden (depending on the type of business) analysed in relation to other Latin American countries has contributed, year after year, to the increasing number of immigrants. |