THE HONDURAN-SALVADORAN BORDER DISPUTE: CRISIS MANAGEMENT MINI-STYLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000400140026-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2012
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: June 13, 1967
• Content Type: MEMO

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
4042(414/1
DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
RAR-15, June 13, 1967
To : The Acting Secretary
Through: S/S
From : INR - Thomas L. Hughes
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Subject: The Honduran-Salvadoran Border Dispute: Crisis Management Mini-Style
ABSTRACT
Recent border hostilities between El Salvador and Honduras appear
to have resulted from haphazard occurrences in a disputed border area during
late May. The incidents were initially inflated by the Honduran government
in an effort to divert public attention from domestic problems and then
further exaggerated by inflammatory press reports. Both governments have,
however, steadfastly proclaimed their desire to resolve the crisis amicably
and have accepted the recommendations submitted by a jointSalvadoran-Honduran
commission set up to investigate the incidents. The immediate crisis is
past and the prospect is for relative quiet along the border. Efforts
to eliminate a long-standing irritant by demarcating the disputed border area
may well be prolonged, however.
GROUP 3
Downgraded at 12 year
intervals; not
automatically declassified
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BOUNDARY REPRESENTATION IS
NOT NECESSARILY AUTHORITATIVE
FRAN
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EL PARAISO
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International boundary
Departamento boundary
National capital
Departamento capital
Railroad
Road
52622 11-65
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CONFIDENTIAL
111-Defined Border Area Leads to Incidents.
On May 26, 29, and 30 Salvadoran National Guard patrolmen and Honduran
soldiers clashed near an unmarked border in the northeastern corner of
El Salvador. The engagements, in which some civilians also reportedly
participated, resulted in six to ten deaths, the taking of prisoners on
both sides, and alarmist troop movements in Honduras and El Salvador. The
incidents were related to the May 23 detention of three Salvadoran
peasants by Honduran authorities and the May 25 arrest of Jose Antonio
Martinez, a Honduran citizen accused and convicted in absentia of murdering
a number of Salvadorans. On May 30 the two governments established a
Joint Commission to review the problem, and a quick solution seemed in
prospect. However, there was a new flareup in the same area on June 3
and 4, apparently caused by foraging Honduran troops. The Salvadoran
government reacted by accusing Honduras of continued border violations
and intimating that the Honduran government had instigated the conflict
to distract national attention from domestic problems.
Facesaving Efforts Cause Further Problems. On June 5 the 3,600-man
Salvadoran Army was placed on alert, troops were moved nearer the border
area, and Army units were sent to replace the National Guard along the
frontier. Publicly, the Salvadorans explained that the Army troops were
more disciplined and less likely to do anything to break the peace. However,
the alert and the troop movements also served to satisfy aggressive
nationalist elements who had been demanding action.
There were similar activities in Honduras. Although no additional
clashes occurred and both governments proclaimed their intent to cooperate
in preserving the peace, communications media in both countries continued
to overdramatize events in inflamatory fashion. The situation was further
aggravated by erroneous international news reports (including one by the
Voice of America) claiming that one side or the other had massed troops and
that an invasion was in progress. Fortunately, government officials and
the general public remained relatively calm.
As an anti-climax to this mini-conflict, on June 5 a truck-load of
43 Salvadoran soldiers strayed across the border far away from the area
of dispute and were captured by the Hondurans. To further complicate
matters, three US T-28 aircraft previously scheduled for delivery to
Tegucigalpa landed in San Salvador enroute on June 5. The Salvadoran
President protested to our Ambassador and the planes were diverted to
Panama to avoid increased tensions.
Prosnects is for Amicable Settlement. On June 6 the Joint Commission
submitted its recommendations, and both overnments quickly accepted them.
The agreement involves: (1) withdrawal of all armed forces from the
immediate problem area; (2) establishment of a joint, high-level military
commission to supervise the area and seek to avoid further incidents;
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(3) demarcation of the disputed frontier; and (4) the exchange of all
prisoners. The last point is still not fully resolved, and the Salvadorans
are reluctant to release Antonio Martinez, a convicted murderer who
happens to be the brother of a Deputy in the Honduras Assembly. Another
complication is the fact that Martinez was captured in an area which both
Salvador and Honduras claim. An agreed demarcation of the border would,
of course, be a long term project.
The Honduran government appears to have succeeded in diverting
national attention away from its many domestic problems (the Mid-East
crisis was a further diversion). At least temporarily, the Lopez govern-
ment has gained new popular support as the defender of national sovereignty.
The Salvadoran government displayed considerable understanding and tolerance
of Honduran domestic problems, although it is somewhat red-faced by the
performance of its army,which, according to our Ambassador,would surely
annihilate itself by starvation if it attempted to camp out for more than
a week. The crisis has not upset the transition process leading to the
scheduled inauguration of Colonel 'Fidel Sanchez as President of
El Salvador on July 1.
The immediate crisis appears to be passed. For the longer run, the
governments of Honduras and El Salvador will have to face up to rather
thorny and probably protracted negotiations, if they are to eliminate the
long-standing (though normally low-level) irritant of a partially
disputed common border.
CONFIDENTIAL
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