Democracy in Latin America Not a coup, but an erosion of
democracy which should be condemned LIFE in Paraguay, landlocked
in South America's sweltering heart, normally moves slowly, and
well behind the times. The trappings of democracy arrived only
in 1992, after 35 years of dictatorship under General Stroessner
and the Colorado Party, and well after the rest of the
continent. The Colorados, their creole fascism discarded but not
erased, held on to power at successive elections. The victory of
Fernando Lugo (pictured) in 2008 promised a democratic
breakthrough at last. A former bishop, President Lugo promised
to help the poor and landless in a country marked by huge
inequalities of race, income and land ownership. But in temporal
matters the president never showed much skill. His nominal
allies, let alone his Colorado opponents who retained a
legislative majority, rarely let him govern. On June 21st and
22nd, accused of “poor performance of his duties” over a murky
incident earlier this month in which six pol