VALIDITY STUDY OF NIE 70: CONDITIONS AND TRENDS IN LATIN AMERICA AFFECTING US SECURITY, PUBLISHED 12 DECEMBER 1952

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00400R000300100135-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 4, 2004
• Sequence Number: 135
• Publication Date: December 8, 1955
• Content Type: STUDY

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Approved For Rise 2004/03/23: CIA-RDP82-00400R 0030 00129"3N4100/ 1
8 December 1955
Validity Study of NIE 70:
Conditions and Trends in Latin America Affecting US Security,
published 12 December 1952
1. The basic social, economic, and military conditions in
Latin America continue to be those described in NIE 70. Current
developments confirm the characterization of Latin America in
NIE 70 as an area experiencing accelerated social change accom-
panied by rapid, but unbalanced, economic development, and
consequently a region of political instability.
2. The key political estimate in NIE 70, a continuing trend
toward radical nationalistic regimes, has not been borne out by'
current developments. Instead, the present tendency is toward a
more moderate political orientation in Latin America. However,
the basic conditions which underlay the political estimate in NIE 70
are still present and potentially effective.
3. The reversal of the trend toward radical nationalistic
regimes and the increased willingness of Latin America to co-
operate with the United States were caused by external as well as
internal factors. In some cases the United States exerted a
positive influence to reverse the trend toward extremism identified
in NIE 70 and other intelligence estimates. In Bolivia and Guatemala,
for example, contributions were made to the emergence and preser-
vation of moderate, anti-Communist leadership. Among other
external factors the end of the Korean War reduced Latin American
fears of involvement and encouraged a greater willingness to co-
operate with the United States. Internal factors centered in the
failure of radical and demagogic Latin American regimes to
satisfy the demand for more rapid material progress. In Argentina
and Brazil such regimes intensified social cleavages which pro-
voked reactions by military elements.
Approved For Release 2004/03/23 : CIA-RDP82-0040OR000300100135-4
SECRET