JOSE GUILLERMO GARCIA MERINO - EL SALVADOR

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06708646
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2019
• Case Number: F-2017-01057
• Publication Date: June 9, 1980

Approved for Release: 2019/07/29 006708646
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Jose Guillermo GARCIA Merino
(Phonetic: garSEEah)
Minister of Defense and
Public Security (since
October 1979)
Addressed as:
Mr. Minister
Col. Jose Garcia is
one of the most popular
and intelligent officers
in the Salvadoran Army
and has a reputation for
integrity. A moderate,
he was considered by the
military as a possible
successor to President
EL SALVADOR
Arturo Molina in 1977; in the long run, however,
they decided on Carlos Romero who was the success-
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ful candidate in an election
PThroughout the summer
and early fall of 1979
in several plots to
Garcia may have been involved
overthrow Romero
he was corn�
mander of the Department of San
Vicent
a position
he had held since July 1978.
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Garcia is an -Communist
and friendly
toward
the United States.
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he is sympathetic toward the US human rights pol-
icy. Local politicians consider him one of the few
officers who are seriously concerned about human
rights in El Salvador; in the past he
has used his
influence to release illegally held
prisoners.
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After enlisting in 1956, Garcia
rose rapidly
through the ranks. He attended the War College in
Mexico during 1966-70 and took an orientation tour
of the Panama Canal Zone in 1963. During 1974-77 he
was president of the National Telephone Company.
Garcia is married to the former Martha del Carmen
Rodriguez and has four daughters.
He will be 47 on
23 June,
CR M 80-13089
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9 June 1980
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Approved for Release: 2019/07/29 006708646