Conditional Cash Transfer Programs (CCTs) have been implemented worldwide, as poverty alleviation programs which deliver a monetary transfer to low-income households on the condition of those will use defined health or education services. In Latin America, 17 among 20 countries have adopted CCTs, considering them as a very efficient alternative to alleviate poverty. The reputation of the programs is significant, even been the “flagship program” against poverty in the region, with an enormous group of impact studies, report and research about diverse issues, and overall, spreading their positive results. The evidence suggests that this convergence is due to a policy diffusion process which has not been studied properly. The paper argues that that the existence of an epistemic community was a source of diffusion of this wave. This community is composed of experts from international organizations such as the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, between others. It argues that the community generates a paradigm about poverty and the efficiency of the programs to overpass it, influencing the decision of adoption among the countries of the region. The construction of this discourse is presented and the ways of influence into domestic policy process. In addition, findings about the effects on the mechanism of diffusion are discussed. As a final point, conclusions about the role of international organization - as members of a epistemic community- are presented, beside future questions and challenges.
