SOVIET CONTROL OF SLAV GROUPS IN ARGENTINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R000500420002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 29, 2003
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: April 25, 1947
• Content Type: IR

Soviet Control of Slav Groups in Argentina
TELLJGENCE GROUP.
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
COUNTRY Argentinsj'USSR f'Ba is
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under the "Slav C(nittse of Argentina".
Davidov was very successful in forming new "Aid Committees" and other front groups
among the local Slavs, and managed to gain almost complete control over the
Yugoslav and Bulgarian communities in Argentina. The Communists, under Davidovos
orders, very quickly controlled the Yugoslav, and Bulgarian clubs, societies, and,
organizations already existent, and then united these and the many new entities
which they formed under master organizations called "Yugoslavia Libre" and
"Bulgaria Libre", respectively.
Davidov did not find all the other Slav groups as pliable. He experienced
considerable difficulty in the organization under the "Slav Committee" of the
Polish, Ukranian, Byelorussian, and other coammunities. Among other difficulties
encountered were the following:
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1. Until the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Soviet
Russia on 6 June 1946, the Pan-Slaty movement in Argentina was directed from the
Soviet Legation in Uruguay. The-most active Soviet diplmat engaged in'such
activities was Valentin Vassilievitoh Riabov, who held a consular-officer
position in the Soviet Legation at 'tontevideo.
2. During this period the organization and merging of different Slav elements was
handled by Dr. Tomas Davidov, a Bulgarian reportedly sent to Argentina for the
express purpose of strengthening Comunism among Slav groups and of uniting them
b. The Ukrauians have long desired independence, and this led many of them to
The Poles feel a historical hatred toward Russia and have a deep-seated fear
of Communism. Despite the fact that Davidov was helped by "::.^ Y.or -.? "Polish
Communist leader, Stanislav Kotralewski, and that pressure was and is exerted
on Polish citizens in Argentina by controlling their relatives residing in
Poland,,, there still exists in Argentina a large number of violently anti-
Camunist Poles. The continued quasi-recognition by Argentina of the
diplomatic representatives of the former Polish Government, and the existence
of the anti-Communist Polish language newspaper, KuEjer Poiski, have also
helped the resistance of Communist domination of local o ee.
support Germany during World War M. Many Ukraniana residing in Argentina
hold the same belief, including the strongly anti-Communist groups called
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CEI TRAL INTLLLIG1 NCL GROUP
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"Prosvits" and "V7idrozenie" (sic). On the other hand, the Ukrainian Cox-
muniste in Argentina ware divided by bitter emnity into two factions: the
, whioh adopted both
Switlo group, led by Jose Tlaaasuk and Jaaobp tepanenko
asp lav Camittee and a pro-Jewish attitude; and the Ukrainska Gazeta
faction, which opposed the Slav Committee and n-^s violen y anti-Semitic.
The supporters of the Ukrainska Gaze wanted no entanglement with the Argen-
tine Comaunist Party i2w gi~ooroatic Commission and the Slav Union.
The Idiomatic Commission of the Argentine Communist Party is apparently the
body through which liaison is maintained between the Argentine Communist
Party and the different ethnic Coimunist groups. The Ukrainska Gazeta
faction demanded that all fuzids collected for aid be sent to the mother
country, and that none be diverted for finanoing Slav Coainist activities
in Argentina. In this attitude they were supported b: Sergio Stapran
through his newspaper, Russ ikvA__r~gontinie, and by the followers of T~.
Griforiev and the "PyelorusS1 er"r of Aid for the Fatherland." The
Ukrainian Communists supporting, toe Ukrainska Gazeta were classed an
Fascists by the Switlo faction. All of these ao ors caused considerable
difficulty to Lain his attempt to organize and unify all Ukrainians
under the Slav Committees
as The Byelorussiane are a fanatically . Communistic - Slav group, but their intense
hatred of the Poles caused then to look askance at any collaboration with the
Polish Communists. rurthermore, the group known as "Byelorussian Center
of Aid for the Fatherland", led by l4mitrio Grigoriev, closely collaborated
with Sergio Stapran and the Ukrainska Gazeta faction. They strongly opposed
the pro-Slav Coaamittee.Byelorusoan wed by Trofim Lassuk, the owner-
editor of Nasz crolos?
5. Despite these difficulties, favidov, with the help of Kovwaleweki, persisted in
his plan of unification of the Slav groups, and ouoeossfully managed to wrest
control of the Slav movement in Argentina; from the soviet Legation in 1 `ontevideo?
At the seine time, it appears that the Pan-Slav movement in Argentina was granted
some measure of freedom from the Argentine Communist Party.
6. Shortly after the arrival in Buenos Hires of Ambassador Sergueev, Valentin Riabov
R
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e
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*s transferred from i. ontevideo to the Soviet Pxnbassy in Buenos
irmediately entered into close contact with the followings Davidov and Christo
Gonevsky, the Bulgarian Communist leaders; Antonio Tulioh and Pedro Zanetic,
the Yugoslav Communist leaders; !'iguel Rabyk, Jose Tkaozuk, and Jacobo Stepanenko,
the Ukrainian Coanmunist leaders; Stanislaw Kowaleviski, the Polish Consr:unist leader;
and Trofim Laszuk, the Byelorussian Communist leader.
Although at first fiabov kept himself in the baohground. after the Slav Congress
held. in Buenos Aires on l and 2 ;ovember 1946 he began to tame an active part in
.the Pan-Slav movement in Argentina. It was at this Slav Congress that a resolu-
tion was adopted changing the name of the "Slav Committee" to the "Slav Union of
Argentina"? On 2 1.aroh 1947 elections were held in almost all of the different
Slav Communist organizations, and chiefly through Riabov?s and L'avidov's handling
of matters, t results were a triumph for the supporters of the Slav Union.
Among the results-of this triumph of the Slav Union are the followings
a. The newspaper Rusejik w Argentinie will probably not reappear, at least not
under the management of ,erg o apran?
b. :+iththe exception of Russian. Byelorussian. and Ukrainina Communist
activities in Argentina, which will be directly supervised. by the Soviet
Embassy in Buenos Aires, official control of other Slav groups will be
carried out through the Slav'TT i,ov,
It seems probable that those groups previously opposing the Slav Union will
be brought into line, and forced to follow a policy outlined for them by
that organization.
REF EREPJUA CENT ER RAM
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 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP
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The resounding victory of the Slav Union is expected to result In increased
Slav Communist activities* rbrthermore, the Slav Union is expected to
exert even greater control over the activities of the different Slav
comxnmities In Argentina.
e. The Byelorussian@ are expected to become the outstanding Slav group, and
Riabov has reportedly declared that they will be a spearhead of Slav
Communist activities In Argentina. It is not known as yet lust how this
Will affect the loom Bulgarian Communists who, up to the present time, have
Rated as the secret police of the Slav Union*
f. A certain Francisco Novak (Nestorozuk) has reportedly been assigned the
task of unifying the Ukrainian Communist front, while Trofim Lassuk has
become the undisputed leader of the Byelorussian Communists.
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This document contains information effecting the
national defense of the United States within
the meaning of the Espionage Acts, 50, U.SC.
31 and 32 as amended. Its transmission or the
revelation of its contents twmqnc in any
manner to an unauthorized person is prohibted
by law.
Approved For Release 2003/08/07,: CIA-RDP82-00457R000500420002-2