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On September 30, the newspaper El País published a letter entitled "Letter from an Amoral Man," which became a milestone in the history of the struggle and resistance of the Paraguayan LGBTI movement. This letter is claimed by Paraguayan LGBTI organizations as the first public demonstration for sexual freedom known in the country, even 10 years before the Stonewall riots (New York, USA, 1969).

That's why the rights of LGBTI people in Paraguay are commemorated during the month of September. Thanks to historical preservation and the construction of local memory, it has been possible to demonstrate that voices of protest already existed in Paraguay during the dictatorship. Today, 108 is no longer a "cursed number." It is a symbol of struggle and a tribute to the victims who suffered repression, torture, exile, and death because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. 

From insult to pride: the story of the 108

The number 108 functions as a symbol in Paraguay. From insult to pride. From number to word. It was erased from traditional hotels, from houses, from car license plates, from the internal numbers of public institutions. They tried to erase it, just as they erased homosexual people, diverse bodies, and identities that don't fit the molds of good morals. 108 is also called the "cursed number" because of its historical and symbolic significance, and many continue to use it as an insult to this day. 

Where does 108 come from? 

Bernardo Aranda, a 25-year-old radio host for Comuneros, was found burned to death in his home located at Estados Unidos and Novena Proyectadas Streets in Barrio Obrero (Asunción). It was on September 1, 1959, five years into the long dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989). Although the circumstances of Aranda's death were not clarified, the police declared it a "crime of passion."

Among the reasons the case gained such public attention were Aranda's popularity and the public's insistence on finding those responsible for the crime. 

This case was used as an excuse to persecute 108 homosexual men identified as "suspects." In addition to suffering exposure and stigma from Asunción society, they were captured and tortured. 

Beginning on September 2, the police violently and arbitrarily detained people they believed to be homosexual under the pretext of investigating the case. According to research by lawyer and LGBTI human rights activist Erwing Szkol, on September 7, 1959, five days after the investigation began, the premise that the detainees exhibited "dubious sexual behavior" was made public for the first time. This was an attempt to link these "moral" individuals to the crime, justifying further arrests.

On Saturday, September 11, the newspaper El País , a newspaper affiliated with the Stroessner dictatorship, published an article about the arrests made that morning with the headline: “108 People of Dubious Moral Conduct Are Being Interrogated. Intense Police Action. Results Awaited.” This was the first article to include the number 108 in connection with the arrests of “amoral” individuals . Since then, the number 108 has ceased to be just a number and has become an insult to people considered homosexual.

Echo of a journalistic record

The media echoed the police reports and, as described in Szokol's report "108 One Hundred and Eight," also called for a "moral cleansing" campaign, urging the authorities to use de facto criminal prosecution to end this "vice." However, one aspect often overlooked when recounting the historical events surrounding the origin of the name/number 108 is that it was not an official figure, but rather a report made by a reporter during his coverage.

Number 108 comes from a list of homosexuals accused of being involved in a crime. And everyone on the list was detained and tortured . But it wasn't the only list published during the dictatorship, nor the only instance of abuse against homosexuals. Many other lists circulated with names not even linked to Aranda.

This raid on opponents and entertainment venues linked to the gay community lasted 10 years. On October 13, 1963, to cite just one of the many incidents, a series of flyers listing 43 people accused of being "immoral" were distributed throughout Asunción. It was signed by the "Parents' Committee for the Cleanup of Our Society."