Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez Kirchner, had better watch her back. She could conceivably be the target of a regime-change operation, compliments of the CIA.
Given all the other things the CIA is currently engaged in, why would it target Argentina for one of its regime-change operations?
Argentina’s government, under Kirchner’s direction, has just seized majority control in YPF, the nation’s largest oil company. Immediately after the nationalization, Kirchner ousted YPF’s CEO and installed two of her aides to run the company.
What does this have to do with a CIA regime-change operation?
Well, it turns out that the Spanish government is hopping mad over the nationalization. Prior to the nationalization, a Spanish company named Repsol was the majority owner of YPF. Repsol now loses its control over YPF.
So, what’s that have to do with the CIA?
Well, Spain is a loyal member of the U.S. Empire. It is a longtime member of NATO. It was a member of the U.S. Empire’s “coalition of the willing” that invaded Iraq. And its troops have long participated in the U.S. invasion and occupation of Afghanistan.
So, what does Argentina’s nationalization of YPF have to do with the CIA?
Well, think back to 1953, when the Iranian government under democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh nationalized British oil interests in Iran.
Since the British Empire lacked the means to do anything about the nationalization, British officials requested the CIA to enter Iran and effect a regime-change operation, one that would restore oil rights to the British.
President Eisenhower authorized the CIA to initiate a covert coup against Mossadegh. It was effectively an undeclared act of war by the U.S. government on Iran.
The CIA’s coup was a “success.” Iran’s democratic system was destroyed. Mossadegh was ousted from power. In his stead, the CIA installed the Shah of Iran, a brutal dictator who ruled Iran with an iron fist for the next 26 years. The Shah enforced his brutality on the Iranian people with his domestic police force — the much-feared Savak, which was, in fact, trained and supported by the CIA.
So, what does Iran have to do with Argentina?
Given that the Spanish Empire is no more, there is always the possibility that Spain will request the U.S. Empire to grant it the same favor it granted the British — i.e., by having the CIA covertly initiate a coup in Argentina.
Let’s hope not.
In 1979, after 26 years of suffering under the tyrannical regime of the Shah, the Iranian people revolted. By this time, the Iranian people had learned what the CIA had done to destroy their democratic system. In angry retaliation, they took U.S. diplomats hostage. Unfortunately, they also ended up with an oppressive theocratic regime in its stead.
It was the CIA’s destruction of Iran’s democratic system, as part of the favor that it was doing for British oil interests, that is at the root of the adverse relationship between Iran and the United States today. We don’t need the same thing to happen with Argentina. Leave Argentina to the Argentines. The U.S. Empire should stay out of this one, even if the CIA is requested to restore oil rights to Spanish interests with one of its regime-change operations.
