Operation Kufire

Operation Kufire was a program that sought to identify and track all communist party members who had flocked to Guatemala during the Arbenz regime. “Via Kufire, the CIA was intent on charting their movements and monitoring or frustrating their machinations”1. This operation introduced the CIA to Ernesto “Che” Guevara and it is interesting to note, that one member of the CIA team was unsure as to whether it was even necessary to open a file and track Guevara’s movements. Ultimately, operation Kufire signified the fear that communism would spread throughout Latin American. Furthermore, it feared a domino effect, whereby if one nation in America were to fall to communism, then it was likely that others would follow. Operation Kufire was intended to safeguard against any further communist uprisings and to track the activities of known communists throughout all America.

References

1.Holland, Max. “Operation PBHistory: The Aftermath of SUCCESS” International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence. 17: 300-332, 2004.