FORMATION OF THE PARTIDO DEMOCRATA COLOMBIANO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002200160011-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 1998
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: December 6, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

COUNTRY
SUBJECT
CLASSIFICATION AL
Approved For Relea e9(A LCEI8 fpF `8 7002200
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
25X1A2g
Colombia
DATE DISTR.
5 "an 1949
Formation of the Partido Democrata Colombia26X1A2g
NO. OF PAGES
2
25X1A6a
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF INF 9tix1xa SUPPLEMENT TO
1. A new political party has recently been formed in Bogota which is known as
the Partido Democrata Colombiano (PDC - Colombian Democratic Party). The
principal founder is Roberto Restrepo, a physician. The new Party is essentially
rightist and nationalistic. Restrepo believes that the revolt of 9 April 1948
demonstrated the failure of the traditional Conservative and Li')eral Parties
and the need for a strong, new party. According to Restrepo, less than one
half of the three million qualified voters in Colombia cast their ballot, and
it is the nonvoting half which he hopes to win over to his cause.
2. Shortly after the events of 9 April 1948, Dr. Restrepo first advanced the idea
of a party to be known as Democrata Agraria (Agrarian Democratic Party). He
discussed the formation of a new party with the founders of the Partido
Integral Colombiano (PIC - Colombian Integralist Party), but stated that it
should not include the term "integral" since it had no sociological significance
whatever. Two of the principal leaders of the PIC, Alfonso Olaya Zalamea and
Julio Enrique Santos, decided to join Restrepo in the formation of the PDC and
offered to spread the basic principles of the Party throughout the country.
3. In addition to Roberto Restrepo, the directors of the PDC are as follows:
Raimundo Aguirre Agudelo: Economist in the Controller Generalts office
and a cousin of the Communist leader, Carlos Arturo Aguirre;
Ernesto Jaimes Becerra: Director of the bimonthly review Fastos;
Julian Castillo;
Ernesto Acero Valenzuela: Editor of Fastos;
Efraim Gomez Leal: Architect and former member of the Communist Party;
Alfonso Navia;
Carlos Perez Anzola: Lawyer.
4. The offices of the PDC occupy one room at Carrera 8, No. 11-92, in Bogota.
An information section is maintained there by Perez Anzola for all interested
prospective members. The PDC has issued a leaflet explaining the reasons for
which it was organized as well as outlining the Party program. The latter includes
lessening the bureaucracy in government, revaluation of the peso, equal political
rights for women, obligatory vote, protection of national industries, prohibition
on the Importation of articles which can be produced in the country, and in-
creased immigration. The most radical point in the PDC program calls for a
National Congress composed of representatives of cooperatives and syndicates,
rnther than of ioliticians _ _
elected _on a geographical basis.
ni Ann
STATE A D . I 10
ARMY AIR FBI
 Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : R002200160011-2
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
25X1X6
5. At present the PDC has a very small following. The leaders state that it will
take several years before the Party is sufficiently strong to take an active
part in Colombian politics, and that it will not attempt to participate in
the 1949 elections.
Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002200160011-2