COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IN ASOCIACION VENEZOLANA DE PERIODISTAS (AVP)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R008900130001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 2, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: October 15, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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Approved For Release ORKFACIR213NIUSLAGRISE-013155M0890013000119:RT NO.
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
R Venezuela
ii1ELL0fAX 14
DATE DISTR. 15 JCT 51
elarSJECT Communist Influence in sociacion Venezolana NO. OF AGES 3
de Periodistas (AVP)
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Tae Asociaeon Venezolana de Periodistas (AVP) is an org-nization of news-
paper writers and liournalists founded in August 1941, with an office at
Sociedad a Camejo No. 37 in Caracas. The AVP has affiliations in various
of the cities in the interior of Venezuelai, including San Cristobal, Merida,
Trujillo, Barquisimeto, Maracay, Ciudad Bolivar, and Maturin,
The AVP in Caracas has an estimated membership of 270, of whom approximately
110 are believed to be Commueists or Communist sympathizers, thile all
pelitical fections are represented in the AVP, the Commmnistshave the strongest
group.
3, The AVP holes meet:11'43m exl programs from time to time, frequently featuring
talks by prominent intellectuals and writers. It co-operates with the Scheol
of Journalism, offering occasional prizes and scholarships. A magazine, "El
Periodista", published by the AVP, has appeared at irreaular intervals since
October 1948, the most recent numbers in April and October of 1951. Five
articles in the April 1951 issue were pro-Communist; one article was by the
Assrican Embessy Cultural Section.
4. The two most influential members of AVP are reported to be Miguel Otero Silva,
editor of lialalasLonja, a Caracas daily, and Carlos Augusto Leon, a Venezuelan
poet Both of these men are Communists and leaders of the intellectual leftist
elements in Venezuela.
5, Titular leroer of the larP is Luis Felipe Bellorin, secretary-general of the
or3anizetion. Bellorin is a young journalist who has been an eoitor aCatholic
newspaper in Caracas La Reon. He is a conservative of social-christian
teedencies. Earlier in 1951 he w-s subject to attacks on the charges that he
was using the AVP for political ends; however, he has retained his position.
6. The actual leader of /VP is Luis Evaristo Ramirez, organizational secretary
and editor of the weekly news-magazine aemz Ramirez is also an officer in
the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de is Prensa (SNTP). He is a member
of the Partido Comunista de Venezuela (PCV).
qL,A$.$!FICATpN. CONFIDELTIAL
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7, The lest election in the PVP was held in October 19500 end a new election
is scheduled to be held in October or iovember 19510 The present officers
are
9.
Secretary-General Luis Felipe Bellorin
Alternate Aquiles Eazoa
Organizational Secretary Luis Evaristo Raeirez
aternate Sergio Antillano
Financial Secretary
'lternate
Jose Ratto
Jose Loguera
Sparta and Altertainment Oscar Escalona Oliver
Secretary
faternate Graciela Scheel hartinez
11inutes Pnd Correspondence Umon ;,lberto Consalvi
Secretary
:ltarnate Pedro Francisco Lizardo
Culture and Propaganda Humberto Rivas ajr_res
Secretary
Ilternate Francisco Ellazar Eartinez
Librarian Lucile_ Velazquez
'lternate Juan Lopez, hijo
Disciplinary Tribunal
If
iiguel !cost Seignes
Lucile PalacLos
Hector ;veledo Urbaneja
Saignes is a well known-pro-Comunist intellectuel who is a
professor of ;nthropology at the Central Univercity
'ntalano was reported a member of the PCV in Acui i,sta on 7 :110Itt 1946.
He is shown as a signer of e greeting to Gustavo Mechado0 PCV leader, published
on. 2.8 July 1946 in Ultimos ioticirse ano of a greeting to the USSR3 publi:thed
on 11 ::ovember 194) in Pri.P I. form letter s nt to members of the Instituto
JulLural Venezolano-Govietico (ICV5) in iqay 1)51 showed his signeture as
seceeteryo
wes reported in July 1946 as r new editor of i Universa end a strong
eolieervative riehtisto
A, ,ons7lvi, who is elso en 3NTP official, is an 1,ccion De:ocratica (AD) 311p orter,
although he has given support to Ccolimunist-sponsored elovements?
