Anastasio Somoza Debayle, who served as the president of Nicaragua from 1967 until 1972 and again from 1974 until 1979, was a divisive figure whose regime was characterized by authoritarian rule and corruption. Following the 1979 Sandinista revolution, which overthrew his government, Somoza fled to Paraguay, where he lived in exile. On September 17, 1980, while attending a private dinner in Asunción, he was ambushed and fatally shot by members of the Marxist-Leninist group known as the Uruguayan People's Revolutionary Army, who were opposed to his rule and sought retribution for his past actions in Nicaragua. The attack occurred in the exclusive neighborhood of Villa Morra, where Somoza was staying with friends.

His assassination was not only a moment of dramatic violence but also a signal of the ongoing turmoil in Central America during this period, as various revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements were vying for power. Somoza's death symbolized the end of an era for certain right-wing elements in the region and reflected the tumultuous conditions that prompted revolutions and civil wars across Central America in the 1980s. His son, Anastasio Somoza Portocarrero, later expressed the impact of such violent events on the familial legacy, recognizing the significant transformations occurring in Central American politics.

The event has been viewed through various lenses, with some praising the end of Somoza's rule, while others lamented the cycle of violence it perpetuated in the region. International opinions on Somoza were contentious; he had been a significant ally of the United States during the Cold War, which complicated the reactions to his removal from power and subsequent assassination. This incident was part of the larger context of U.S. involvement in Nicaraguan politics and the rise of communism in the region, shaping foreign policy towards Central America in the years that followed.