Programmed to Chill

[originally published on Patreon February 9, 2024] As if I didn't discuss the Tupamaros enough, I revisit the story in light of even more information I found. In particular, I look at a RAND report on the MLN-T and cross-reference it with several more books on the group. This leads us to the interestingly-named Plan Satán, as well as much more context for the Mitrione kidnapping. I also found more information on the Nixon administration's decisions at the time. Then, CJ and I act out a dramatic reading of Dialogue Before Death (1971), a portion of Mitrione's interrogation tapes by Tupamaros. We also discuss the curious publisher of this book, as well as more on the calculations that went into the decision to execute him. Then, I look at an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the MLN-T through the eyes of one of their inspirations - Abraham Guillén, author of Estrategia de la guerrilla urbana (1969), as well as similar assessments made in the International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence. I make a major tangent looking at the "Abraham Guillen Press/Arm the Spirit" publisher.  I make a few final notes about the Tupamaros including that they confirmed Hevia was in contact with them before he defected back to Cuba. Additionally, I tell the story of Henry Engler, the Swedish Tupamaro, as well as what Wikileaks disclosures showed us of diplomatic handwringing about Uruguayan cancer center negotiations in 2007. Diplomats be lying. To close out, I mention some of the wavy stuff relating to the Tupamaros' imprisonment, and discuss the Tupamaros leadership entering Uruguayan politics, culminating with Jose 'Pepe' Mujica becoming the President of Uruguay from 2010 to 2015. [note: at some point, probably talking about Guillén, I accidentally said FIA instead of FAI. FAI meaning the Federación Anarquista Ibérica, of which he was a member] Songs: Adios by Los Tupamaros Anna was a Stool Pigeon by Laura Jane Grace En Esta Tarde Gris by Julio Sosa

[originally published February 7, 2024] I finish the story of Manuel Hevia Coscullela, the Cuban spy, based off his memoir, Pasaporte 11333 : ocho años con la CIA (1978). I examine what exactly Hevia was doing for the agency and what USAID's Office of Public Safety was up to. I discuss Lyndon B. Johnson's visit to Punta del Este, Uruguay for the Organization of American States (OAS) summits/conferences and how that affected the domestic political climate. I get obsessed with the story of Uruguayan military officer Colonel Ramon Trabal - assassinated by "the Raul Sendic International Brigade" in Paris, a story which quickly enters the funhouse hall of mirrors.  Then, to double back on the discussion of Gittinger's PAS files, entrapment ops, and MKULTRA death squad selection processes, I cover Hevia's explanation of the L and Q files. Just wait. He also explains the construction of a "parallel apparatus" and, in relation, discusses a police pimp.  Afterwards, Hevia ran a restaurant as part of ops the CIA and Uruguayan police were running in Uruguay. Finally, Mitrione appears in Hevia's story, and I go through some details left out in the prior episodes. Ice cold. [episode artwork based off the book cover] Songs: Dirty, Dirty Feeling by Elvis Presley De Cuba Traigo un Cantar by Carlos Puebla

[originally published on Patreon February 1, 2024] I continue the extended story of the Tupamaros by examining the life of Manuel Hevia Coscullela, the Cuban double (or triple) agent embedded in the CIA in Uruguay. I obtained his memoir, Pasaporte 11333 : ocho años con la CIA (1978) and translated various passages into English. As far as I know, this is the first time this has ever been done. Hevia's story begins before the Cuban revolution, and I explain his education and upbringing as well as his activities before, during, and after the Cuban Revolution. Hevia was involved with the Cuban AAA during the revolution and with Che's JUCEPLAN after the revolution. Hevia got in bed with some unsavory Uruguayans at their embassy and then defected, snitched and flipped for the CIA (wink), and was sent to Uruguay to work for the agency. From there, we get into Uruguayan deep state politics which is not uninteresting but which sets the stage for all the Mitrione stuff to come later. This is the story of deep espionage. [episode artwork based off the book cover] Songs: Todo por la Reforma Agraria by Carlos Puebla  Yo También Soy Miliciano by Carlos Puebla

[originally published on Patreon January 25, 2024] Today I'm rejoined by Dr. Pig Bodine aka CJ (@pussy___teeth) to continue our discussion on the 1972 film State of Siege by Costa-Gavras. We open with a discussion on the death squad as a general concept and in its specific applications in Uruguay.  Then, we discuss exactly why the Tupamaros were so effective and, despite that, why they were brought down so quickly. As it turns out, they were brought down due to the same factors that made them so effective: espionage and infiltration. We discuss both Cuban, Uruguayan, and CIA intelligence. I introduce Manuel Hevia Cosculluela, the double (or triple) agent embedded within this story.  Then I tell the story of the Mormon Tupamaro within the story of the incredible jailbreak from the Punta Carreras prison of 1971. After, we discuss the infiltration against the Tupamaros by fascist drug and weapons smugglers. We talk about the JCR, the Junta Coordinadora Revolutionaria, and place the Tupamaros within the continental revolutionary context. Finally, we cover the downright cocaine cowboy shenanigans of Mitrione's son. Believe it or not, however, we are not done with the MLN-T. artwork by @DEEP_RED_BELLS Songs: Death Squad by Sacred Reich Por una Cabeza by Carlos Gardel Falling From Sleeves by Calexico Abre los Ojos by Los Muertos de Cristo Sprawl by Calexico Miami Vice Intro by Jan Hammer

