This article introduces a special issue on Paraguay’s stalled democratization and enduring authoritarian legacies following the fall of Alfredo Stroessner’s dictatorship. Despite formal political reforms, the country remains dominated by elite rule, institutional fragility, and clientelist governance, reinforced by the near-continuous hegemony of the Colorado Party. The article surveys key turning points in the post-Stroessner period, explores the resurgence of authoritarianism under Cartismo, and outlines four themes addressed in the issue: authoritarian legacies and political patronage; state capture by economic elites; the rise of agro-extractivism; and grassroots struggles for land and democracy. Together, the contributions offer a critical reassessment of Paraguay’s post-dictatorship trajectory and shed light on the structural forces driving persistent democratic stagnation.

中文翻译：

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寻求民主的转型：巴拉圭的民主停滞和威权主义的复苏


本文介绍了一期特刊，介绍了阿尔弗雷多·斯特罗斯纳 （Alfredo Stroessner） 独裁政权垮台后巴拉圭停滞不前的民主化和持久的威权主义遗产。尽管进行了正式的政治改革，但该国仍然由精英统治、制度脆弱性和附庸主义治理所主导，而科罗拉多党近乎持续的霸权则进一步强化了这种统治。本文调查了后斯特罗斯纳时期的关键转折点，探讨了卡蒂斯莫领导下的威权主义的复兴，并概述了本期涉及的四个主题：威权主义遗产和政治赞助;经济精英对国家的俘虏;农业采掘主义的兴起;以及争取土地和民主的草根斗争。这些贡献共同对巴拉圭的后独裁轨迹进行了批判性的重新评估，并揭示了导致持续民主停滞的结构性力量。