Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda was the long-time president of Paraguay. Born to the top echelon of his country's social class, Alfredo was enormously proud of his elite status. At a young age, he enrolled at a top military school and graduated with an active commission. Serving honorably in several battles, he was repeatedly promoted. After successfully navigating several shifting political alliances, Stroessner seized the presidency for himself. After imposing martial law, he enjoyed nearly unchallenged power for the next few decades. Due to strategic alliances with foreign countries, he was able to secure international aid, some of which was used to build large infrastructure projects. His close cooperation with key foreign leaders taught him valuable techniques for successfully repressing any and all domestic dissent. Stroessner's international foreign policy brought him key concessions and military aid from valuable foreign allies. While his government welcomed exiled war criminals from Europe and fleeing military chiefs of neighboring countries, the military was ordered to work diligently to ethnically cleanse minority populations. When neither of his sons was deemed suitable to replace him, Stroessner was deposed by a military general. Alfredo then retired peacefully to a nearby country, where he faded away into obscurity until his life was claimed by an illness