Editing Conference of American Armies (CAA) (section)

===CAA’s Connection to Condor===
The CAA’s connection to Operation Condor is its facilitation of military-to-military ties and alignment with U.S. anti-communist objectives:

Shared Anti-Communist Ideology: The CAA, founded to counter communism, promoted doctrines like Brazil’s National Security Doctrine, which justified repression of “subversives.” This aligned with Condor’s goal of targeting leftists, as seen in Brazil’s participation in Condor’s intelligence network ([[Condortel]])and abductions (e.g., Norberto Habegger, 1978).

Military Networking: The CAA provided a platform for army chiefs from Condor nations (Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay) to build relationships and share strategies. Conferences in the 1960s–1970s, attended by officers like Chile’s Augusto Pinochet or Brazil’s Ernesto Geisel, likely facilitated informal discussions on counterinsurgency, though no declassified records confirm Condor planning at CAA events.

U.S.-Led Training: The CAA’s reliance on U.S. Army South and training at the [[Schools of Americas]] (SOA), where Condor operatives like Chile’s Manuel Contreras studied, created a shared tactical framework. SOA’s counterinsurgency manuals, emphasizing torture and psychological warfare, were disseminated to CAA member armies, influencing Condor’s methods. Historian J. Patrice McSherry notes the CAA’s role in fostering “inter-service and regional cooperation,” which underpinned Condor’s multinational structure.

Condor’s Precursor Meetings: A 1974 Buenos Aires meeting of security officials from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia, noted in a June 1976 CIA cable, laid Condor’s groundwork, with Brazil joining by 1976. While the CAA was not mentioned, its prior conferences (e.g., 1960s Panama meetings) built trust among these armies, enabling Condor’s coordination.