PRESIDENT BETANCUR ON CENTRAL AMERICA, CHILE, PERU AND ARGENTINA - 1984/01/26

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05275523
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: January 26, 1984

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TOR: 262141Z JAN 84
00 RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
STU9939
00 RUEHC RUEHLL
DE RUESBG #0939/01 0261908
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
0 261904Z JAN 84
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1579
INFO RUEHLL/CONTADORA COLLECTIVE
RUEOEHA/USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 2879
RUESLM/AMEMBASSY LIMA 1789
RUESNA/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 2178
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r-171'77-1-B-E-16,1-Z-LAJ. BOGOTA 00e39
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO SENATOR STONE
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO CONGRESSMAN SOLARZ
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL, XK, CI, PE, AR, CO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT BETANCUR ON CENTRAL AMERICA,
CHILE, PERU AND ARGENTINA
REF: (A) BOGOTA 00744
(B) BOGOTA 00663
(C) BOGOTA 00719
1. (CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.)
2. FOLLOWING ARE PRESIDENT BETANCUR'S REMARKS TO
CODEL SOLARI IN THE COURSE OF AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF
MEETING ON JANUARY 18-/
ZONPILDENTIAL-
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16. CONGRESSMAN SOLARZ SAID HE'D JUST BEEN IN ARGENTINA.
THE "DIRTY WAR" THERE WAS CLEARLY IMMORAL AND
UNJUSTIFIED, BUT WHAT DOES A COUNTRY DO TO PROTECT
ITSELF AGAINST MASSIVE GUERRILLA TERRORISM, HE QUERIED.
BETANCUR REPLIED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO WILL ON THE
PART OF THE ARGENTINE AUTHORITIES TO CORRECT ABUSES.
THEY HAD NO THOUGHT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY. THERE WAS NO
JUSTICE. THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN
"AN ABSOLUTIST SYSTEM ENMESHED IN ITS OWN AUTHORITARIAN
IDOLATRY" WHICH WAS UNABLE TO COPE WITH THE COUNTRY'S
SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
CO
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17. AT THE END OF THE CONVERSATION CONGRESSMAN SOLARZ
ASKED AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S BROTHER JAIME BETANCUR,
KIDNAPPED BY TERRORISTS IN BOGOTA IN NOVEMBER 1983.
THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT ALTHOUGH UNHARMED PHYSICALLY,
HIS BROTHER HAD BEEN CHAINED AND A MACHINE GUN HELD
AGAINST HIS HEAD. AS A RESULT, HE SUFFERED
PSYCHOLOGICALLY, AND HAS STILL NOT RECOVERED.
WATSON
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
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