Brazilian court upholds alleged son's claim to Stroessner's inheritance

A legal dispute over the inheritance of former Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner has reached Brazilian courts, where one of Stroessner's daughters attempted to block a claim by a half-brother.

Graciela Stroessner Mora argued before the Federal District's Justice system that her half-brother, Enrique Alfredo Fleitas, had missed legal deadlines and lacked formal recognition as an heir. Fleitas, reportedly born from an extramarital relationship of Stroessner in the 1970s, sought to claim a share of the dictator's accumulated wealth.

Despite the objections, a Brazilian court dismissed the arguments. Judge Renato Rodovalho Scussel affirmed that Brazilian courts have exclusive jurisdiction over the inventory of properties located within Brazil, regardless of the nationality or domicile of the deceased or their heirs. The judge emphasized that Fleitas's legitimacy was fully proven through documentation and a DNA test.

The DNA analysis, conducted after a court order to exhume Stroessner's remains buried in Brazil, definitively confirmed the biological link. "The legitimacy of the respondent is proven by filiation documentation and DNA examination. The absence of a declaratory sentence does not prevent the exercise of succession rights," Scussel stated, according to the Brazilian media outlet Metrópoles.

Stroessner's total estate is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but its geographical dispersion across various countries has complicated efforts to trace and claim assets. The ongoing investigation spans assets and accounts in multiple nations, with Paraguay holding historical properties and assets of origin.

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The legitimacy of the respondent is proven by filiation documentation and DNA examination. The absence of a declaratory sentence does not prevent the exercise of succession rights.