Murder by the Grace of God

The Revolutionary Life of John Paul I and the Investigation into his Mysterious Death. In 1978, driven by Paul VI's encyclicals Populorum Progressio and Liberation Theology, there were two fronts on which the CIA was confronted by communism as a free democratic society, Italy and Central America. If Italy fell to communism much of Europe would follow. If Central America fell to communism much of Latin America would follow. It was in these parts of the world communism was raising its head as the will of the people that was so dangerous to the United States and its capitalistic allies. Henry Kissinger sounded the alarm, "Domination by Moscow is not the issue. Communist control of Italy and Central America is the issue. It would have terrible consequences for the United States and is the number one threat to its national security."_ When Paul VI died the CIA joined right-wing factions in the Church to elect a pro-American Pope. When the avowed Marxist—John Paul I—was elected it struck a nerve of shattering proportions in the United States. A swarm of mini-Cubas loomed on the horizon in Europe and in America’s backyard. In CIA headquarters in McLean Virginia the ball began to roll.