The coup in Brazil

[Wim Dankbaar]

The coup of 1964 in Brazil.

What do we know about the CIA's role, if any, in it.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB118/index.htm

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhelliwell.htm

Wim

[Guest Stephen Turner]

The coup of 1964 in Brazil.

What do we know about the CIA's role, if any, in it.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB118/index.htm

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhelliwell.htm

Wim

In addition, this is a good site.

I suspect Military attache, General Vernon Walters was a mainstay in supporting the coup.

[Nathaniel Heidenheimer]

According to Kai Bird John McCloy went to Brazil right in the beginning of The Warren Commissions work, on behalf of one of Milbank Tweed's corporate cliants, the M.A. Hanna Mining Company. It struck me as itriguing that this was so important as to disrupt his work for the Warren Commission. (The Chairman, P550-551)

Edited October 3, 2006 by Nathaniel Heidenheimer

[Len Colby]

American warships made their presence known in a few major Brazilian ports, including Recife near where I live, probably because there were some left leaning factions in the Brazilian military especially the Navy. In CIA Diary Phillip Agree who was based in Montevideo recounted how the CIA station there tried to help the coup plotters arrest fleeing leftist politicians notably Miguel Arraes who was governor of my state (Pernambuco) and Lionel Brizola governor of Rio Grande do Sul and brother in law of the deposed president.

They ended up being the rival leaders of the ‘old left’ after democracy was restored in the 80’s. Brizola headed the PDT (Democratic Labor Party) and Arraes the PSB (Brazilian Socialist Party). Arraes was twice (re)elected Governor of Pernambuco and his grandson is now in the run-off against the son of a politician who backed military rule. Brizola was twice elected governor of Rio de Janeiro. Brizola ran twice unsuccessfully for president and was Lula the current president’s main rival in leftist politics. Their relationship was quite acrimonious despite Brizola being Lula’s running mate in 1998. Brizola was the main source for Larry Rother’s libelous article in the NY Times indicating Lula drank too much. Deceptively Rother made it seem like the two were friends and allies. It’s hard to believe a journalist who had been in Brazil as long as he had could have made such a mistake innocently. Brizola died in 2004 and Arraes followed him about a year later.

The successor to US ambassador Lincoln Gordon, Charles Burke Elbrick, was kidnapped in 1969 and exchanged for political prisoners. He was later quite critical of the military regime and spoke well of his kidnappers. The event was recounted in the movie known in English as "Four Days in September". Fernando Gabeira, the author of the book the movie was based on and one of the kidnappers is now a highly respected Federal Deputy but is still barred from entering the US.

[Wim Dankbaar]

I posted John Simkin's superblink about Paul Helliwell.

I had never heard of this man, any coup in Brazil or Jauo Goulart, untill recently.

This coup was supported and organized by the same usual suspects mentioned in that link.

Chauncey Holt was given a spot in Brazil by Helliwell.

But then again: Chauncey Holt might have invented his whole life story

Edited October 4, 2006 by Wim Dankbaar

[John Simkin]

The coup of 1964 in Brazil.

What do we know about the CIA's role, if any, in it.

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB118/index.htm

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhelliwell.htm

Wim

Paul Helliwell is a key figure in CIA illegal activities. See this thread for more details on Helliwell. The date of his death is also significant.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=5766

In his book "American Tragedy" (page 313) David Kaiser claimed in 2000 that the Brazilian generals got the "approval of American authorities" before they "overthrew the leftist Brazilian President Joao Goulart". Kaiser argues that this was part of Johnson's rejection of JFK's foreign policy and was a return to the one followed by Dwight Eisenhower.

[Nathaniel Heidenheimer]

I see this as fitting in with the following characteristics of the old OSS "China Lobby" that is often discussed in relation to the assassination.

1. In favor of direct military intervention to protect U.S. investments in Latin America.

2. In general more interested in Latin America and Asia than in Europe

3. In favor of unilateral action rather than working through the UN.

4. More direct political connections with members the Military Industrial Congressional Intelligence Complex

as compared to more Europe and UN centered politicians.