Note Verbale H12-1/1973 (2105) [Embassy requests the Argentine Foreign Ministry to confirm the status of Zelmar Michelini and Enrique Erro as political asylum-seekers, and the dates of the resolutions]

Note Verbale H12-1/1973 (2105), dated 21 August 1973, sent from the Uruguayan Embassy in the Republic of Argentina to the Directorate-General of Policy of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, seeking information on the status of Uruguayan citizens Zelmar Michelini and Enrique Erro in order to confirm whether they are political asylees. If so, it further requests the dates of the resolutions granting them political asylum in Argentine territory.

Note A6-1/972 (1310) [Report to the Foreign Minister on connections between the Tupamaros and Argentine and regional terrorist groups, with an attached newspaper clipping from La Nación]

Note A6-1/972 (1310), dated 14 June 1972, sent from the Uruguayan Embassy in the Republic of Argentina to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr José A. Mora Otero, reporting information gathered by the Argentine Government which would demonstrate the existing connections between the Tupamaros movement of Uruguay and Argentine terrorist groups, as well as those from other countries on the continent.

Kidnappings and Crimes against Political Refugees in Buenos Aires

This report on the murders and abductions of Latin American refugees in Argentina between 1974 and July 1976 is being made available to the public for the first time. Rafael Noboa and Enrique Rodriguez Larreta Martínez compiled this information, as these crimes were unfolding. After being released from Uruguayan prisons, Rafael and Enrique had settled in Buenos Aires in 1974, where they continued mobilising against the dictatorship in their country. Enrique was kidnapped on June 30, 1976, and on August 5, Rafael was granted asylum in France.

5. Where were the crimes committed?

Victims of Operation Condor were persecuted in 13 countries: eight in Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), four in Europe (France, Spain, Italy, and Portugal), and the USA. Nevertheless, most operations were perpetrated within a single country, Argentina, where 70% of the crimes were committed. Only 2% of the victims were targeted outside of South America.

4. How many victims were there and who were they? 

Due to Condor’s top secret nature, there are no official lists of victims. However, recent research has indicated that there must have been at least 805 victims of transnational repression in South America between August 1969 and February 1981. The victims came from diverse backgrounds: most of them (40%) were political and social activists; 36% were members of revolutionary armed groups; 13% did not have any affiliation; and 5% were individuals with official refugee status.

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