LATIN AMERICA BRIEF 77-071, 9 MAY 1977 - 1977/05/09

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Keywords: ARREST
• Keywords: FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
• Keywords: GRAIVER SCANDAL
• Keywords: INDEXF199300857
• Keywords: LANUSSE
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00022251
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: May 9, 1977

� - .
4S. � � �p . �
ON?
1 I Approved for Release:'2018/09/1.7 600022251'
I, .
.... �
. ... _........ ir....1 __..... , . .......... ad.., -..� ������ .... ..........r-m� ,���=��� yr.. .....-����=0��� ������������zegpoln
.
,
1� �-�-�,.��� *.m...
1 I . �
I
. OUTGOING MESSAGE
�
Ibeaddiii, corona utdi .
lee ado 100 �66, ft.
d,drd
0 . � � . ...o .- � '0 I * 7.2.r:.:rA ' '-it.b
..
����������� op% � � ��=ma.���� ����
��=mi; ����� mi.m..��� a ..m. �
60' Ogo 0
Z......�.......w......�,...mrr 4..1
� a i
...�.� �Imilmi� ���������� � � '1���=i�-�:
a
, 1.�b efff Med100,-- !
....
'.,
a ,i,,
. d
. , .. � '...A.
�
poniplamspft.0 igniwase geiviran /alma,
ImegoW wedoa�dd�d� dalinSiOla
COO
LATIN AMERICA ORE/F 77-0711 i MAY 14770,
. ARGENTINA! THE ARREST ON MAY 4 OF FORMER PRESIDENT ALEJANDRO
LANUSSE FOR SUSPECTED FINANCIAL WRONGDOING IN OffICE HAS STRONG
POLITICAL OVERTONES. THREE OTHER TOP OFFICIALS OF- THE MILITARY .
GOVERNMENT THAT GENERAL LANUS% HEADED IN THC EARLY 1170S ARE ALSO
BEING HELD.V
LANUSSE SILL BE OUESTIONED ABOUT SERIOUS IMPROPRIETIES IN A
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION Of AN ALUMINUM PLANT.. THE
CASE HAS BEEN UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS % BUT RELATIVELY
LITTLE HAS BEEN HEARD ABOUT IT RECENTLY. AND MANY ARGENTINES HAD
PROBABLY ASSUNE, THE MATTER WOULD BE DROPPED.V
IN ADDITION, THE CASE HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWNED BY RECENT DEVELOP..
MEM IN THE SPECTACULAR GRAIVER SCANDAL% WHICH PURPORTEDLY LINKS
PROMINENT CITIZENS.-.INCLUDING FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS-....10 THE
TERRORIST MONTONEROS.V
POLITICAL MOTIVES ARE AT LEAST AS IMPORTANT AS OTHER CONSIDCRA�
TUNS IN THE MOV' TO BRING LANUSSE TOJUSTICE. HIS ALLEGED MISDEEDS
O ^OA
O 00 1�111441
O 4W OW10
0 � otamti
WERE NOT UNUSUAL OR SURPRISING BY
041161
MS:
NW:
90.11�40.6
gal
Approved or Release
rate
NSA da d di Ova ae. NIG
_---
� ad� d� 4-00. of004.11410
I a IMPOIET
CL OT8
�
Approved for Release: 2018)09/17 C0-0022251
.-. � ,
�
S.. a
our D
�����-
Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00022251
I
OUTGOING ME9GE
VA [(Wit n .14 001.
ea �c� Nye V. fofte
0 0 0 . 0 0
CO10 :
INFO ?ILE
woe oda ������,
� ;
I
0.1
e
el�M��� �����
IRAs ed teMbe ��������#4 dreelals
o o�sa� DISSIU SY:.
��� saga
0 la "Va. �111 PC%
0 ,...... a
NUMBER Of OFFICIALS COULD OE CALLED TO ACCOUNT FOR SIMILAR
IMPROPRIETIES.Y
FOR SOME TIME, HOWEVER, LANUSSE HAS DRAWN THE IRE Of THE CURRENT
� MILITAkY REGIME, AND HAS PARTICULARLY ANGERED SO-CALLED HARD-LINE
OFFICERS. HIS CRITICISMS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S HARSH SECURITY PRACTICES,
HIS HIGH PUBLIC PROFILE, AND HIS APPARENT TIES TO PROMINENT NEWS-
PAPERMEN HAVE LED SOME ARGENTINES TO CONCLUDE THAT HE IS APPEALING
TO IMPORTANT CIVILIAN SECTORS AS A POTENTIAL POLITICAL LEADER. THE
MIME IS NOT PREPARED EVEN TO CONSIDER THE RE.-EMERGENCE OF NORMAL
POLITICS' DESPITE PRESIDENT VIDELA'S CONCILIATORY WAYS. MILITARY
DISTRUST OF LANUSSE IS FURTHER HEIGHTENED BY THE FACT THAT HE PRE-
P)RED THE RETURN FROM EXILE OF JUAN PERON.Y
AT LEAST SOME OFFICERS IN THE REGIME ARE CLEARLY BENT ON
DISCREDITING LANUSSE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE COVERNMENT IS POR-
TRAYING ITS EFFORT AGAINST THE FORMER PRESIDENT AS PROOF THAT IT WILL.
CLEAN OUT WRONGDOING NO MATTER WHERE IT IS FOUND, EVEN AMONG BROTHER
OFFICERS. THE POLITICALLY CYNICAL ARGENT!.X.; ARE NOT LIKELY TO
ACCEPT THIS ARGUMENT AT FACE VALUE, AND LANUSSE COULD EVEN EMERGE FROM
SATE:
ORiO:
st.t�#�aa laratic. 24.�����
1.1,.� SO SW, At � 6.�
Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C000929c1
411/����Po:�14.0 Iii���811�
E 2 IMPDET
CI. BY:
Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00022251
�
� ���......":111..V".
�
�����
. � �
CHF
OUTGOING MESSAGE �
WSW* CO WI � ir Ills* �
4.64 C. 44 sao ass aro
0 0 0 0 0 0
CONF. MAP, Fit
1110,111...lwasto
HIS TROUBLES AS A MARTYR.Y
THE CONDUCT OF THE CASE AGAINST LANUSSE AND THE GRAIVER IN-
VESTIGATION COULD PROVIDE A POUCH GAUGE OF THE RELATIVE STRENGTHS
AND WEAKNESSES OF HARD-LINERS AND MODERATES. IF THE CAMPAIGN BE-
COMES MORE AGGRESSIVE AND SIDE-RANGING, IT WILL ALSO BECOME AP-
PARENT THAT HARD-LINERS ARE GAINING THE UPPER HAND. (CONFIDENTIAL)
'41
,
! � � ' ; � 1 f � I
I. � ;
0 � IMIneipmw
0 . V : V i � 4
Car� 11111100.41.1 0390�14.0.11 Mosso
0 OW a 00 54 II S
0 M IssiM s
0 M %OM M PRA
da 011,11V
9
)(CDS-2.d
ORIG:
C6) 0)
.101,11,114.0r .,da
12�11.11...
(tC. � � % � gp,"...p. %Atm* e�P .11*
2 IMPOEr
CL BY;
`-'Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00022251-