DISCUSSION BETWEEN PRESIDENT ALVARO MAGANA AND COLONEL ADOLFO O. BLANDON ON THE STATUS OF THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629426
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 6, 2017
• Case Number: F-2016-00189
• Publication Date: March 7, 1983

Approved for Release: 2017/08/31 C06629426
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TOT: 072017Z MAR 83
WNINTEL
072017ZCIA 490641
TO: PRIORITY DIRNSA, DEPT OF STATE, DIA, TREASURY DEPT, NPIC,
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION,
WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
STAFF, ZEN/
USCINCSO QIT8 PANAMA.
CIA 490641
S /0/5. E T NOFORN
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SERIAL:
DIST: 7 MARCH 1983 PASS: NSA FOR ZKZK 00 DLS DE (FOR
NSOC); STATE
FOR INR;
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USCINCSO FOR J-2.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING:
INFORMATIO REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
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REPORT CLASSSECRET--WNINTEL--NOFORN-
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COUNTRY:
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EL SALVADOR
SUBJ: DISCUSSION BETWEEN PRESIDENT ALVARO MAGANA AND
COLONEL ADOLFO O. BLANDON ON THE STATUS OF THE
MINISTER OF DEFENSE
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DOI:
SOURCE:
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TEXT:
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ACCORDING TO BLANDON, PRESIDENT ALVARO ((MAGANA))
TOLD HIM THAT MINISTER OF DEFENSE GENERAL JOSE
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GUILLERMO ((GARCIA)) WOULD LEAVE HIS POST BY 15 MARCH, OR AT THE
LATEST, BY THE APRIL ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT MAGANA'S FIRST YEAR
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IN OFFICE. PRESIDENT MAGANA SAID HE WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE SIT-
UATION IN THE ARMED FORCES AND GENERAL GARCIA'S CAMPAIGN TO REMAIN
IN OFFICE. THE PRESIDENT ALSO NOTED THAT
HE WAS AWARE OF THE MINISTER'S INTEREST IN PUNISHING SENIOR
ARMED FORCES OFFICERS WHO ARE CALLING FOR HIS RESIGNATION.
ACCORDING TO BLANDON, PRESIDENT MAGANA SAID THAT GENERAL GARCIA;
GENERAL CARLOS EUGENIO ((VIDES)) CASANOVA, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE
NATIONAL GUARD; COLONEL RAFAEL ((FLORES)) LIMA,
SUB-MINISTER OF DEFENSE; AND COLONEL CARLOS REYNALDO ((LOPEZ)) NUILA,
DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL POLICE, HAD APPROACHED HIM WITH
fRET
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A PROPOSAL TO TRANSFER COLONEL BLANDON TO LA UNION DEPARTMENT
BUT HE REJECTED THIS PROPOSAL. THE PRESIDENT COMMENTED THAT
SUCH A MOVE PROBABLY WOULD IGNITE A CONFRONTATION BETWEEN
ARMED FORCES OFFICERS AND GENERAL GARCIA.
2. ACCORDING TO BLANDON, PRESIDENT MAGANA SAID THAT THE
U.S. GOVERNMENT AND THE U.S. EMBASSY IN EL SALVADOR HAD EXPRESSED
STRONG INTEREST IN GENERAL GARCIA'S REMAINING IN OFFICE. THE
PRESIDENT SAID HE HAD TO CONSIDER THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S POSITION
WHILE TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS IN THE ARMED FORCES
3. COLONEL BLANDON SAID THAT IT WOULD HELP STABILIZE
THE SITUATION IN THE ARMED FORCES IF GENERAL GARCIA LEFT HIS
POST ON 15 MARCH RATHER THAN IN APRIL. HE TOLD THE PRESIDENT
THAT DISCONTENT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN THE ARMED FORCES UNTIL
GARCIA STEPS DOWN. COLONEL BLANDON CLAIMED THAT HE TOO WANTED
TO AVOID FURTHER INSTABILITY IN THE ARMED FORCES AND HE WOULD
EVEN ACCEPT AN OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENT IF THE PRESIDENT CONSIDERED
IT NECESSARY. COLONEL BLANDON SAID THAT IF THE MINISTER
PERSISTED IN ATTEMPTING TO PUNISH HIM, THE TROOPS OF THE FIRST
BRIGADE WOULD FIND IT UNACCEPTABLE. BLANDON ALSO NOTED THAT
17 COMMANDERS WERE READY TO SUPPORT HIM AGAINST ANY ATTEMPTS
BY THE MINISTER TO REMOVE HIM FROM COMMAND OF THE FIRST INFANTRY
BRIGADE OR ANY OTHER ATTEMPT BY GARCIA TO REDUCE BLANDON'S
AUTHORITY. ACCORDING TO BLANDON, THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT NO
ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST HIM OR OTHER SENIOR OFFICERS WHO
ARE CALLING FOR THE MINISTER'S RESIGNATION.
ACQ:
FIELD NO
DISSEM:
REPORT CLASSSECRET--WARNING NOTICE--INTELLIGENCE SOURCES
OR METHODS INVOLVED--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS-NOT
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ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.
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