New Books Network Mila Burns, "Dictatorship Across Borders: Brazil, Chile, and the South American Cold War" (UNC Press, 2025)
Nov 13, 2025
Mila Burns, an Associate Professor at Lehman College and expert in Latin American studies, discusses her groundbreaking work on Brazil's covert role in the 1973 Chilean coup. She reveals how Brazil not only supported Salvador Allende’s overthrow but also facilitated Pinochet's rise through intelligence and weapons. The conversation shifts to the lived experiences of Brazilian exiles in Chile and the profound impact of regional dynamics over Cold War narratives. Burns emphasizes the importance of documenting painful histories, shedding light on the complexities of power and resistance in South America.
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Brazil As An Independent Regional Power
- Brazil acted as an independent regional power, not merely a U.S. proxy, in opposing leftist governments in South America.
- Burns frames a "South American Cold War" where Brazil proactively shaped outcomes like Allende's fall.
Archive Discovery Sparked The Project
- Burns recounts opening uncatalogued Brazilian Truth Commission boxes filled with memos, cables, and faded reports in Brasília.
- Those primary sources confirmed exiles' long-standing accusations of Brazilian interference in Chile.
Domestic Surveillance Exported Abroad
- Brazil's post-1964 dictatorship built intelligence apparatuses to surveil exiles and political enemies across the region.
- That domestic surveillance infrastructure became a template for operations abroad, including in Chile.
