Henry Kissinger left a terrible legacy in Latin America

Henry Kissinger, arguably the most influential U.S. secretary of state in the postwar era, died on November 29. He was 100 years old. 

“Secretary Kissinger really set the standard for everyone who followed in this job,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said of Mr. Kissinger on Thursday. “He was extraordinarily generous with his wisdom, with his advice. Few people were better students of history. Even fewer people did more to shape history than Henry Kissinger.”

Mr. Kissinger has indeed shaped history. But few Latin Americans (if any) would describe him as a generous man. Mr. Kissinger and his unwavering realpolitik views of foreign policy left a dark legacy for the region. 

In pursuit of U.S. geopolitical goals, Mr. Kissinger supported and promoted ruthless military dictators who blatantly violated fundamental human rights. 

While working under U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, Mr. Kissinger orchestrated a campaign against Chilean President Salvador Allende that ultimately led to his ousting and death. He effectively destabilized a government in Bolivia. He addressed challenging issues with Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela, while spearheading significant initiatives with Panama and Cuba. 

“Henry Kissinger should have the door shut in his face by every decent person and should be shamed, ostracized, and excluded,” the late British author and journalist Christopher Hitchens once wrote. “Let this character at last be treated like the reeking piece of ordure that he is.”

In Latin America, many said similar things, with a local flavor. His longevity was explained because “ni el diablo lo quiere...