Office of the Historian

245. Telegram 4526 From the Embassy in Costa Rica to the Department of State1

San José, September 20, 1976, 1818Z.

4526. Subject: Operation Condor. Ref: State 231654.

Unless there is some complication I am unaware of, there would seem to be no reason to wait my return. You can simply instruct the Ambassadors to take no further action, noting that there have been no reports in some weeks indicating an intention to activate the Condor scheme.

Todman

  1. Summary: Noting that there had been no reports in some weeks indicating an activation of Operation Condor, Shlaudeman instructed that no further action be taken.

    Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760355–0146. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. Shlaudeman was in Central America September 15–21. (Telegram 226288 to San José, Managua, San Salvador, Guatemala, and Tegucigalpa, September 13; ibid., D760345–0605) In an August 30 memorandum to Kissinger addressing Siracusa’s hesitation to raise Operation Condor with the Uruguayan Government, Shlaudeman recommended that U.S. officials deliver a démarche on Operation Condor to Uruguyan officials in Washington and Montevideo. In telegram Secto 27128 from Lusaka, September 16, Kissinger informed the Department that he had declined to approve the proposed message to Montevideo instructing Siracusa to deliver a démarche on Operation Condor; the telegram also noted that Kissinger had “instructed that no further action be taken on this matter.” (Ibid., D760350–0102) In telegram 231654 to Managua, September 18, Luers informed Shlaudeman of Kissinger’s decision and noted, “I will await your return to discuss how best to clear the boards with the Ambassadors on this matter.” (Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Box 16, Managua, 1961–1979)

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