This memorandum records a State Department meeting to discuss Operation Condor. Concerned by Condor's assassination plans, the State Department will send separate instructions to the US ambassadors in South American countries.

Meeting at Department of State to Discuss “Operation CONDOR”

In this telegram, the State Department acknowledges that while it accepts that crossborder intelligence sharing may be 'useful', it firmly opposes alleged plans to assassinate 'subversives' in Condor member countries and abroad. It calls the US Embassies to 'engage with the highest level of government' in Argentina, Bolivia, and Uruguay to dissuade such attacks.

The Chief of the CIA's Latin America Division, Raymond Warren, informs the CIA's Deputy Director of the potential political and security ramifications of Operation Condor.

In this memo from Raymond Warren, CIA Chief of the Latin American Division, to the Deputy Director of the CIA, Warren expresses concern that Condor's assassination plans could have ramifications for the CIA's liaisons with Condor intelligence services as well as Western intelligence services.

The US State Department instructs the US Embassies in South America on Operation Condor, following US government concerns regarding planned assassinations within and outside of member countries' territories.

This is a letter addressed to the Argentine dictator Videla from the Uruguayan politician, Wilson Ferreira who was a key non-leftist opponent of the Uruguayan dictatorship from his exile in Argentina. The letter follows the discovery of the bodies of Zelmar Michelini, Hector Gutierrez Ruiz, and two other unidentified Uruguayans.

This document is comprised of two parts. The first sheet is printed with the letterhead of Rio de Janeiro’s Serviço Nacional de Informações (National Information Service, SNI). It indicates that a list of subversive people wanted by the Uruguayan authorities is being sent to numerous Brazilian military agencies such as Rio de Janeiro’s Centro de Informações da Marinha (Navy Information Centre, CENIMAR) and Centro de Informações de Segurança da Aeroná (Aeronautics Safety Information Centre, CISA). The second sheet, signed by the Uruguayan army chief of staff General Luis Quierolo, requests that the people named on the list be captured for their links with subversive organisations. The sheet contains the name of each of the six people, together with their date of birth, their identity card number, and their most recent known address. The letter asks that the agents let the army’s general command know once the people have been arrested. The document is not signed.

Belief of Cuban commercial officers in Buenos Aires that the Argentine government was responsible for the kidnapping of two Cubans on 9th August 1976. The two Cubans were allegedly picked up and later killed by the Argentine State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE) for their involvement with the Argentine People’s Revolutionary Army (ERP).

This document contains a series of telegrams from the US Embassy in Buenos Aires to the State Department. The telegrams express concern regarding the human rights situation in Argentina. The Embassy mentions that the Government of Argentina has admitted to killing 450 terrorists since the military coup but the real number remains unknown.

The final telegram urges the Argentine government to bring the security forces under control and flags the presence of 'unauthorised' persons and groups operating against leftist.

The document details the US State Department’s discussions with the US Ambassador to Uruguay, Ernest Victor Siracusa, regarding the security situation in Uruguay and Operation Condor.

This is a memorandum written by Assistant Secretary for Latin America, Harry Shlaudeman concerning a CIA-State Department meeting. Shlaudeman announces that 'we are not making a representation to Pinochet as it would be futile to do so', implying that there should be a discussion of alternatives as to how to face Pinochet.

The US Ambassador to Argentina informs the State Department that a missing Uruguayan child had been 'quietly returned to his grandmother'. A habeas corpus has been filed for the son, daughter, and daughter-in-law of Argentine poet, Juan Gelman.

This document outlines phase three of Operation Condor which involves carrying out operations (including assassinations) outside of member countries. It mentions the formation of special teams composed of agents from one or more member country. The document states that the assassination of Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier in Washington may, therefore, be attributed to Operation Condor.

This is a telegram from the US Embassy in Costa Rica to the State Department. Noting that there have been no recent reports indicating an intent to activate Operation Condor, the telegram tells the State Department that no further action should be taken.

This document contains intelligence from the Legal Attaché of the US Embassy in Argentina. Notably, it mentions that a special team is being trained in Buenos Aires to conduct Phase Three Condor operations in non-member countries. The team is composed of members of the Argentine Army Intelligence Service and the State Secretariat for Information. Their structure resembles that of a US special forces team.

This report published by Amnesty International provides an overview of the situation of refugees in Argentina prior to and following the military coup. It mentions the suspected operation of Uruguayan security forces on Argentine soil under the so-called 'Plan Mercurio' targeting Uruguayan leftists in Argentina. Argentine and Uruguayan security forces are suspected of jointly operating a clandestine detention centre in Argentina.

In this document, the US Embassy in Buenos Aires briefs the State Department in Washington that large numbers of refugees, mainly Uruguayan and Chilean nationals, have left Argentina over the past few months. A new piece of government regulation on 'illegal aliens' is raising alarms again.

