Ramón Aquino (June 10, 1934 - April 1, 2015) was a Paraguayan far-right politician from the Colorado Party, known as the leader of the Garroteros militia during the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner.
[2] He was a member of Colorado's governing body, the Board of Governors, and was a personal friend of President Alfredo Stroessner.
The party headquarters turned into the center of district life, where meetings were constantly held to make decisions on socio-economic, socio-political, cultural and everyday issues.
For employment, business licensing, admission to studies, use of municipal medical care, his personal approval was required.
[3] One of the most infamous acts of the garroteros occurred on September 12, 1972, when they suppressed anti-government protests at the Catholic University of Asuncion[4] by brutally beating up rebellious students.
After this event, he received the black humor nickname Moderador de la Universidad - the moderator of the university.
[7] The firmness of one of the nurses, a Polish-born nun named Yuliana, who yelled at them "enter only over my dead body," convinced Aquino to retreat.
[8] In the late 1980s, a split appeared in the Colorado Party between two factions, the tradicionalistas ("traditionalists", supporters of liberal reforms led by Luis Maria Argaña and Edgar Ynsfrán) and militancias ("militants", loyal supporters of Stroessner led by Sabino Augusto Montanaro and Ramón Aquino).
[10] Alfredo Stroessner was finally deposed during the coup d'état of 2 and 3 February 1989, led by his former confidant, Andrés Rodríguez Pedotti, with the support of the army.
Party militants did not have time to take action, and the "traditionalists" threw their support to Rodríguez and the new government began carrying out several long-demanded reforms.