ANTI-SOMOZA REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002500260008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 12, 1999
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: March 22, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION CONFIL
Approved For Rtt"WI11~E
INFORM4
COUNTRY El Salvador/Nicaregua/Cuba
SUBJECT Anti-Soomoza Revolutionary 1ovement
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PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF INFO.
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SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
l Dr. Carlos Castillo Ibarra, who left El Salvador to return to Guatemala on
21 February, was still undecided on that date about the disposal of certain
arms he was in a position to obtain in Guatemala, and which are desired by
two factions in El Salvador, the partisans of Major Humberto .llelta and
those of Carlos Lierena, Rector of the National University. Castillo Ibarra
was disposed to give the arms to whichever Central American revolutionary
group is first prepared to use them in Honduras, Nicaragua, or El Salvador.
2p Castillo Ibarra reported that in a letter dated 12 February which was written
to him by Juan Jose Mesa from Pwexico, Yeza revealed that he had been in per-
sonal contact with Villalta. Villalta left El Salvador for the United States
on 9 February, having been bought off by the Salvadoran junta for $11,000
but according to Castillo Ibarra, he is no longer going to the United States.
Meza stated he had also been in -iitten contact with Osorio, whose sentiments
were now favorable to supporting the anti-Somoza movement,*
3. Shortly before Castillo Ibarra left El Salvador, he secured the pledge of
Dr. Llerena that all the civilian members of the governing junta favored
supporting the anti-Somoza movement. Dr. Reineldo Galindo Pohl, who had pre-
viously been apprehensive about the legality of such a pledge, had now joined
the others,
Castillo Ibarra stated that he intended to report to President Arevalo in
Guatemala that ex-President Carias of Honduras is gathering his forces to
remove President Gslveze
Castillo Ibarra received a letter recently from Adolfo Ortega Diaz, a
Nicaraguan contact in New York and Washington, who is planning to return to
Costa Rica soon, In the .letter, Ortega Diaz commented on a plan Castillo
Ibarra had submitted to him for attacking Somoza through a system of small
con ndo raids insteed.of organizing a large, coordinated military movement.
Ortega Diaz reported that he would be able to obtain a ship capable of
transporting 200 men at a price of ?'12,000, if Castillo Ibarra could obtain
the money in El Salvador.
6o Castillo Ibarra described the plan submitted to Ortega Diaz as featuring a
small-scale attack to begin in the Las Segovias area of Nicaragua. The
STATE # NAVY
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CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
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DATE DISTR. 22 1.Iar 1949
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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number of men now contemplated for use was 300-500, in patrols of 25-60
men each, instead of an armor totaling 5000 as planned in January. Castillo
Ibarra said that the area had been determined after observing that both
the air force and Guardia Nacional of Nicaragua had proved ineffective in
Lan Segovias, and that the Guardia was even afraid to enter it.
7. Castillo Ibarra also clarified the reasons why the Nicaraguan revolutionists
were still interested in obtaining additional arms stores in spite of repeated
statements that they had more than enough material for an attack,** He said
that the overall strategy had changed, and it was planned for the Nicaraguan
revolutionists and Hondurans to initiate the government, rather than wait for
It to originate in the countries of th# "big friends"--President Prio and
Juan Bosch of Cuba, and President krevalo of Guatemala. Castillo Ibarra added
that he hoped to obtain the $50,000 from E1 Salvador for arms transportation
coats in order, to be able to confront Frio and Arevalo with the statement,
"The battle against Somoza has begun. You have the material we need to finish
it, and here is the money to pay for its transportation."
25X1A6a Comment. Osorio has given only verbal support to the Nicaraguan
revolutionary movement. He has failed thus far to translate any of his
words into action.
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CONFI NIIAL
Approved For Release 1999/09/09: A-RDP82-004578002500260008-2