Andrés Rodríguez (President)

Andrés Rodríguez Pedotti ( born June 19, 1923 in Borja, Department of Guairá, † April 21, 1997 in New York City ) was a general of the armed forces of Paraguay and February 3, 1989 to August 15, 1993 President of the country.

He supported Alfredo Stroessner, as this Federico Chaves deposed in a coup. As a reward for this, he was promoted from captain to colonel by Stroessner and appointed commander of the 3rd Cavalry regiment. In 1961 he was appointed commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, Army of the most important unit of Paraguay. In 1967 he was promoted to brigadier general, major general in 1970.

He was one of the most important confidant of Stroessner; his daughter Martha married his son Hugo Alfredo Stroessner Mora.

In 1970, he was suspected of being involved in drug smuggling. The United States therefore imposed a travel ban against him.

As part of the restructuring of the armed forces, he was in 1980 appointed commander of the 1st Army Corps.

1986 his personal pilot Juan Viveros was arrested in the United States when he tried to smuggle 43 kilos of heroin in his plane.

1989 Rodriguez was the leader of a coup to overthrow Stroessner. After he seized power, he caused the arrest of senior members of the military dictatorship of Stroessner and led free democratic elections in Paraguay.

Weakened by cancer, he was replaced by Juan Carlos Wasmosy 1993. Rodríguez died in 1997 in New York City.