Documenting inter-American cooperation: discovering the legacy of the Inter-American Association for Democracy and Freedom

Abstract

The Inter-American Association for Democracy and Freedom (IADF) existed from 1950 until 1983. By analyzing the documents of this organization, one can understand the state of inter-American cooperation in this time period. This inter-American cooperation focused on two main areas, U.S.-Latin American cooperation and Latin American solidarity. Both of these areas can be studied by analyzing the role played by key figures, such as Frances R. Grant and Rómulo Betancourt, within the IADF. We conclude that although the IADF was not a large or powerful regional organization, it played an important role in maintaining active networks among key figures in Pan-American democracy. These networks promoted a higher degree of coopera