SITUATION IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (REPORT #263 - AS OF 4:30 PM EDT)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A001400050013-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 20, 2006
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: June 5, 1965
• Content Type: IM

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OCI No. 1935/65
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
5 June 1965
Situation in the Dominican Republic
(Report - As of pm
Today has been a day of verbal attacks by the
rebels against the US, the Organization of American
States (OAS), and the Imbert regime.
In a mass rally held this morning in Independ-
ence Park the rebel leaders re-affirmed their "com-
mitment" to the 1963 constitution while condemning
US "intervention." According to press reports the
rally attracted upwards of 10-15,000 people. Osten-
sibly held at the behest of the "National Congress",
the rally attracted many of the leading rebel leaders
as speakers, including Caamano, Hector Aristy, and
Jose Pena Gomez, a member of Bosch's Dominican Revo-
lutionary Party. Pena Gomez read a message from
Bosch which stated that "thousands of Dominicans
have died for the 1963 constitution" and that they
"must rest assured that we will not give up until
the constitution of 1963 is restored." Caamano for
his part said that the rebels "will not yield an
inch" or "accept the neutralization of the Dominican
Revolution." Throughout the rally, which was held
under a broiling sun, the crowd was reported as
chanting and on occasion shouting "Yankee get out."
In addition, speakers at the rally blasted
the OAS, charging that it had acted in contradic-
tion of its own charter. As a result, one speaker
added, the OAS "helped to conceal the US aggression"
and thereby "lost much prestige."
Although there may be reason to question the
number of people reported to have turned out for
the rally, it does appear that this was the largest
pro-rebel manifestation to date. Good weather, and
the added impetus of the rebel charges of US respon-
sibi .:i.-;_,- for last night's firings into the rebel
State Dept. review completed
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area may have been partly responsible for the turn-
out.
The rebels also continued their verbal attanko
against the Imbert regime today.
Domingo (Constitutionalist) broadcast this morning
a vitriolic blast against the loyalist military en-
titled "Fear and Distrust in the Barracks." The
broadcast stated that the "high officers" not only
distrust one another but fear that the youngerhof-
ficers and regular soldiers are "waiting
chance to join their brothers in the common ideal
of a free fatherland." The station went on to say
that it is an open secret that the San Isidro gen-
erals "were on the verge of dealing an internal
coup to Imbert when he...turned over the National
Palace to the Organization of American States."
The broadcast also held that there was a group
officers at the loyalist headquarters who were not
allowed to leave the area with arms. In concluding
the station said that "Generalissimo Imbert Barrera
not only heads a government without people but he
does not even have authority within his own clique"
and is only a figurehead behind which stand the
"big generals" who desire to control theountry
"so as to continue their old attacks, graft
smuggling."
The 'United States continues to be blamed for
the cease-fire violation which took place last
night. Preliminary investigation of shell fragments
indicates that the mortar round was not of US manu-
facture. In addition, the UN representatives
teho
witnessed the firing--which they claim
from e
b Riverthhave beensassured that USntroopshdoOnotause
Rive
mortars.
This morning a member of the UN Secretariat
told a US representative at that organization that
the report received from the UN observers in Santo
Domingo was factual and did not try to assess blame
or speculate on the source of the firing. The U
mission at the UN commented that the introduction
of new investigative procedures in Santo Domingo
would reduce, if not terminate, the direct submis-
sion of unsubstantiated, rebel-inspired reports to
the secretary general.
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area may have been partly responsible for the turn-
out.
The rebels also continued their verbal attacks
against the Imbert regime today. Rebel Radio Santo
Domingo (Constitutionalist) broadcast this morning
a vitriolic blast against the loyalist military en-
titled "Fear and Distrust in the Barracks." The
broadcast stated that the "high officers" not only
distrust one another but fear that the younger of-
ficers and regular soldiers are "waiting for the
chance to join their brothers in the common ideal
of a free fatherland." The station went on to say
that it is an open secret that the San Isidro gen-
erals "were on the verge of dealing an internal
coup to Imbert when he... turned over the National
Palace to the Organization of American States."
The broadcast also held that there was a group of
officers at the loyalist headquarters who were not
allowed to leave the area with arms. In concluding
the station said that "Generalissimo Imbert Barrera
not only heads a government without people but he
does not even have authority within his own clique"
and is only a figurehead behind which stand the
"big generals" who desire to control the country
"so as to continue their old attacks, graft and
smuggling."
The United States continues to be blamed for
the cease-fire violation which took place last
night. Preliminary investigation of shell fragments
indicates that the mortar round was not of US manu-
facture. In addition, the UN representatives who
witnessed the firing--which they claim emmanated
from the US lines on the east bank of the Ozama
River--have been assured that US troops do not use
mortars.
This morning a member of the UN Secretariat
told a US representative at that organization that
the report received from the UN observers in Santo
Domingo was factual and did not try to assess blame
or speculate on the source of the firing. The US
mission at the UN commented that the introduction
of new investigative procedures in Santo Domingo
would reduce, if not terminate, the direct submis-
sion of unsubstantiated, rebel-inspired reports to
the secretary general.
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The US Embassy in Santo Domingo reports that
the river area where the incident occurred has long
been a favorite area for the rebels to provoke fir-
ing, To deny the rebels any further excuse for
provocating General Palmer has withdrawn a 500-man
airborne battalion, replacing it with a 100-man
unit with instructions to stay out of the open and
return fire only under extreme provocation.
Meanwhile, the rebel "government" has sent a
formal complaint to the UN regarding the alleged
US violation.
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The Inter-American Human Rights Commission is
continuing its investigation in the Dominican Re-
public. Yesterday the commission visited prisons
of both sides; they found loyalist prison conditions
worse than Caamano's because of overcrowding. They
managed to interview prisoners privately and the
prisoners said that they had not been beaten or
otherwise deliberately mistreated. The commission
left this morning on a trip to the interior towns
of Santiago and San Francisco de Macoris.
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The OAS commission is also visiting the con-
tending camps. It met yesterday afternoon with
rebel leaders Caamano, Hector Aristy, Jottin Cury,
and Manuel Mantes Arache. Caamano more or less
repeated the standard rebel line. He did state,
however, that 2,700 people had died for the 1963
constitution; it was not clear if this was a total
casualty figure or just rebel losses. As usual
Aristy and Cury did most of the talking. The com-
mission planned to meet with Imbert this morning.
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