Operation Condor and Political Repression

A brief history behind the United States supporting reigns of terror against South American leftists for over 20 years.

The United States’ activities in the geopolitical landscape of Latin America throughout the Industrial (and now, the Information) Age has been nothing short of catastrophic for ordinary civilians and especially for left-wing activists across the continent.

“CLASSIFIED READING MATERIAL RE CONDOR FOR AMBASSADOR LANDAU AND MR PROPPER” taken from https://foia.state.gov

The active targeting of left-wing individuals, including but not limited to socialists, communists, and some Peronists (in the case of Argentina) was an active theme during the Cold War across the entirety of South America. In addition to broad leftists, any other variant of opposition to the US-backed military juntas and dictatorships in the region was also heavily criticized and punished.

Since the beginning of the Cold War, countries across the whole of South America began experiencing political unrest, turmoil, and governmental overhauls, usually in the form of coup d’etats. The most important events are presented as follows and in order:

• General Alfredo Stroessner conducted a coup in Paraguay in 1954
• The military in Brazil overthrew President João Goulart in 1964
• Hugo Banzer conducted a…