Amnesty International calls for Argentine dictator Jorge Videla to investigate allegations that Uruguayan security forces had kidnapped Uruguayan citizens in Buenos Aires. These allegations come after Uruguayan former trade union activist Washington Perez testified before Amnesty International.

This is a CIA report which mentions that Argentine security forces had captured Patricio Biedman, leader of the Chilean Leftist Revolutionary Movement (MIR) and Mario Espinosa, the MIR's delegate to the Revolutionary Coordinating Junta (JCR).

The CIA reports that, on 1 September 1976, an 'International Desk' was created within the National Intelligence Center for investigating, identifying, and destroying Argentine 'subversives' with links to international guerrilla organisations, such as the Revolutionary Coordinating Junta (JCR).

The CIA reports that plans are going ahead for a training course in Buenos Aires for special Condor teams which will be deployed to conduct targeted operations against key political opponents in France, where the JCR is present.

En este documento, se menciona las actividades del Plan Cóndor en Mendoza, Argentina. El documento es firmado por Luis Felipe Alemparte Díaz, el seudónimo del agente chileno de la DINA, Enrique Lautaro Arancibia Clavel.

Following the assassination of the former Chilean Ambassador to the US, Orlando Letelier, the CIA postulates that Condor countries may be undertaking joint offensive actions on US soil. The CIA had distributed background information on Operation Condor to the State Department and FBI.

The US Embassy in Buenos Aires shares intelligence from an anonymous source connected to the Argentine Army Intelligence Service regarding Operation Condor. The document mentions that a special team has been organised in Argentina composed of member of the Argentine Army Intelligence Service and the State Secretariat for Information (SIDE), which are being prepared for possible future action under the third phase of Operation Condor (involving targeted attacks against high-level political opponents outside member countries).

This communication outlines the three phases of Operation Condor, according to a confidential source from the Argentine Army Intelligence Service. Notably, the document states that- as part of phase three- a special team had been organised in Argentine comprising members of the Argentine Army Intelligence Service and the State Secretariat for Information (SIDE), which was being prepared to carry out future operations in non-member countries.

Este documento registra el secuestro y traslado de los ciudadanos uruguayos, Jorge y Maria Emilia Zaffaroni por las fuerzas argentinas y uruguayas. Se sospecha que eran integrantes del movimiento de los Tupamaros.

This FBI document shares intelligence on the third phase of Operation Condor involving the planned assassination of key political opponents in non-member countries. Target countries identified in Europe include France and Portugal. The FBI states that it has no evidence that Condor plans to undertake activities in the US; however the involvement of Condor in the assassination of Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier in Washington is not 'outside the realm of possibility'.

Request to Buenos Aires if the information contained in Retel could be passed to select Portuguese sources and other responsible US agencies.

This telegram from the US Embassy in Uruguay to the State Department reports on the propaganda campaign by the Uruguayan military regime announcing the capture of 62 militants belonging to the Party for the Victory of the People (PVP). PVP militants who had been exiled in Argentina revoked their claims that they had been kidnapped by Argentine authorities to instead claim that they were infiltrating back into Uruguay with plans to carry out assassinations and sabotage. This is an attempt to cover up Operation Condor's crossborder activities.

This document contains a list of names of Argentine citizens who were being tracked down by the Argentine military and police authorities for having committed subversive acts. It requests that the said individuals must be immediately arrested and the agency must be informed of any citizens who are living in Brazil illegally. While those who are living in the country legally must be tracked down and kept under closed surveillance while the agency is being informed of their arrest. There are no individual signatures but a stamp can be seen at the bottom from the Brazilian military.

This Weekly Summary published by the CIA focuses on cooperation among the military regimes of South America. Although Operation Condor is not mentioned, it traces the original impetus for increased cooperation back to the Chilean coup in 1973.

This search request corresponds to two Argentine citizens, Ricardo Luiz Franco and Maria Catalina Benassi, who were accused of belonging to a subversive organisation called the Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo (People’s Revolutionary Army, ERP). Franco and Benassi were both living in Porto Alegre (Brazil) at the time. The document asks for the two Argentines to be tracked down and arrested and for further relevant information to be shared. The document is not signed but there is a stamp belonging to the Departamento de Ordem Política e Social (Department of Political and Social Order, DOPS) operating in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.

In this document, the US Ambassador to Argentina and his Legal Attaché offer further reports on the abduction and assassination of two employees of the Cuban Embassy in Buenos Aires- Jesús Cejas Arias and Crescencio Galañena Hernández- by Argentine security forces during August 1976.

In this telegram, the US Embassy in Montevideo informs the State Department in Washington that rumours are circulating among the intelligence community regarding the alleged kidnapping of Uruguayan exiles- including the daughter of Uruguayan politician, Zelmar Michelini- in Argentina in July 1976. The Argentine security forces turned over some of the detainees to the Uruguayan security forces for interrogation.

