Latin America politics: UK's 1960s covert activity revealed

British intelligence engaged in a far more active programme of covert activity in Latin America in the 1960s than previously understood, it has been claimed.

While the work of US intelligence in the region has been widely publicised, the UK role is much less known.

But Prof Rory Cormac of the University of Nottingham says recently declassified files reveal attempts to influence elections and disrupt trade unions in a number of countries.

At the start of the 1960s, the UK dramatically increased covert action in Latin America, undertaking what was called "special political action", including propaganda and forgeries which aimed to influence the public, primarily against communism.