Editing Colonia Dignidad (section)

==Connection to the CIA==
The CIA’s connection to Colonia Dignidad are tied to its broader support for Pinochet’s regime and [[Operation Condor]]. 

U.S. Support for Pinochet: The CIA backed the 1973 coup against Allende, providing intelligence, funding, and logistical support, as detailed in declassified documents (e.g., National Security Archive). Colonia Dignidad’s role as a DINA torture center aligned with CIA-backed anti-communist efforts.

[[Operation Condor]] Context: The CIA provided technical support for Condor, including the [[Condortel]] communications network and [[Crypto AG]] encryption machines, used by Chile’s DINA, as revealed in a 2020 Washington Post report. DINA’s operations at Colonia Dignidad, including torture and possible poisonings, were part of Condor, indicates CIA awareness. A 1979 U.S. Senate report noted DINA’s “close liaison” with the colony and its role in Condor, indicating U.S. intelligence had knowledge of the colony’s activities six months before Levenda’s visit.

Michael Townley’s Testimony: In 2005, [[Michael Townley]], a former DINA operative living in the U.S. under witness protection, acknowledged links between DINA and Colonia Dignidad to Interpol Chile. He confirmed biological experiments on prisoners at the colony, conducted with chemist [[Eugenio Berrios]], potentially linked to the poisonings of Eduardo Frei Montalva (1982) and João Goulart (1976). Townley’s CIA ties (he was a paid asset in the 1970s) suggest the agency's insight into the colony’s operations.

U.S. Knowledge and Inaction: A 2000 CIA report admitted awareness of Condor’s precursor activities by 1974, including assassinations, and a 1976 cable noted DINA’s role in Condor. The 1979 Senate report’s claim that “our knowledge of DINA operations is almost nil” contradicts earlier CIA cables, suggesting selective reporting or cover-up. Henry Kissinger’s failure to act on Condor assassination plans, as revealed in 2010 documents, implies tacit U.S. approval, encompassing the colony’s role.