BELIEF BY LEADER OF NATIONALIST REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE (ARENA) PARAMILITARY UNIT THAT MINISTER OF DEFENSE ORDERED KIDNAPPING OF A MEMBER OF THAT UNIT; ARENA INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629936
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2019
• Case Number: F-2017-01057
• Publication Date: March 31, 1983

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D COMET
05/38/
Subject: BELIEF BY LEADER OF NATIONALIST REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE (ARENA)
PARAMILITARY UNIT THAT MINISTER OF DEFENSE ORDERED
KIDNAPPING OF A MEMBER OF THAT UNIT; ARENA INVESTIGATION
INTO THE INCIDENTC MIDB
830331 15 367 UPID
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REPORT CLASSSECRET--WNINTEL--
COUNTRY: EL SALVADOR
SUBJ: BELIEF BY LEADER OF NATIONALIST REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE (ARENA)
PARAMILITARY UNIT THAT MINISTER OF DEFENSE ORDERED
KIDNAPPING OF A MEMBER OF THAT UNIT; ARENA INVESTIGATION
INTO THE INCIDENT
TEXT: 1. DOCTOR ANTONIO HECTOR ((REGALADO)) CUELLAR, LEADER
OF THE NATIONALIST REPULICAN ALLIANCE'S (ARENA) CLANDESTINE
PARAMILITARY UNIT AND CHIEF OF SECURITY FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,
IS CONVINCED THAT MINISTER OF DEFENSE GENERAL JOSE GUILLERMO
((GARCIA)) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 22 MARCH KIDNAPPING OF PATRICIA
((MARTINO)), REGALADO'S PERSONAL SECRETARY AND A MEMBER OF THE
PARAMILITARY UNIT. ON 29 MARCH, REGALADO CONFIDED TO OTHER MEMBERS
OF THE UNIT THAT A SOURCE INSIDE THE ARMED FORCES HAD ADVISED HIM
THAT MARTINO HAD BEEN ABDUCTED FROM HER VEHICLE BY ELEMENTS OF
THE SALVADORAN SECURITY FORCES ON ORDERS FROM GARCIA. REGALADO
FURTHER NOTED THAT HIS ARMED FORCES SOURCE CLAIMED THAT MARTINO
WAS BEING HELD AT AN ARMED FORCES CLANDESTINE PRISON LOCATED
SOMEWHERE IN SAN SALVADOR.
2. REGALADO, SPEAKING IN HIS OFFICE IN THE SALVADORAN GENERAL
ASSEMBLY BUILDING, STATED THAT HE BELIEVED GARCIA'S ACTION WAS
PROMPTED BY ARENA LINKS WITH OFFICERS IN THE ARMED FORCES WHO
FAVORED GARCIA'S REMOVAL AS MINISTER OF DEFENSE. ACCORDING TO
REGALADO, ARENA PRESIDENT ROBERTO ((D'AUBUISSON)) IS PERSONALLY
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CLOSE TO THREE RANKING ANTI-GARCIA OFFICERS. THESE OFFICERS ARE
COLONEL SIGIFREDO ((OCHOA)) PEREZ, CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE
INTER-AMERICAN DEFENSE BOARD IN WASHINGTON, D.C.; COLONEL ADOLFO
((BLANDON)), COMMANDER OF THE FIRST INFANTRY BRIGADE, AND COLONEL
JUAN RAFARL ((BUSTILLO)), COMMANDER OF THE AIR FORCE. REGALADO
SAID THAT HE HAD ADVISED BLANDON AND BUSTILLO OF MARTINO'S ABDUCTION
AND STATED THAT BOTH OFFICERS HAD OFFERED TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHERE
MARTINO IS BEING HELD. REGALADO BELIEVES THAT GARCIA INTENDS TO
HAVE MARTINO INTERROGATED. IF THIS OCCURS, HE IS AFRAID THAT SHE
WILL REVEAL ARENA COMPLICITY IN VARIOUS ASSASSINATIONS TO WHICH SHE
IS PRIVY.
3. REGALADO ADVISED HIS PARAMILITARY UNIT THAT LOCATING MARTINO
WAS THEIR CURRENT TOP PRIOTIY. TO THIS END, REGALADO WAS IN THE
PROCESS OF COMPILING PHOTOGRAPHS OF MARTINO TO BE USED IN INQUIRIES
AS TO HERE WHEREABOUTS. ON 29 MARCH, REGALADO TELEPHONED THE U.S.
EMBASSY TO ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE PHOTOGRAPH USED ON
MARTINO'S U.S. VISA APPLICATION. IN ADDITION TO THE INVESTIGATIVE
WORK UNDERTAKEN BY THE PARAMILITARY UNIT, REGALADO ALSO ACQUIRED
THE ASSISTANCE OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL ARISTIDES ((MARQUEZ)),
CHIEF OF THE INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE NATIONAL POLICE.
IN A SEPERATE ACTION, REGALADO DISPATCHED ARENA REPRESENTATIVES
TO THE SALVADORAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO ASK THE COMMISSION'S
ASSISTANCE IN LOCATING MARTINO.
4. IN ADDITION TO HIS CONCERN OVER MARTINO'S ABDUCTION,
REGALADO IS FEARFUL THAT THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE MAY ORDER A
KIDNAPPING OR ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST REGLADO. AS A
RESULT, REGALADO VIRTUALLY LIVES IN HIS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OFFICES,
SLEEPING ON A COUCH. AS OF 29 MARCH, REGALADO MAINTAINED AN
EIGHT-MAN SECURITY FORCES AT THE ASSEMBLY HEADQUARTERS FOR HIS
PERSONAL PROTECTION. REGALADO'S HEALTH HAS
VISIBLY DECLINED SINCE MARTINO'S DISAPPEARANCE AND.HE HAS ALTERNATED
BETWEEN BOUTS OF DEPRESSIONAND FITS OF RAGE DIRECTED AGAINST
GENERAL GARCIA.)
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WARNING: REPORT CLASSSECRET--WARNING NOTICE--INTELLIGENCE
DISSEMINATION AND EXTRACTION
OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED Y ORIGINATOR.
DECL: RECORDED REPORTING OFFICER.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL
DOCUMENT.
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