:sc-lona Oliver is c)nsidered to be en independent without political affili.?tion
Ie is a social reporter for 41 Lacional rrid is publicity director for Bolivar
Fil?is, He is abut 32 yerrs of age onc is coneloered intelligent,. In 1948
25X1X he 1,:es a member of the board of cirectors of the ATP, MI His name appe- red
as a signer of a letter protesting the ehowing of the movie "The Iron Gurtajm'
rs -Tar proprgmde, publiehed in Tribune zunkE on 6 October 19480 (Doco)
COIS1DELTIAL
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aa, Lizardo wes secretary of the Venezuelan 1,mbassy nt ,oscow in 1947 and 1948,
He is at present an editor of La Esfera and a member )f the f-eulty of the
25X1X School of Journalism, Trpuna Popular on 28 ,neetember 1949 nrinted
an interview by Lizard? in favor of the Pro-Paz movement, Ultimas Noticias
on 26 'pril 1950 announced that he would speak at the ICVS on Russia. He
wa..s shown as a signer of greetings to the USSR on 11 November 1949 in PRPO
(Dee,)
: ' 4
14, Naeoa zs a endidate for Deputy on the PCV ticket from the Federel Listrict
in 1947, according to official election liss El Universal on 11 Hay 1951
and El Nacionpl on 4 October :950 reporteo him as scheduled to speak before
the ICVS, Si-no on 21 July l95,1, es-relent-me on a reee took of poen e written
by Nazoan described him as a writer end poenowho had written for L2a2zu
izul, pro-Commurist newspaper,
15, Noguera, an 1NTP official, is an indepeneent photograrher who hs previously
adnitted memhership in the PCV His present affilictien is not known, but
he has been reported to be a leftist-independentat this tine,
1.6, Luella Paleclos, aka Lercedes Cervajal de Arocha, is a writer who has been
active in the Venezuelan Pro-Paz Committee,..... El Nacional on "eil August
1949 reported her as a. delegate fro;a. Venezuela to the International Pro-Paz
Conference in Mexico City in September 1949 t that time she was described
as secretary of the Venezuelan Ceemittee,(Doc.)
Ratto is ettf.ne chief editor of El Naeional, He is a Peruvian by birth who
hes been naturalized as a Venezuelan, He is merried ene is about 40 yeers
of age, Prior to 1940 he was a domminist symnethizer, but he subsenuently
be .e a supeorter of General Medina, Recently he has shown signs of
swiraing bach to his leftist sympathies, elthough be hns not outwardly
ineleated thet ne is pre-Communist?= His neme is inclueed in a list of
pereons send lnn greetinee tee the USSR by PRP on 11 '::ovember 1949 and as a
sineer of a. letter protesting the showing of the movie "The iron Curtain"
as war propeanda in Tribune Poeulan on 6 October i94 1 Laeional on
26 :ovember 1949 steted he bed receiven P decoration from the Spnnish
Republicen Government (Doc..)
1. Rivas Ajeres is secretern of the ichool of Journelese of the '-entral
Uneversity '16 is et connected eite any newspaper He is co:leis:tepee ,,.11
Jeicepereent lar ,is colleagues but hes shown leftist tendencies - In
Deceeber 194, he w s rerneted as a meeber of the ICV3_ 11111 In PLP
on 11 N)vemter 1949 he ies lieted as e signer of e tribute to the USSR,
enn on Jny 19e, be -ianfei 1 trAbute 1 Vrithe-s !etilies to Guetavo
ilachndo,(Doc )
19 ,Schael wes reported by Tribune talk; on 5 Fir,v 1949 as a ember of the
coemittee to or -,eiee the Femnine Committee for ehe Struggle for 'orld
Peece.
2C, eelazer in hl liecionel on 3 eovember 1950 lens mentioned as a e-rtieipant
in the 1CVS progrem honoring the 1:3rd eeniverserv of the US3P,e,
21, Velezeuez, who wes e .ember of the beerd of directore of the 31TP it 1949,
has beer repented to be active in the t,grupecion Cultural Feminine (AeF);,
a Communiet-frent oraneiz,tion.
GYeFLnehni,L.
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