Mello Franco: Bolsonaro's praise of Stroessner degrades Brazil.

247 - The journalist Bernardo Mello Franco, in his column In the newspaper O Globo, it is stated that "Jair Bolsonaro spent a month without speaking at official ceremonies" and that "it would have been better if he had remained silent." "During the inauguration of the new director of Itaipu, the president praised the Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner." "He called him a 'statesman' and a 'man of vision'," reports Mello Franco. 

Next, the journalist reveals who Alfredo Stroessner really is: "According to official estimates, the Paraguayan dictatorship tortured more than 18 people between 1954 and 1989. The country's Truth and Justice Commission counted 59 dead and 336 disappeared."

"The general did not limit himself to leading the political repression. He permitted and encouraged smuggling. He made the illegal trade in cigarettes, alcohol, and electronics a trademark of Paraguay." 

"Stroessner also used his power to enrich himself," the journalist reveals. "Judge Arnaldo Fleitas, who attempted to extradite him, estimated his fortune at US$500 million. Part of the money remained hidden in secret accounts in Switzerland. The general obtained political asylum in Brazil and died in the country without answering for his crimes."

The journalist reveals another facet of the dictator: "In 2016, the Department of Historical Memory and Reparation revealed another dark side of the dictator. He was accused of sponsoring a scheme of sexual exploitation of children."

"Sympathy for dictators is nothing new in Bolsonaro's career. The difference is that he is no longer just a congressman with radical positions. Upon assuming the Presidency, he began to represent the country. His praise for Stroessner degrades Brazil and the office he holds."