Tales by Guido Rodríguez Alcalá: senses and representations of the military dictatorship of Paraguay (1954-1989)

Abstract

This article discusses a research project on Alfredo Stroessner’s dictatorial contextin Paraguay (1954-1989), based on the analysis of literary and documentary sourcesby journalist Guido Pedro Rodríguez Alcalá. The sources were gathered and organizedfrom 2008 to 2014 and are part of the collection of the Laboratory of Gender and HistoryStudies (LEGH), of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, whose objective is to expandthe historiographical studies on the military dictatorships of the Southern Cone, involvingseveral countries (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Paraguay). Themeshave provided new insights, especially regarding feminism, resistance, gender relations,and comparative / non-comparative studies among the various Southern Cone countries.Based on the sources, the research in question explores the relationships between literary(tales) and “Nunca Más” sources in the Paraguayan context, seeking to understand howthese narratives generate meanings and representations about Paraguayan studies, beyondthe theme of the Paraguayan War or even its colonial period. Besides that, when analyzingthe literature produced in the period, together with a documental and theoretical set, thetales can be seen as testimonial sources and, likewise, as a memory to be problematized.