POSSIBLE CHANGES IN SALVADORAN MILITARY ASSIGNMENTS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629925
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2019
• Case Number: F-2017-01057
• Publication Date: March 19, 1983

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TOT: 191916Z MAR 83
DIRECTOR 505469
STAFF 191916ZDIRECTOR 505469
WNINTEL INTEL
"REPORT CLASS S T--WNINTEL-.
"COUNTRY: EL SALVADOR
"SUBJ: POSSIBLE CHANGES IN SALVADORAN MILITARY ASSIGNMENTS
TEXT: 1. ON 18 MARCH 1983 PRESIDENT ALVARO ALFREDO ((MAGANA)) MET
WITH MINISTER OF DEFENSE GENERAL JOSE GUILLERMO ((GARCIA)), VICE
MINISTER OF DEFENSE COLONEL RAFAEL ((FLORES)) LIMA, AND KEY MILITARY
COMMANDERS. AT THIS MEETING, THE MILITARY COMMANDERS TOOK A FIRM
POSITION THAT THERE MUST BE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN MILITARY ASSIGN-
MENTS. THE COMMANDERS AGREED THAT, IF SUCH CHANGES WERE IMPLEMENTED,
THEY WOULD SUPPORT GENERAL GARCIA AS MINISTER OF DEFENSE AT LEAST
THROUGH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR
DECEMBER 1983. THE COMMANDERS AGREED TO DROP THEIR OPPOSITION TO
GARCIA IN ORDER TO DIMINISH THE CURRENT IMAGE OF DISSENSION WITHIN
THE ARMED FORCES.
2. IN RETURN FOR THEIR SUPPORT TO GARCIA, THE COMMANDERS STIP-
ULATED THAT CERTAIN CHANGES BE EFFECTED WITHIN THE ARMED FORCES.
THESE WOULD INCLUDE (1) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE ARMED
FORCES GENERAL STAFF; (2) THE NAMING OF A COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE
ARMED FORCES, WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT OF MILITARY
A5083-076 7252
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CL REASON:
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OPERATIONS; AND (3) AN END TO CRONYISM IN MILITARY ASSIGNMENTS.
COMPLIANCE WITH THESE STIPULATIONS WOULD REQUIRE THE REMOVAL OF
SOME GARCIA SUPPORTERS FROM KEY MILITARY POSITIONS, AND GARCIA
HIMSELF WOULD BE LEFT WITH ESSENTIALLY POLITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHILE NO FIRM CONCLUSIONS WERE REACHED ON THESE
PROPOSALS, THE COMMANDERS OPPOSED TO GARCIA'S REMAINING AS MINISTER
OF DEFENSE DEMONSTRATED A WILLINGNESS TO BE FLEXIBLE IN FINDING A
SOLUTION TO THE CURRENT IMPASSE.)
3. THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEETING ALSO AGREED THAT THE CASE
OF NATIONAL GUARD LIEUTENANT RODOLFO ((LOPEZ)) SIBRIAN WOULD BE
RE-OPENED. THEY FELT THAT LOPEZ, IMPLICATED IN THE JANUARY 1981
MURDERS OF TWO U.S. CITIZENS IN THE SHERATON HOTEL IN SAN SALVADOR,
SHOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE JUDICIARY FOR PROSECUTION AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. THEY ALSO AGREED THAT CAPTAIN (FNU) ((FIGUEROA)) MORALES,
SUSPECTED OF BEING IN CHARGE OF A SALVADORAN ARMY UNIT THAT KIDNAPED
AND MURDERED SEVENTEEN FARM WORKERS AT A COOPERATIVE IN SONSONATE
DEPARTMENT IN FEBRUARY 1983, SHOULD BE ARRESTED AND TURNED OVER TO
CIVIL AUTHORITIES, AND THAT PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THESE TWO
POLITICALLY IMPORTANT CASES SHOULD BE MADE QUICKLY.
4. ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE MEETING LATER CONTACTED
ARMY LT. COL. SIGIFREDO ((OCHOA)) PEREZ, NOW ASSIGNED TO
WASHINGTON, D.C., TO INFORM HIM
OF EVENTS AT THE MEETING. ACCORDING TO THIS PARTICIPANT, OCHOA
COMMENTED THAT HE HAD NO OBJECTIONS TO GARCIA'S REMAINING AS MINISTER
OF DEFENSE PROVIDED SUBSTANTIAL PERSONNEL CHANGES WERE EFFECTED.
THE PARTICIPANT SAID THAT OCHOA INDICATED THAT HIS PERSONAL CANDIDATE
FOR THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF POSITION IS AIR FORCE COMMANDER COLONEL
JUAN RAFAEL ((BUSTILLO)), AND HIS CHOICE AS CHIEF OF STAFF WOULD BE
CURRENT FIRST BRIGADE COMMANDER COLONEL ADOLFO ((BLANDON)) MEJIA,
WHO WOULD THEN BE IN A POSITION TO DIRECT THE ARMED FORCES WAR
EFFORTS. THE PARTICIPANT SAID OCHOA FELT THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE
SUPPORT FOR THESE ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN THE SENIOR RANKS OF THE SALVA-
DORAN ARMED FORCES.
5. NO FILE.
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