---
born: 1912-11-03
category: World War II & Nazi Era
died: 2006-08-16
location: Encarnación, Paraguay
summary: In September 1988, Ari Ben-Menashe met with Stroessner to persuade him to
  close down Cardoen Industries' chemical plant in Paraguay, which was producing chemical
  weapons for Iraq.
tags:
- Person
- WW2
- Nazi
---

[Alfredo Stroessner](/people/alfredo-stroessner/) was the President of [Paraguay](/places/paraguay/), having been put in power in 1954 by the [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/). His regime was known for protecting [Nazi](/places/nazi-germany/) intelligence officers and German scientists with whom the [U.S.](/places/united-states/) government had made deals after [World War II](/events/world-war-ii/). Stroessner, with his German background and connections to the Nazi Party during the war, was considered an excellent candidate for the [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/) to install, indirectly serving [U.S.](/places/united-states/) interests.[^1]

[Israel](/places/israel/)'s connection with [Paraguay](/places/paraguay/) under Stroessner dates back to [Golda Meir](/people/golda-meir/)'s time as foreign minister, who was instrumental in opening diplomatic relations. Stroessner agreed to open [Paraguay's](/places/paraguay/) embassy in [Jerusalem](/places/jerusalem/), even when the [U.S.](/places/united-states/) did not recognize [Jerusalem](/places/jerusalem/) as the capital of [Israel](/places/israel/). This relationship, however, was not always consistent, with [Mossad](/organizations/mossad/) agents continuing to track [Nazi](/places/nazi-germany/) groups in [Paraguay](/places/paraguay/). Stroessner attempted to improve his reputation by promising full cooperation with [Israel](/places/israel/), though he did little to address the [Nazi](/places/nazi-germany/) issue.[^1]

[Paraguay](/places/paraguay/) became a conduit for illegal arms shipments to [Israel](/places/israel/) and for smuggling matériel from [South Africa](/places/south-africa/) for the [Dimona](/places/dimona/). Paraguay Airlines maintained a monthly flight to [Tel Aviv](/places/tel-aviv/), with aircraft undergoing maintenance by Israel Aircraft Industries in [Israel](/places/israel/).[^1]

In September 1988, [Ari Ben-Menashe](/people/ari-ben-menashe/) met with [Stroessner](/people/alfredo-stroessner/) to persuade him to close down [Cardoen Industries](/people/carlos-cardoen/)' chemical plant in [Paraguay](/places/paraguay/), which was producing chemical weapons for [Iraq](/places/iraq/). [Stroessner](/people/alfredo-stroessner/) initially agreed to close the plant by the end of February 1989 in exchange for a $30 million aid package in military equipment and training for a special antiterrorist unit for his Presidential Guard. He also revealed that [Gen. Andres Rodriguez](/people/andres-rodriguez/) had an interest in [Cardoen Industries](/people/carlos-cardoen/).[^1]

[Stroessner](/people/alfredo-stroessner/) was aware of a plotted coup against him by [Gen. Andres Rodriguez](/people/andres-rodriguez/), supported by the [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/). Despite his efforts to neutralize Rodriguez, the coup took place on February 2, 1989, leading to Stroessner's overthrow. He had promised [Ben-Menashe](/people/ari-ben-menashe/) that the [Cardoen](/people/carlos-cardoen/) plant would be closed, and had received small arms from [Israel](/places/israel/) as part of the agreement.[^1]

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.