Latin America in the 1960s and 70s saw violent military coups linked to the Cold War and the US’s fear of socialism. The Brazilian military overthrew President Joao Goulart in 1964 due to US worries about agrarian reform and a “Cuba-like” revolution. Activists such as Jean Marc von der Weid were forced into exile. In Chile, President Salvador Allende’s peaceful socialist plans faced secret US economic blockades. His government was toppled in 1973 by General Augusto Pinochet’s brutal military coup. Pinochet’s regime led to Operation Condor in 1975, a secret plan by right-wing dictatorships to crush opposition. This included the 1976 assassination of Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier in Washington, DC. Panama’s leader Omar Torrijos fought to regain control of the Panama Canal after years of US domination. Meanwhile, Nicaragua’s Sandinistas used armed resistance to end the Somoza family dictatorship, supported by regional alliances and secret help. This first episode of the series shows how US actions shaped violence, repression, and resistance across Latin America during the Cold War. It sets the stage for later events, including the tense relations that continue into the 21st century.