Argentina, the United States, and the Anti-Communist Crusade in Central America, 1977-1984

THE CLANDESTINE NATURE of the cooperation between governments (and nongovernment interests) in the Central American counterrevolutionary effort drove these political actors to establish ad hoc transnational links. Grounded in shared perceptions of the situation, all the players hoped to improve their chances of influencing the political and security outcomes in the region. The unstable situation stimulated the convergence of governments and nongovernmental actors around the anti-Sandinista armed movement, creating a multifaceted network of interactions. These alliances played a key role in advancing the covert counterinsurgency program. The initial attempts to reorganize the remnants of the Nicaraguan national guard were aided by transnational political processes based on specific regional interests and attitudes. ¹

The cooperation between governments and pressure groups was centered primarily on the exchange of information, the mobilization of economic and military resources, and the coordination of operational plans. But the paramount result of these multiple interactions was the development of the informal transnational network itself. The support structure for right-wing

-145-