DECISION BY THE SALVADORAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO TRANSFER OVERSEAS A KEY ARMY COMMANDER WHO IS A POLITICAL OPPONENT.

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629992
• 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 3, 1983

Approved for Release: 2019/08/07 C06629992
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Document:CIAA -0000 428255 Subject: DECISION BY THE SALVADORAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO
TRANSFER OVERSEAS A KEY ARMY COMMANDER WHO IS A
POLITICAL OPPONENT.0 00846CIAA 428255 MS083-0200033
D COMET 830103 CIA-428255C0183 1 UPID
CRET FRP: 2 4 8
MILITARY
83 0200033 MS0
PAGE 001
TOT: 031637Z JAN 83
CIA 428255
)31637ZCIA 428255
TO: IMMEDIATE DIRNSA, DEPT OF STATE, DIA, ZEN/WHITE HOUSE
SITUATION ROOM, ZEN/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFF,
ZEN/CIA OFFICE OF CURRENT OPERATIONS,
USCINCSO QHTS PANAMA.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
REPORT CLASSSE RETWNINTEL
COUNTRY: EL SALVADOR
SUBJECT: DECISION BY THE SALVADORAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO
TRANSFER OVERSEAS A KEY ARMY COMMANDER WHO IS A
POLITICAL OPPONENT.
'TEXT: 1. GENERAL JOSE GUILLERMO ((GARCIA)), MINISTER OF DEFENSE,
SAID THAT HE PLANS TO ORDER THE TRANSFER, ON ABOUT 6 JANUARY 1983,
OF LTC. SIGFRIEDO ((OCHOA)) PEREZ, COMMANDER OF CABANAS DEPARTMENT,
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MIDB
RET
CL BY:
CL REASON:
DECL ON:
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TO EITHER URUGUAY OR VENEZUELA AS MILITARY ATTACHE.
2. GARCIA REACHED THIS DECISION DURING PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS
ON THE EVENING OF 30 DECEMBER 1982 WITH PRESIDENT ALVARO ((MAGANA))
AND COLONEL RAFAEL ((FLORES)) LIMA, CHIEF OF STAFF, WHO AGREE
THAT THE TRANSFER OF OCHOA, GARCIA' MOST OUTSPOKEN CRITIC
IN THE ARMY, WAS NECESSARY TO CONTROL THE GROWING OPPOSITION
TO GARCIA IN THE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT. ALTHOUGH IT IS EXPECTED
THAT THE ORDER TO TRANSFER OCHOA WILL BE RESISTED BY OCHOA
AND OTHER LIKE-MINDED ARMY OFFICERS, GARCIA AND FLORES LIMA
BELIEVE THEY HAVE SUFFICIENT SUPPORT TO HANDLE ANY ADVERSE
REACTION. THE PLAN TO REMOVE
OCHOA, WHO IS POPULAR AMONG THE JUNIOR OFFICERS AND ENJOYS
A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE ARMY'S BEST FIELD COMMANDERS, COULD
PROVOKE A CONFRONTATION BETWEEN GARCIA AND THE RIGHTIST
POLITICAL SECTOR AS WELL AS ELEMENTS IN THE ARMY.
IT LIKELY THAT THE TRANSFER OF OCHOA WILL BE CHALLENGED BY
ROBERTO ((D'AUBUISSON)), PRESIDENT OF THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
AND LEADER OF THE NATIONALIST REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE (ARENA),'
WITH WHOM OCHOA IS CLOSELY ALLIED AND WHO STRONGLY FAVORS
THE REMOVAL OF GARCIA.
3. EARLIER ON 30 DECEMBER, FLORES LIMA HAD MET PRIVATELY
WITH JOSE DOMINGO ((MONTERROSA)), COMMANDER OF THE ATLACATL
BATTALION, IN A CONTINUING EFFORT TO LINE UP SUPPORT FOR
GARCIA AMONG KEY COMMANDERS TO COUNTER THE PLANS OF RIGHTIST
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY MEMBERS TO EFFECT GARCIA'S REMOVAL.
WHILE MONTERROSA INDICATED THAT HE DID NOT OBJECT TO GARCIA
REMAINING IN OFFICE, HE FIRMLY REFUSED FLORES LIMA'S REQUEST
TO PARTICIPATE IN A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FOR GARCIA, EITHER
PRIVATELY OR PUBLICLY. MONTERROSA SAID THAT FLORES LIMA
COULD EXPECT THE SAME RESPONSE TOWARDS GARCIA FROM THE FOLLOWING
OFFICERS: OCHOA PEREZ, LTC. NAPOLEON HERSON ((CALITTO)),
COMMANDER OF THE ATONAL BATTALION; LTC. MIGUEL ALFREDO ((VASCONCELOS)),
COMMANDER OF USULUTAN DEPARTMENT; LTC. MIGUEL ANTONIO ((MENDE))
COMMANDER OF THE RAMON BELLOSO BATTALION; LTC. OSCAR RODOLFO
((CAMPOS)) AMAYA, COMMANDER OF THE CAVALRY REGIMENT;
LTC. RICARDO ((CIENFUEGOS)), PERSONAL AIDE TO FLORES LIMA;
LTC. JULIO CESAR ((LOPEZ)) YANES, SUBDIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
POLICE; LTC. ARMANDO ((RIVERA)); COMMANDER OF CUSCATLAN
DEPARTMENT AND LTC. OSCAR ARMANDO ((AMAYA)) PEREZ, COMMANDER
OR LA LIBERTAD DEPARTMENT.
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REPORT CLASSSECRET--WARNING NOTICE--INTELLIGENCE
DISSEMINATION AND
EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR.DECL:
OFFICER.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL
DOCUMENT.
ORIG/REL:
'RECORDED REPORTING
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