BELIEF BY LEADERS OF THE NATIONALIST REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE (ARENA) THAT THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE HAS ORDERED ATTACKS ON ARENA PERSONNEL.

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629961
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2019
• Case Number: F-2017-01057
• Publication Date: January 26, 1983

Approved for Release: 2019/08/07 C06629961
Document:
Subject: BELIEF BY LEADERS OF THE NATIONALIST REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE
(ARENA) THAT THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE HAS ORDERED ATTACKS
ON ARENA PERSONNEL.0
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REPORT CLASSSECRETWNINTEL
COUNTRY: EL SALVADOR
SUBJECT: BELIEF BY LEADERS OF THE NATIONALIST REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE
(ARENA) THAT THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE HAS ORDERED ATTACKS
ON ARENA PERSONNEL.
TEXT: 1. LEADERS OF THE NATIONALSIT REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE (ARENA),
INCLUDING AREANA PRESIDENT ROBERTO ((D'AUBUISSON)), BELIEVE THAT
MINISTER OF DEFENSE, GENERAL JOSE GUILLERMO ((GARCIA)), ORDERED
A 20 JANUARY 1983 ATTACK ON ARENA HEADQUARTERS IN SAN SALVADOR
WHICH LEFT THREE ARENA MEMBERS WOUNDED. THE ARENA LEADERSHIP
ALSO HOLDS GARCIA RESPONSIBLE FOR A MACHINEGUN ATTACK THE SAME
EVENING ON THE HOME OF WILLIAM ((MURHY)), A U.S. CITIZEN AND
WELL-KNOWN ARENA SUPPORTER. MURPHY WAS UNHURT.
2. D'AUBUISSON AND OTHER ARENA LEADERS BELIEVE THAT GARCIA
HAS INITIATED A STATE OF VIRTUAL,OPEN WARFARE AGAINST ARENA AS
A RESULT OF THE CLOSE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ARENA AND LTC. SIGIFREDO
((OCHOA)) PEREZ, FORMER CABANAS DEPARTMENTAL COMMANDER, WHO
REBELLED AGAINST GARCIA IN EARLY JANUARY. PEDRO ((REGALADO)) CUELLAR,
CHIEF OF ARENA'S PARAMILITARY UNIT, INFORMED CONFIDANTS ON
21 JANUARY THAT HE EXPECTS FURTHER PHYSICAL ATTACKS ON ARENA
PROPERTIES AND PERSONNEL, POSSIBLY AGAINST D'AUBUISSON HIMSELF.
AS A RESULT, REGALADO HAS INSTITUTED STRINGENT NEW SECURITY
PROCEDURES IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING WHERE D'AUBUISSON'S
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OFFICE IS LOCATED. THE MEASURES INCLUDE THE ISSUANCE OF I.D.
BADGES TO WORKERS AND OTHER FREQUENT VISITORS TO THE BUILDING,
ALLOWING THEM ACCESS ONLY TO THE PARTICULAR FLOOR ON WHICH THEY
HAVE BUSINESS.
3. AS A FURTHER INDICATION OF GARCIA'S ANTI-ARENA ACTIVITY,
REGALADO NOTED THAT HE, IN HIS CAPACITY AS HEAD OF SECURITY OFOR
THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, RECEIVED A MESSAGE THE WEEK OF 16 JANUARY
FROM THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE WHICH STATED THAT THE FIREARMS
PERMITS ISSUED BY REGALADO TO D'AUBUISSON'S SECURITY FORCE WERE
INVALID. THE MESSAGE SAID THAT ONLY PERMITS ISSUED BY THE
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OR THE SECURITY FORCES HAD ANY LEGAL MERIT.
REGALADO SAID THAT HE REGARDS THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE LETTER AS
A MOVE BY GARCIA TO DISARM ARENA MEMBERS AND CONFIDED THAT WHILE
HE DOES NOT INTEND TO DISARM ANY OF THE ARENA PARAMILITARY OR
SECURITY TEAM MEMBERS, HE WILL ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN NEW FIREARMS
PERMITS.
REPORT CLASSSECRET--WARNING NOTICE
-DISSEMINATION AND EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION
CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR.
DECL: RECORDED REPORTING OFFICER.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.
SECRET
Approved for Release: 2019/08/07 C06629961