Introduction

Scholar Leslie Bethell has argued that for most of its history, Brazil never fully conceptualised itself as ‘Latin American’. In terms of its political trajectory, language, cultural production, intellectual debates, diplomatic relations and foreign policy style, Brazilians and Latin Americans alike tended to point to distinctions rather than similarities. This changed somewhat during the latter half of the twentieth century, when active political cooperation between the region’s Left signalled Brazil’s identification with neighbouring countries. ‘The region, however, was South America, not Latin America’.

The transnational experience of Cold War Brazil expands on this narrative. As this chapter shows, within certain human rights and solidarity circles, Brazilians not only more forcefully presented themselves as part of a wider South American community but also as part of wider Latin America and the ‘Third World’. From 1975, networks and organisations reinforced the idea of a shared identity around the experience of human rights violations in Latin America, as well as the specific developmental needs of the oppressed and peripheral nations. This shift was influenced by both Brazilians and their Western European networks.

The relationship between Brazilians and other Latin Americans was built along the lines of regional Leftist and liberationist solidarity networks and political communities. Since the late 1950s, new political identities were forged around the idea of Latin American unity and revolution, inspired by the Cuban Revolution of 1959 and growing dialogue between progressive liberationist Catholic bishops. Although it would later splinter along various lines, this common ground set the foundations for crucial lines of communication and networks of solidarity between Latin American revolutionaries and guerrilla for the next decades. As was shown in Chapter 1, the first wave of Brazilian exiles predominantly moved to other Latin American countries such as Uruguay, Chile, Mexico and Cuba, where these networks were activated. Likewise, liberationist theologians were building ties across the continent and in some cases becoming more actively involved with Left-wing opposition, including through armed struggle.

Latin American authoritarian regimes sought to contain regional exile and opposition by devising mechanisms to locate, imprison and disappear so-called ‘subversives’ beyond borders. In 1975, Operation Condor, which trained and integrated dedicated teams of security and intelligence personnel from across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, significantly expanded and advanced its operations.