This telegram from the US Embassy in Uruguay to the Secretary of State in Washington reports on the round up of militants from the Party for the Victory of the People (PVP) by the Uruguayan military regime. This includes the arrest of 22 PVP militants in Argentina and their subsequent refoulment to Uruguay.

The US Embassy reports on the cooperated psychological warfare between the Argentine and Uruguayan military regimes used to cover up the appearance of PVP militants disappeared in Argentina through the media.

In this document, the US Ambassador to Argentina reports on the return to Uruguay of PVP militants exiled in Argentina. According to the UNHCR, 12 out of 14 of the names on the list refer to Uruguayan refugees kidnapped in July and September 1976 and at least 40 more Uruguayans were disappeared during this period. The US Ambassador suspects that the kidnappings were carried out in a secret joint exercise by Uruguayan and Argentine security forces.

The CIA reports that the training course in Buenos Aires is underway for the special Condor Teams destined to carry out operations against high-level political opponents in Europe. The course is due to conclude by early December 1976.

This report mentions the plans for Condor to expand its activities to Europe. A training course is due to take place in early December 1976 in Buenos Aires. Two Uruguayans are expected to travel to Paris to perform unspecified activities. After allegedly finding out that the French knew about Operation Condor, Argentine and/or Chilean security officers informed the French security forces that Condor's operations in Europe would exclude France.

In this document, the CIA reports on a meeting which took place between Condor member countries in Buenos Aires from 13th to 16th December 1976 to discuss psychological warfare operations. This included an agreement whereby one member country agreed to publish propaganda in favour of another member country so that it could not be traced back to the benefitting country.

The advisory minister of the Brazilian Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1976, Marco Camilo Cortes, addresses the telegram to the Minister of Foreign Relations to whom she sends information about the passing of former Brazilian president João Goulart. News received by the consul in the Argentine city of Paso de los Libres, Ney Faria, suggests that the former president died from a heart attack while he was in Argentina, near the locality of Mercedes. Cortes writes that since necessary provisions are already being implemented, both via the consulate and directly at the frontier, he shall abstain from making an official contact with the Argentine authorities unless the Ministry instructs him to do so.

The advising minister of the Brazilian Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1976, Marcos Camilo Cortes, addresses the telegram to the Minister of Foreign Relations, notifying him of the arrival of former Brazilian president Goulart’s body to the Argentine city of Paso de los Libres. Cortes reports that the Brazilian consul in the city, Ney Faria, had confirmed that he had already actioned all the possible measures at his disposal but he wanted instructions from the Minister regarding the “delicate aspects of the case”. Cortes advises the Minister that, if he should choose to send special instructions to the consul Faria, that he send them via the Army’s radio due to the difficulties contacting Paso de los Libres via telephone.

The advising minister of the Brazilian Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1976, Marcos Camilo Cortes, reports that, former Brazilian president João Goulart’s coffin had crossed the international bridge to the Brazilian municipality of Uruguayaina and, from there, it would continue making its way to the Brazilian city of São Borja, according to the Brazilian consul in the Argentine city of Poso de los Libres. The consul added that everything had gone smoothly, including in Uruguayaina.

This CIA document reports that Argentina and one other Condor member country (name blocked out) had undertaken a failed operation against three targets in Argentina. This incident has raised doubts among the security forces of the unnamed member country regarding the effectiveness of crossborder cooperation given that too many individuals now know about Condor. 

This document records a conversation with the Regional Representative of the UNHCR, Robert Muller, following his 14-month-long visit to Argentina. Muller claims that, of the 14,000 refugees mandated by the UNHCR, around 2,000 have been resettled outside Argentina.

The report highlights that UNHCR relations with the Argentine military regime have improved owing to a certain level of cooperation to remove refugees from the country.

This CIA report discusses a meeting of Condor member countries which took place from 13th to 16th December in Buenos Aires. The main issue on the agenda was the discussion and planning of coordinated psychological warfare operations against political opponents in various member countries.

The CIA reports that the meeting of Condor member countries in December 1976 discussed difficulties regarding the accomplishment of responsibilities. Particularly, larger countries are failing to meet the expectation of providing greater human and financial resources than smaller member countries. 

Activities of Operation Condor outside of Condor countries. The document claims that the assassination of the former Chilean Ambassador to the US, Orlando Letelier, had shown the Condor countries that political assassinations of ‘extremists’ abroad had detrimental effects on Condor countries. It warns that such future activities would result in retaliatory measures by the US against the accused country.

The CIA reports that Operation Condor has begun to employ a communications system, for which each member country has been assigned a number beginning with Argentina - 1. 

Confirmation that the then Director of the Argentine State Secretariat for Intelligence (SIDE), General Carlos Enrique Laidlaw, had been named the new Chief for Operation Condor at the last meeting of Condor representatives in Buenos Aires. The document also reveals the psychological warfare conducted by Operation Condor through the media of member countries.