◼️From confidants to coup-plotters: inner circle betrayals that have shaped Latin American politics

The region’s history is rich with stories of high-level betrayal—a mortal sin in the Catholic tradition when it involves betraying someone who entrusted you with their life, safety, or authority.

🇦🇷 Juan Peron

👉 legendary ‘third way’ Argentinian politician overthrown in a coup in 1955

👉 betrayed by factions of the Armed Forces, including generals Eduardo Lonardi and Pedro Aramburu, and lower-level officers promoted by Peron

👉 the coup thrust Argentina into decades of unrest. Peron briefly came back in a popular revolution (1973-1974). After his death, the country saw another decade of military rule (~30k killed 1976-1983 alone)

🇧🇴 Juan Jose Torres

👉 Bolivian socialist leader couped by exiled general Hugo Banzer in 1971

👉 plot backed by CIA and Brazil’s military regime

👉 Torres fled to Argentina. In 1976, he was murdered by death squads linked to Operation Condor – a US-backed campaign of violence that left ~80k dead, and saw 400k others jailed

🇧🇷 Joao Goulart

👉 Ardently non-aligned Brazilian politician couped in 1964, instituting a military dictatorship that lasted until the mid-80s

👉 coup led by commanders appointed by Goulart, including former Minister of War Amaury Kruel and Army Chief of Staff Castelo Branco

🇨🇱 Salvador Allende

👉 Chilean socialist president ousted and killed in a bloody coup on September 11, 1973

👉 coup led by Augusto Pinochet, whom Allende appointed as Army C-in-C just weeks earlier, resting his faith in the general’s loyalty to the constitution

👉 tens of thousands of Chileans subsequently imprisoned, tortured, executed or forcibly disappeared

🇬🇹 Jacobo Arbenz

👉 president ousted in a CIA-backed coup in Guatemala in 1954 by military officer Carlos Castillo Armas to protect United Fruit Company’s property interests

👉 army grunts demoralized by US PSYOPS; some officers joined the plot

👉 Armas assassinated in 1957, helping to trigger a 36-year civil war killing ~200k

🇲🇽 Francisco I. Madero

👉 Mexican revolutionary and president betrayed and killed by General Victoriano Huerta in 1913

👉 Madero had appointed Huerta secretary of war

👉 Mexican Revolution continued until 1920, 2M+ killed

🇻🇪 Hugo Chavez

👉 elected president in 1998

👉 In 2002, elements of the military (generals Vasquez Velasco and Manuel Rosendo), some Church leaders and the CIA backed a coup by businessman Pedro Carmona

👉 the coup lasted just 47 hours before collapsing as Chavez’ supporters mobilized to free him

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