[SANITIZED]LATIN AMERICAN TRENDS: STAFF NOTES JULY 21, 1976 - 1976/07/21

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06628098
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: July 21, 1976

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Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C06628098
Latin A erican Trends
Secret
3.5(c)
No. 0713-76
July 21, 1976
Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C06628098
Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C06628098
LATIN AMERICAN TRENDS
This publication is prepared for regional specialists in the Washington com-
munity by the Western Hemisphere Division, Office of Current Intelligence,
with occasional contributions from other offices within the Directorate of
Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should be directed to
the authnrs of the individual articles.
CONTENTS
July 21, 1976
Argentina: A Blow Against the Terrorists 2
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Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C06628098
SE9R(T
AEgentina: A Blow Against the Terrorists
The death of Argentine guerrilla leader Roberto
Santucho and six of his comrades probably is a de-
cisive blow to the People's Revolutionary Army (ERP),
the revolutionary/terrorist group that has been
harried by military forces for more than a year. A
cadre of dedicated revolutionaries remains, however,
and will probably continue to mount acts of violence.
Santucho, along with one of his chief lieutenants,
was killed on July 19 when army troops stormed a
hideout near Buenos Aires. Earlier this month,
another leader was killed in a similar raid. Sever-
al months ago, captured documents revealed that the
organization was in deep trouble. At that time, 240
members bad been killed by government forces and 800
were in prison. The organization's treasury, once
estimated in millions of dollars, was said to have
dwindled to about $100,000.
The other major guerrilla organization, the
Montoneros, has suffered comparatively little damage
during the army's counterterrorist campaign. Secu-
rity forces have confiscated a large quantity of
weapons, but the organization remains viable, well-
armed, and committed. Moreover, the impact of San-
tucho's death on the terrorists should not be over-
estimated. Argentine guerrilla leaders have never
sought to develop personal charismatic images. As
a consequence, the organizations became far more
famous than the leaders, about whom little is known.
The two other most prominent figures among the ter-
rorists, for example, are Roberto Quieto and Mario
Firmenich of the Montoneros. Quieto was arrested
several months ago by the military and presumably is
still being held. Firmenich's whereabouts and activ-
ities are unknown.
In any case, the serious reverses suffered by the
ERP may force the remnants of the group to try to
July 21, 1976
2.1
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link up with the Montoneros, who have long advocated
a broad-based "National Liberation Front." Efforts
to form such an alliance in the past failed. The
Montoneros, in fact, now may be reluctant to affil-
iate with the survivors because they fear the ERP
has been penetrated by the police.
The government has badly needed a success
against the insurgents both to mollify right-wing
critics within the military and to demonstrate to
the populace that it can handle the terrorist prob-
lem. There are signs that Argentines are fed up
with the terrorists and are beginning to inform
police about suspected terrorists and hideouts.
Santucho's death should encourage further cooperation
and increase the momentum of the government's cam-
paign against all terrorists.
July 21, 1976
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C06628098