Alliance for Progress and Civic Action of the Chilean and Venezuelan Armies in the Cold War (1961-1970)

This article analyzes the relationship between the Alliance for Progress and the Civic Action programs of the Chilean and Venezuelan armies during the Cold War, period 1961-1970. The armed institutions of both South American countries carried out different plans to contribute to the idea of national development of their time, mainly focused on two areas: the technical training of conscript soldiers and the construction of different public works. The research is based on documentary evidence from primary sources from Chile, Venezuela, and the United States, in military magazines, official reports and the press. In short, the documents demonstrate the active participation of the two Latin American armies in specific tasks of industrial and agricultural technical training, and in infrastructure work.

Keywords:
Alliance for Progress; Chile; Venezuela; Army; Cold War