[SANITIZED]EFFORTS OF ARGENTINE ARMY COMMANDER NICOLAIDES TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MONTONEROS WHICH WOULD PERMIT THE MONTONEROS TO BECOME AN OPEN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION - 1983/09/14

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
06702772
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
2
Document Creation Date: 
April 3, 2019
Document Release Date: 
April 12, 2019
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
September 14, 1983
File: 
Body: 
3.3(b)(1) 3.3(b)(1) Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06702772 3.5(c) SUBJ: EFFORTS OF ARGENTINE ARMY COMMANDER NICOLAIDES TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MONTONEROS WHICH WOULD PERMIT THE MONTONEROS TO BECOME AN OPEN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION 3.5(c) 3.3(3;(9) 3.3(b)(1) 3.5(c) CENTRAL. INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 140113Z CIA 682078WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASS\,g,....0.--R'TS-WNINTEL- DIST: 13 SEPTEMBER 1983 COUNTRY- ARGRNTINA SUBJ: EFFORTS OF ARGENTINE ARMY COMMANDER NICOLAIDES TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MONTONEROS WHICH WOULD PERMIT THE MONTONEROS TO BECOME AN OPPN POLTTTCAT MnANT7ATTnN 3.5(c) TEXT: l[p FORMER RESIDENT ARTURO ((FRONDIZI)) WAS SERVING IN THE FIRST PART OF AUGUST 1983 AS AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN LIEUTENANT GENERAL (LTG) CRISTINO.((NICOLAIDES)), COMMANDER OF THE ARMY AND A MEMBER OF THE RULING JUNTA, AND MARIO ((FERMENICH)), THE LEADER OF THE MONTONERO GUERRILLA MOVEMENT. FRONDIZI'S EFFORTS INVOLVED TRYING TO PERSUADE FERMENICH TO REACH AN AGREEMENT UNDER WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PERMIT THE MONTONERO MOVEMENT TO OPERATE AS A LEGITIMATE, OPEN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN EXCHANGE FOR THE MONTONEROS NOT RETURNING TO VIOLENCE. 2. UNDER THE AGREEMENT AS VISUALIZED BY NICOLAIDES, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD FREE 300 IMPRISONED MONTONEROS AND PERMIT THEM TO REJOIN THE POLITICAL LIFE OF THE COUNTRY. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ALSO PERMIT_MONTONEROS LIVING IN EXILE TO RETURN TO ARGENTINA. COMMENT: THE 300 MONTONEROS WHOM THE GOVERNMENT WOULD FREE WOULD FORM THE BASE OF A FUTURE POLITICAL MOVEMENT.) 3. FERMENICH LOOKS UPON THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL FAVORABLY 3.3(b)(1) 3.3(b)(1) 3.5(c) 1 of 2 8/11/2017 9:10 AM Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06702772 � 3.3(b)(1) Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06702772 ��k�i HOWEVER, THAT FERNANDO ((VACA NARVAJA))-, THE SECOND-RANKING LEADER OF THE MONTONEROS, HAS REFUSED TO BECOME A PARTY TO THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT. 4. COMMENT: NICOLAIDES HAS SUGGESTED THE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE MONTONEROS IN ORDER TO GAIN LEFTIST SUPPORT FOR A PROPOSED AMNESTY LAW THAT THE ARMED FORCES HAVE HAD UNDER CONSIDERATION AND HAVE DEBATED 'OVER THE PAST WEEKS, A LAW WHICH WOULD BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS WHO FOUGHT AGAINST THE MONTONEROS AND OTHER LEFTISTS DURING THE'ANTISUBVERSIVE CAMPAIGN OF THE 19709. A PRECEDENT EXISTS FOR THE ARRANGEMENT SUGGESTED BY NICOLAIDES IN A SIMILAR AGREEMENT REACHED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF HECTOR ((CAMPORA)) AND THE LEFT IN 1973.) 5. COMMENT: ALTHOUGH THIS REPDTRORT SEEMS SOMEWHAT FARFETCHED IN LIGHT OF THE ARMY'S STRONG ANTI- MONTONERO FEELINGS, IT MAY BE THAT NICOLAIDES IS TRYING TO DEVELOP A JUSTIFICATION FOR RELEASING THE PRISONERS AS MANY IN THE ARMED FORCES ARE RELUCTANT TO HAVE THEM ON THE STREET.) 3.3(b)(1) WARNING: REPORT CLAS5..�...B.J.-e'"7"--WARNING NOTICE- INTELLIGENCE SOURCES OR METHODS INVOLVED-1 > NNNN NNDD 3.3(b)(1) 3.5(c) SE 3.5(c) 2 of2 8/11/2017 9:10 AM Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06702772