International Report Reveals U.S. Influence on Latin American Dictatorships: Pinochet, Coups, and Drugs

DW Documentary premieres "Dictatorships, Drugs, Violence: U.S. Influence in Latin America (1/3)." The report reveals U.S. backing of coups and dictatorships, including those in Brazil and Chile, along with the origins of Operation Condor during the Cold War, analyzing its lasting impact on the region.

The Citizen

11/01/2026 10:46am

Original article: Reportaje internacional devela la huella de EE.UU. en dictaduras de América Latina: Pinochet, golpes y drogas

DW Documentary Unveils Key U.S. Support for Dictatorships and Operation Condor in Latin America

DW Documentary has launched the first episode of a three-part investigative report examining the decisive role of the United States in the political and social crises in Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s. Titled «Dictatorships, Drugs, Violence: U.S. Influence in Latin America (1/3),» the documentary asserts that nearly all regional crises during this period were shaped by U.S. foreign policy. According to the documentary, this involvement stemmed from fear of communist expansion following the Cuban Revolution, guiding both direct interventions and support for authoritarian regimes.

The film narrative highlights key cases, beginning with U.S. support for the 1964 coup in Brazil, which established the country’s first National Security dictatorship. This pattern repeated itself with the overthrow of Salvador Allende in Chile and the rise of Augusto Pinochet. Additionally, the DW documentary explores the transnational repressive coordination through «Operation Condor,» an alliance among the intelligence agencies of Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Paraguay to track down and eliminate dissenters, created under either tacit or explicit support from Washington.

In response to these movements, the report also captures Latino resistance, such as the Sandinista struggle in Nicaragua, which generated hope for independence from American hegemony. However, as the first chapter concludes, the ascent of Ronald Reagan to the presidency in 1981 marked the beginning of a new and troubling era in hemispheric relations.

DW Documentary invites viewers to watch this revealing first episode on its digital platforms, anticipating the upcoming installments that will complete this audiovisual project.

Dictatorships, Drugs, Violence: U.S. Influence in Latin America (1/3) | DW Documentary