Latin America–United States relations General Hugo Banzer overthrew leftist General Juan José Torres in 1971; in Uruguay, considered the "Switzerland" of South America, Juan María Bordaberry seized power in the 27 June 1973 coup. In Peru, leftist General Velasco Alvarado in power since 1968, planned to use the recently empowered Peruvian military to overwhelm Chilean armed forces in a planned invasion of Pinochetist Chile. A "Dirty War" was waged all over the subcontinent, culminating with Operation Condor, an agreement between security services of the Southern Cone and other South American countries to repress and assassinate political opponents, which was backed by the US government.
José María Velasco Ibarra José María Velasco Ibarra José María Velasco Ibarra (March 19, 1893 – March 30, 1979) was an Ecuadorian politician. Five times he became president of Ecuador: 1934–1935, 1944–1947, 1952–1956, 1960–1961, and 1968–1972. But only once (1952–1956) did he complete the full term. In his four other exits he was removed by military force; indeed several times he was installed as president through a military coup. Ecuador was notably unstable – with 17 constitutions after independence in 1830, . Velasco Ibarra was a fiery populist who did not have a formal party organization. Rather it was his populist rhetoric that attracted