LGBT rights in Paraguay binding on Costa Rica and sets a binding precedent for other Latin American and Caribbean countries including Paraguay. There is currently a lawsuit to recognize same-sex marriage that relies on the IACHR ruling pending with the courts. Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Paraguay since 1880. The age of consent in Paraguay is 16 for homosexuals and 14 for heterosexuals. During the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner from 1954 to 1989, LGBT people faced heavy persecution and were forced to maintain secret lives. On 1 September 1959, a fire broke out in the capital city of Asunción. Bernardo Aranda, a
Paraguay Estigarribia air base, a sprawling complex built in 1982. Paraguay consists of seventeen departments and one capital district ("distrito capital"). It is also divided into 2 regions: The "Occidental Region" or Chaco (Boquerón, Alto Paraguay and Presidente Hayes), and the "Oriental Region" (the other departments and the capital district). These are the departments, with their capitals, population, area and the number of districts: The departments are further divided into districts ("distritos"). The macroeconomy in Paraguay is characterized by a historical low inflation rate – 5% average (in 2013, the inflation rate was 3.7%), international reserves 20% of GDP and twice