<div>In a recent interview, high ranking Romanian Ion Mihai Pacepa told the National Review &#8220;Liberation Theology&#8221; was a creation of the KGB. &#8220;Liberation theology has been generally understood to be a marriage of Marxism and Christianity. What has not been understood is that it was not the product of Christians who pursued Communism, but of Communists who pursued Christians.&#8221;</div>
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<div>As a former intelligence professional, I can tell you the Central Intelligence Agency knew this all along.  ; We knew it was the Soviet doctrine of destabilization to weaken fragile Latin American democracies in order to prepare them for Soviet sponsored revolution and eventual inclusion in the Soviet hegemony.  ;These were active and destructive programs designed to undermine Latin leadership in the 60&#8217;s, 70&#8217;s, 80&#8217;s and into the 90&#8217;s.  ;</div>
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<div>Naturally you would never be able to insert raw Marxist Communism which repudiates religion of every kind.  ; Back in the day, when &#8220;Liberation&#8221; movements emerged in Latin America with apparent Christian sponsorship, to the intelligence community, they were transparent as hell, with obvious signs of Cuban, Nicaraguan or Soviet sponsorship and support.</div>
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<div>This was a widespread strategy in Latin America, as well as other parts of the world.  ;This type of insurgency emerged in more than half of Central and South American countries.  ; When the Soviets (Nicaraguans, Cubans&#8230;) started to withdraw, the abandoned forces made deals with drug traffickers and in many instances became their enforcement arms, as ideals disappeared and the reality of making a living set in.  ;</div>
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<div>I spent a great deal of time in Latin America, and love the culture and the people.  ;Many of these countries did indeed have harsh dictators, and oppressed populations.  ; But dictators seldom hang on forever, and I often wonder how these countries would have developed if not for the devastating destabilization that occurred as part of the Cold War. ;</div>