Operation Condor: The Cold War's Secret Terror Network in Latin America

Operation Condor was a clandestine initiative for political oppression and state-sponsored terrorism orchestrated by South American military regimes during the Cold War, with backing from the United States. Initiated in 1975 in Santiago, Chile, its objective was to eradicate leftist dissent through tactics such as intelligence sharing, torture, forced disappearances, and killings. Participating nations included Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, and subsequently Peru and Ecuador. The U.S. contributed financial, military, and diplomatic support, including training at the School of the Americas in Panama and assistance from the CIA and Pentagon. The operation unfolded in three stages: establishing a communication network (Condortel), executing operations within Latin America, and conducting overseas assassinations, like the 1976 killing of Orlando Letelier in Washington, D.C. The 'Archives of Terror' found in Paraguay in 1992 validated numerous accounts, yet many cases remain unresolved, leaving truth and justice elusive.