[originally published on Patreon January 18, 2024] Today I am rejoined by old friend of the show Dr. Pig Bodine aka CJ (@pussy___teeth) to discuss the 1972 film State of Siege by Costa-Gavras. We begin by reviewing the plot of the film and the real-life events.  From there, we quickly descend into darkness as we discuss the life of Dan Mitrione (beyond all the Jim Jones stuff). This leads us to ask why the field of parapolitics research into MKULTRA has been so incredibly unfruitful since the 1970s and why Operation Midnight Climax has been so thoroughly shitcoated. We're talking deviancy and sexual blackmail operations. We ask what type of "sexual technologies" they developed and what Inquisition techniques have to do with MKULTRA.  We raise the spectre of the true nature of personality tests and their horrific usages including aforementioned deviancy blackmail ops and death squads. Finally, we discuss the question of torture. Don't worry; future episodes are not as bleak. artwork by @DEEP_RED_BELLS Songs: Hasta Siempre, Comandante by the Buena Vista Social Club Los Olvidados by Los Muertos de Cristo A Mi Manera by Gipsy Kings American Made Death Squad by Behind Enemy Lines

[originally published on Patreon Today I'm joined by Fergal Schmudlach (@irregnata) from the Kingless Generation podcast to discuss paleo-parapolitics.  We start by discussing several points of mutual interest regarding Japan. Then we get into what anthropology can tell us about Marxism and serial killing. We talk about The Power of Ritual in Prehistory: Secret Societies and Origins of Social Complexity by Brian Hayden among other works.  Links: ⁠https://twitter.com/irregnata⁠  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/irregnata/posts⁠  Songs: for the twin by Daisuke Tanabe hard off haul by Daisuke Tanabe dried donuts by Daisuke Tanabe

[originally published on Patreon January 5, 2024] Today I'm joined by Reid (@seriations) to continue our conversation about Ira 'the Unicorn' Einhorn. We get into Einhorn's relationship to Andrija Puharich, his involvement with Earth Day, Bell Telephone company, and the development of "Einhorn's Network". Reid explains the importance of the Diebold Corporation and how this all might be a sophisticated method of OSINT and espionage, among whatever else it may have been. Note: in the episode, Reid said that he hadn't nailed down the name of the guy who introduced Einhorn, and mistakenly said that Geller was introduced via an American army attaché. Reid later found that this was Paul Henshaw, the head biophysicist for the Atomic Energy Commission. In 1947, Henshaw was on the US scientific team that studied radiation after-effects in Hiroshima. This same Henshaw introduced Ira Einhorn to Andrija Puharich. Geller was introduced to Puharich by Itzhak Bentov, an Israeli scientist, army officer, and mystic. Songs: Starman by David Bowie Telephone Line by ELO People Been Talkin’ by Woody’s Truck Stop Trouble Every Day by the Mothers of Invention

[originally published on Patreon Dec 29, 2023] Today I'm joined by Reid (@seriations) to discuss maybe the most conceited man in the world - Ira 'the Unicorn' Einhorn. In this episode, we get into Einhorn's family history and early life, his time studying to be a guru, and his work as a snitch and informant. I lost my damn mind researching a related figure, Weldon Melick, who very much appears to be Something, but what that Something is, isn't entirely clear to me. Then we get into Einhorn's drug dealing and drug usage, which also got me sidetracked with a brief yet interesting parapolitical history of DMT. [note: my buddy Luke Marshall had only just launched his podcast when we recorded this episode, so I accidentally referred to it as "Things Unsolved" when his podcast is "Things Observed"] Songs: Motherly Love by the Mothers of Invention Venus in Furs by the Velvet Underground Absolutely Free by the Mothers of Invention Hungry Freaks, Daddy by the Mothers of Invention

[originally published on Patreon Dec 22, 2023] Today I'm joined by Nick Vyssotsky (@cuss_otaku) to discuss Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid video game franchise. Nick takes us through the franchise's alternate history and we discuss the various themes involving Private Military Contractors, parapsychology, Programed to Kill themes, black budgets, AI guided governance, and on and on. Then I discuss the real-world example of a particular PMC, Keenie Meenie Services. I discuss their formation in places like Yemen, Angola, and Northern Ireland and their ongoing presence in places like Oman, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, El Salvador, etc. episode artwork by Vyssotsky (@cuss_otaku) Songs: Too Hot For My Chinchilla by Tangerine Dream The Dream Is Always the Same by Tangerine Dream Tear Down the Grey Skies by Tangerine Dream Forbidden Colours by Ryuichi Sakamoto

[originally published on Patreon Dec 15, 2023] After having introduced accounting concepts and laid out their applications in Jamaica, I continue my close reading of Accounting for Slavery: Masters and Management by Caitlin Rosenthal. I discuss the nature of 'book farming', the nature and origin of value, and discuss the ubiquity of King Cotton in the US and world economy. I cover the fungibility of labor, perverse concepts of depreciation, and get into the postbellum developments in the wake of the abolition of slavery. Finally, I discuss Rosenthal's background and the nature of McKinsey Consulting. episode art by Robert Voyvodich @r.voy__ Songs: My Queen is Harriet Tubman by Sons of Kemet It's A Sin To Be Rich, It's A Low-Down Shame To Be Poor by Lightnin' Hopkins Lord, Have Mercy On Me by Junior Kimbrough