NEW ROADS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R000500610004-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 23, 1998
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 14, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R000500610004-5
25X1A2g
Colombia/Panama/Guatemala/Nicaragua
Subject: New Roads 25X1A6a
Place Acquired:
Date Acquired:
2 5~Itll6f Info.: 14 May 53 and earlier
This uffe"iuated irforr?atioo for US Off clals
Oaiy is supplip~ fog r`.e ira s;hie i .,
your . ,, [ A 2 eat ruarraot d ssem of
Q. natio MOT I-
1. Seven kilometers of the much-criticized super highway running from Bogota
to Chia were opened recently and traffic started over it at a toll of
thirty cents per vehicle. This stretch is stated to be of no use except
as a race track, in spite of the P7,000,000 invested in it.
Panama
2. A $588,672.00 contract has been signed for the paving of a 25-kilometer
section of the Inter-American Highway from David to Las Vueltas, in
Chiriqui Province.
Guatemala
It is reported that 110 kilometers of the Atlantic Road to Puerto Barrios
is now being surfaced. This stretch of the road will connect Guatemala
City with the new port of Sto. Tomas. About 200 miles separate Guatemala
City from ?to. Barrios, soft would appear that work on the highway is
progressing smoothly and satisfactorily. The road-building program seems t
to be progressing. The highway connecting the city of Retalhuleu and the h --
port of Champerico on the Pacific side has already been started. The
highway connecting Zuetzaltenango and Totonicapan has been terminated and. -
a highway connecting Pecuintla with the port of Ayutla is also near cos-
pletion. It seems that the Government is very anxious to set up a system
of roads and transportation with access to the sea, completely independent c
of the means of transportation at present controlled by the International
Railways of Central America and the United Fruit Company.
cu
r
e
or
we
~t Irodukcatif a . Soon passenger cars or
Managua will be able to reach this fertile, level farm region,
where most of the country's corn, cotton and sugar cane is grown. The plan
also contaplates a series of secondary roads connectix,, the small vii 1 ea
on either side of the_aaia-hi 7.u -object is to open the isolated
Nicaragua
A highway is being built from Managua northwest to the rich agricultural
section of Leon and Chinandega. This highway is especially significant,
since it will be the first road between Nicaragua's capital and its most
al areas to th
ltu
a
th
t
i
Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : CIA-RDP83-00423R000500610004-5
 ,,Approved For Release 199 P83-
i 1FLLOFAX 21
Country: Colombia/Panama/Guatemala/Nicaragua
Subject: New Roads
Place Acquired:
Date Acquired:
25X1X6 Date of Info.: 14 May 53 and earlier
4NY 2007-3
This onevainated
inforo titian for US Off dials
:7iji
~ IS Stl~ , +. ,F
. 161
!'off t terest of
r aL~,
na ' r ors at t'mwrr `ant dissemi.
port.
Colombia
1. Seven kilometers of the much-criticized super highway running from Bogota
to Chia were opened recently and traffic started over it at a toll of
thirty cents per vehicle. This stretch is stated to be of no use except
as a race track, in spite of the P7,000,000 invested in it.
Panama
2. A $588,672.00 contract has been signed for the paving of a 25-kilometer
section of the Inter-American Highway from David to Las Vueltas, in
Chiriqui Province.
3. It is reported that 110 kilometers of the Atlantic Road to Puerto Barrios
is now being surfaced. This stretch of the road will connect Guatemala
City with the new port of Sto. Tomas. About 200 miles separate Guatemala
City from Pto. Barrios, so it would appear that work on the highway is
progressing smoothly and satisfactorily. The road-building program seems
to be progressing. The highway connecting the city of Retalhuleu and the
port of Champerico on the Pacific side has already been started. The
highway connecting Zuetzaltenango and Totonicapan has been terminated and
a highway connecting Eseuintla with the port of Ayutla is also near com-
pletion. It seems that the Government is very anxious to set up a system
of roads and transportation with access to the sea, completely independent
of the means of transportation at present controlled by the International
Railways of Central America and the United Fruit Company.
Nicaragua too-
Qom:
4. A highway is being built from Managua northwest to the rich agricultural
6.ection of Leon and Chinandega. This highway is especially significant, ...-
since it will be the first road between Nicaragua's capital and its most
productive agricultural areas to the northwest. Soon passenger cars or
trucks from Managua will be able to reach this fertile, level farm region,
A*Fdv &gMVqMqC4plan
so con templates a ser es o secon s c ages
on either side of the main highway. The object is to open the isolated
interior regions to commerce with Managua.
ODA-!Fr'f't5
610004-5 -
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