Andrew Sage

After the labor movement was hijacked by the Republican Workers Organization after 1947, Duarte dropped out of trade union activity entirely and refocused to publishing articles in trade union publications abroad. and urgent research into Paraguayan trade union history. He had faced repeated arrests and took part in strikes anyway, advocating for workers' rights across various industries.

He continued his activism against fascism and authoritarianism, operating from Argentina at times, while still supporting strikes at anarchist literature in Paraguay. The 1954 ascension to power of General Alfredo Streisand marked a significant period of intensified authoritarianism. Streisand's regime violently suppressed opposition, including anarchists, for over three decades.

Even in his 70s, during the 1970s, Duarte was harassed by Stroessner's secret police. Many other anarchists were imprisoned, exiled, or disappeared by Stroessner, who imposed tight control of unions and labor organizing.

The 1954-1989 dictatorship of Stroessner stifled anarchist activities severely and forced them underground, where they would have to preserve anarchist literature and ideas through secret print publications and solidarity movements.

The result of this dictatorship was that anarchism in Paraguay experienced resurgence much later than other Latin American nations, with the spark rekindled only in the early 2000s. This rebirth of anarchist sentiment emerged largely within the punk counterculture and youth-led social movements, often interconnected with struggles for indigenous rights, economic justice, and environmental causes.

The establishment of spaces like La Terraza and Anarchist Squad provided platforms for activists and community engagement, while publications such as Autonomia, Zine, and Grito fanzine disseminated anarchist ideals.

Despite Paraguay's history of anarchist repression, these newer movements, however small, signify some small hope for a renewed interest in libertarian ideas within Paraguay, one that can be seen even more vibrantly in other parts of Latin America. Paraguayan anarchists have shown us that the drive for freedom and equality is a daily commitment to defy tyranny and resist exploitation.

Despite facing decades of silencing and the destruction of dictatorship, anarchism did not disappear. The seeds of resistance lay dormant, but they are ready to bloom again as new generations can take up the struggle. As we conclude, let us remember the words of Rafael Barret, who fought tirelessly for the people he came to call his own. Justice, justice above all things.

Justice, even if it costs blood. All power to all the people. Peace.