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.

3. When did it operate?

The Condor founding agreement was signed by military intelligence representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay on 28th November 1975. This is the formal start date of Operation Condor. However, these countries had previously collaborated in transnational repression in more informal and ad hoc ways at least since 1969. Operation Condor, as a multilateral forum for transnational repression, stopped working in late 1978, although informal and bilateral operations continued until February 1981.

Nota 001/77 Conf. [Withdrawal of the appointments of Fons and Gavazzo to posts in the United States]

Confidential Note 001/77, dated 21 January 1977, sent from the Embassy of Uruguay in the United States (URUWASHI) to the State Department of the United States, expressing the withdrawal of the proposed appointments of Colonel Fons and Major Gavazzo to positions to be held in that country.

Location: Department of the Historical and Diplomatic Archive – Section: Embassy of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay in the United States / Series: Confidential Notes / Year 1977 / Box 7 / Folder 5.

Télex C265 y C266 [Meetings requested by Wilson Ferreira Aldunate with U.S. government authorities]

Telex (Transcription) C265 and C266, dated 12 December 1975, sent from the Embassy of Uruguay in the United States (URUWASHI) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DIPLOMACY) reporting on the meetings that Senator Wilson Ferreira Aldunate had requested with government authorities.

Location: Department of the Historical and Diplomatic Archive – Section: Embassy of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay in the United States / Series: Ciphered Telex Received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Year 1975 / Box 52 / Folder 4.