Paraguayans’ mission to search for loved ones feels less visible and more challenging than others in Latin America.

The legacy of Alfredo Stroessner, Paraguay's former dictator ousted in 1989 after a brutal regime, still influences the country. His long-lasting presence in politics hampers efforts to uncover the fate of those who disappeared during his rule.

In Peru, out of 20,000 disappeared people, only 3,200 remains have been found. In Colombia, five decades of war left a staggering death toll and more than 124,000 people missing. Paraguay’s dictatorship left a smaller number of disappeared (500 people), but only 15 bodies have been recovered.

Despite being ousted in 1989 after a 35-year reign of terror, during which 20,000 people were tortured, executed or disappeared, some Paraguayans feel as if Gen. Alfredo Stroessner never truly left.