URQUIA, MIGUEL RAFAEL (DR.)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000500480017-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 17, 2000
• Sequence Number: 17
• Content Type: BIO

Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP78-02771 R000500480017-4
EL SALVADOR:
Serrano Garcia, Carlos
Urguia, Miguel Rafafel
State Dept. declassification instructions on file
Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP78-02771 R000500480017-4
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CON_IDENTIAWSECURITY INFORMATION
TMIA, uel Rafael (Dr.) EL SALVADOR
Miguel Rafael Urqufa, Permanent Salvadoran Delegate to the United
Nations, belongs to the liberal, mildly socialistic group of intellectuals
and professional men who have supported President Oscar Osorid. Prior to
1949, Dr. Urqufa was best known as an outstanding jurist and popular uni-
versity law professor who wielded considerable influence in legal, student,
and liberal political circles. During the mid-forties, he was active on
behalf of presidential candidate, Dr. Arturo Romero,, in opposition to the
dictatorial General Osmfn Aguirre, through such organizations as the Partido
Union Democratica and the VACA (a group of liberal intellectuals and lawyers).
As a result Urqufa was expelled from the country during Aguirre's presidency.
His appointment as Foreign Minister in December 1948 met with considerable
opposition from right-wing military and business circles, supposedly on the
grounds that Urqufa was a "foreigner" (he is a native Honduran), but actually
because of his political antecedents.
Unquestionably intelligent, Urgda is usually a smooth and non-commital
negotiator. He is very persistent, however, and can become aggressive on
controversial issues which he feels are matters of principle to him.. A
most characteristic personal trait is over-sensitivity, which transmits
itself into a reserve and lack of savoir-faire which has been most apparent
in United Nations assemblies. He is not only susceptible to offenses to
his own pride, but extremely conscious of possible offense to his country's
dignity. He responds to deference and attentions from members of his own
delegation, and can become genuinely friendly and cooperative with those
who gain his confidence. At the first part of the 7th session of UNGAp,
in which El Salvador was one of the few Latin American countries failing to
cooperate on all of the important political problems, Urqufa religiously
refrained from, attending the Committee debates on Tunisia,, Morocco and
Austria and in Plenary participated only to the extent of abstaining on the
Moroccan item. His failure to cooperate brought forth criticism from
many Latin Americans. However, he did support the U.S. policy on Korea.
Dr. Urqufa is opposed to Communism and alert to the dangers of Soviet
penetration which he would like to see neutralized in Latin American through
enlightened social reform and economic development; in this sense, he has
been a long-time believer in the concept of Central American union to be
accomplished gradually and within the established Inter-American juridical
framework. It is noteworthy that at the recent meeting at San Jose, Costa
Rica, which resulted in the "Declaration of San Jose", Dr. Urqufa upheld
the legality of the ODECA from which Guatemala had withdrawn by. pointing
out that it was an organization of Central American states (an unspecified
number) and not the Central American states (specifically all of them).
Press reports in March indicated that Ambassador Urqufa and Ambassador
Hector David Castro would shortly return to El Salvador to complete work
on proposed statutes for an Inter-American Court of Justice to be presented
to the Caracas Conference in March 1954.
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CONFIDENTIAI/SECURITY INFORMATION
MQUIA, Rafael (Dr.) (continued) EL SALVADOR
Personal datas Born April 30, 1903 at Comayaguela, Honduras; mixed
Spanish-Indian origin, with pronounced Indian features; married to
Iixz Bolanos, sister of a former Under Secretary of the Interior under
Castaneda.
Educations National (Autonomous) University of El Salvador, LLD.
Languaaess Prefers to speak Spanish,
Careers
---- 1944 Head of Juridical Department, Mejoramiento Social;
Lawyer, Democratic Union Party (Romerista).
---- 1948 Private law practice, San Salvador;
Professor of Jurisprudence and Secretary General,
National Autonomous University of El Salvador.
1948-1950 Minister of Foreign Affairs, December 16, 1948-
September 14, 1950;
Chief of Delegation, United Nations General Assembly,
second part of third session, Lake Success, New York;
Served for a time as one of six Salvadoran Supreme Court
Justices;
Delegate to Council of Jurists in Rio de Janeiro;
Delegate to Conference of United Nations Economic Commission
for Latin America at Montevideo.
1951 Permanent Representative to the United Nations, appointed
March 1951;
Counselor of Salvadoran Delegation to Fourth Meeting of
Consultation of Foreign Minister of the American
Republics, Washington;
Delegate, UN General Assembly, sixth session, Paris,
November`
1952 Representative, Trusteeship Council, 10th and 11th sessions,
New York;
Chief of Delegation, UN General Assembly, 7th session, New
York, November.
June 15, 1953
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 Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP78-027718000500480017-4
CONFIDENTIAL
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Division of Biographic Information
SERRANO Garcia, Carlos (Dr.) EL SALVADOR
Personal data: Born at Chalatenango, El Salvador, February 26, 1919;
son of Dr. Indalecio Serrano (for twenty years Secretary of the
Salvadoran Supreme Court) and Melida Garcia de Serrano; bachelor,
Education: Graduated from "Liceo Sslvadorno" with degree of Bachelor
of Arts and Science October 1936; Degree of Doctor of Laws and Social
Sciences'from "Universidad Nacional Aut6noma de El Salvador", October
11, 1945.
Lance: English and some French.
1945-1946 Attorney for indigents, Court of Appeals of the Central
District;
District Attorney, Court of Appeals of the Third District;
Appointed Secretary of Legation, August 1946,
1945 Appointed Secretary of Embassy, Buenos Aires, June.
1949 Appointed Second Secretary of Embassy, Washington,
March;
Delegate to fifth session of United Nations Food and
Agricultural Organization, Washington, November.
1951 Secretary to Salvadoran Permanent Delegation to-the
United Nations;
Delegate M64ftlve-4- ation, UN General Assembly,
sixth s%V"AINI?' 4' ' , e n er,
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Although a lawyer by profession, Dr. Serrano Garcia's career has
been almost entirely in the diplomatic service of his country, Having
spent most of his adult life outside El Salvador, he has not been
active in local politics. 'However, his background and education give
him a conservative outlook, and he should favor the United States in
international affairs as against the Soviet Union, He comes of an
aristocratic Salvadoran family, of which he is very proud, and genealogy
is one of his hobbies. He is also an authority on Spanish literature.
He maintains a close friendship with the younger element in the
Salvadoran Government, particularly with the Under Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, Dr.-Carlos Azucar Chavez, who heads the Salvadoran Delegation
to the sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Dr. Serrano himself is not wealthy; but his maternal grandmother,
Sra. Ignacia Parrilla viuda de Garcia, owns considerable property in
El Salvador, and occasionally supplements his salary. Slightly built,,
with light complexion and small black mustache, he has a pleasant,
lively face and an extremely friendly disposition, He has always pro-
fessed a sincere admiration for the United States, although his Spanish
orientation may place him somewhat on the defensive with regard to our
policies in Latin America,
OLI:BI:FBoyle:sc
October 19, 1951
J Confidential Bio ra h' Data
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CONFIDENTIAL