MONTHLY REPORT--PARAGUAY BUREAU--APRIL 1987

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2012
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: May 1, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
PARAGUAY BUREAU
ASUNCION, PARAGUAY
MPY-7007
1 May 1987
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, FBIS
THROUGH Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT Monthly Report -- Paraguay Bureau --
April 1987
1. After 3 months of interviewing and testing
some 70 candidates, the Bureau is still searching for a
good monitorial candidate. The knowledge of English of the
majority of candidates has been minimal at best, and the
two to whom the position was offered politely declined
because of the low starting salary.
2. The lifting of the state of siege in Asuncion
and its immediate environs has had little to no impact on
life in Asuncion. However, there has been some loosening
of political restrictions. The opposition parties have
been allowed to hold some meetings that previously would
have been banned and a major opposition figure, Domingo
Laino, has been allowed to return to the country after
living in Argentina for some 5 years in exile. Otherwise,
the ever-present brown uniformed policeman are still seen
on many street corners of Asuncion.
A. Monitorial/Editorial
1. Argentine President Raul Alfonsin this month
survived the most serious crisis of his 3-year-old
administration. Military officers disgruntled at having to
face charges of human rights violations committed during
the 1976-83 military government staged an abortive but
bloodless rebellion that lasted from the 16th to the 19th
with some aftershocks the following week. On the 19th,
Easter Sunday, the Bureau staffed a special morning shift
to cover the unfolding situation and remained open late and
opened early on other days of the crisis.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R00010011000874
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
2. The Bureau received "general praise" from the
Wire for its "timely and on target" coverage of the
Argentine crisis, although some "lapses" in formatting and
substance were pointed out. The BBC thanked "all those
concerned for the full and speedy service provided,"
expressing "best regards."
3. At the beginning of the month, Pope John Paul
II visited Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina. In view of both
the rift between the Chilean Catholic Church and the
government of President Pinochet and the good possibility
of terrorist actions, the Bureau moved its Roset dish from
Brasilsat to the Intelsat at 53.0 W to cover portions of
the pontiff's visit. The Bureau filed VSLs and editorial
reports from Chilean television on the arrival and
departure ceremonies held for the pope. The departure
included an incident in which the pope appeared to refuse
to allow Pinochet to kiss his ring.
4. After coordination with MOD, the Bureau added
the Lima RBC Television in Spanish 0400-0500 GMT newscast
to coverage. This program is recorded and then
phone-patched to the Bureau by our contractor in Lima.
B. Lateral Services
On the 10th, Ambassador Taylor requested that the
Bureau translate an article from that day's Asuncion EL
DIARIO dealing with the exchange of diplomatic notes
between the U.S. and Paraguayan Governments over the
February incident in which a tear-gas cannister was thrown
into the yard of a home where the Ambassador was attending
a party. The Bureau was able to report that the article
had already been processed and filed. In another request,
the Ambassador asked that the Bureau file an editorial from
the BUENOS AIRES HERALD discounting the importance of the
end of the state of siege in Asuncion and its environs.
C. Technical
1. Following the arrival of the newest LSL
database diskettes, the Bureau was able for the first time
to print out a BACH-generated hard copy of the Lateral
Services List. Despite this step in the right direction,
the Bureau still cannot generate a message using BACH.
2. The new Victor personal computer was received
and is about to be hooked up in the communications center
to test whether the problems with the BACH system stem from
the software or the IBM X/T.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
3. The technicians installed wiring and
connections so that television audio signals can be
recorded on the Bureau's Magnasync. They also set up a new
radio receiver position in the television booth, which was
connected to position No. 9 on the main distribution panel
in the Main Radio room. This will give the Bureau added
flexibity when covering a crisis.
4. The television distribution unit provided to
the Bureau by ESG was successfully bench-tested, although
it has been found that the system requires television
monitors and not regular televisions. The Bureau will be
consulting with ESS to see if the Bureau should convert its
televisions to monitors so that the system can be used.
D. Cruising
1. The cruising monitor for the first time
observed that Brasilia EBN is carrying items attributed to
PRENSA LATINA and to DPA. Also on Brasilsat, he observed
that Rio de Janeirio Rede Manchete Television is no longer
on 3917 MHz, but is still on 3778 MHz. He performed a
spotcheck of Intelsat 53.OW to observe reception of Lima
Panamericana Television Network.
2. The cruising monitor observed the seasonal
frequeny adjustments by Moscow Radio's international
services. Moscow Radio Peace and Progress was observed to
resume a cast in Guarani on Wednesdays and Saturdays at
0100-0130. This program had not been monitored during the
period when Moscow was making its seasonal frequency
adjustments. In response to a message from Panama Bureau
that Havana International Service had gone off the air, the
cruiser checked and reported the Bureau's observations.
3. Asuncion Channel 13 lengthened its broadcast
day this month and began signing on at 1000. Cruising
observations turned up a newscast from 1030 to 1130 GMT. A
new newscast was also found on Asuncion Channel 9 from 0300
to 0330 GMT.
4. Buenos Aires NOTICIAS ARGENTINAS increased
its transmission speed from 50 to 75 BAUD from 25 to 30
April, during which time reception was poor-fair.
Reception did not improve when NA resumed transmissions at
50 BAUD on 31 April. Meanwhile, the press agency has
announced that it will resume 75-BAUD transmissions in a
week.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
III.'ADMINISTRATION
Personnel
The Bureau's new electronics technician,
EOD'ed on the 13th.
1. Bureau Chiefl (returned to duty
on the 10th following her TDY to Washington for the Bureau
Chiefs Conference and subsequent annual leave.
2. James Vanderhoff, associate director of
communications for the ARA/State Department based in
Montevideo, visited the Bureau on the 23d. He was
accompanied by local CPU chief Henry Zenn.
Chief, FBIS Paraguay Bureau
STAT
STAT
STAT
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4 ,.
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/04: CIA-RDP88-00733R000100110008-4
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