Marina Kue, Curuguaty, Paraguay – A desolate path leads to Marina Kue in eastern Paraguay; 2,000 hectares of land marked by a bitter conflict between the descendants of General Alfredo Stroessner and the victims of his oppressive rule.

On June 15, 2012, a unit of Special Police Forces moved in to expel 60 families from the contested land. To the families, this was “Farm No 53”, part of Stroessner’s disputed land distribution initiative.

The peasants had inhabited the land since the late 1960s when it was returned by the Paraguayan Navy. The police were enforcing the interests of Blas Riquelme, a powerful figure in the right-wing Colorado Party, and the clash resulted in the Curuguaty massacre.

Nestor Castro, a survivor, recounts the tragic day. The events unfolded like a tragic movie, with little resistance against the overpowering police forces. The confrontation led to the deaths of 11 peasants and 6 police officers, with Castro and others unfairly bearing the blame.

Years later, Castro still grapples with the aftermath, highlighting the lack of justice and closure for the victims of the massacre.