NICARAGUA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000100900006-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 22, 2010
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 19, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100900006-7
19 October 1983 1
?.ACNEIL: in a moment we're going to hear both sides of the covert aid debate in the
Congress. First, we hear both sides in the struggle in Nicaragua from a key member of
the Sandinista leadership and a leader of the contras, or rebels. Last week, on
assignment for us, Charles Krause talked in 2ianagua With Humberto Ortega, Nicaraguan
defense minister and commander in chief, about the miltiary situation. L-'U?SBERTO
ORTEGf. (Voice of interpreter): What we see in'-the coming weeks is a worsening of
military factors and the real possibility of war with Honduras, to the extent that
Honduras is 'becoming more fully and directly involved in the aggression against
Nicaragua. It's no longer the counter-revolutionaries receiving 'help from Honduras
but rather the count er-r.evolutionaries as part of U.S. strategy to use+fionduras to
distract our forces and create conditions allowing Bonduras to make overwhelming
attacks against our revolution, against our army.
KRAL'SE: Then you're expecting war with Honduras? ''ORTEGA: Against Nicaragua.
KRAUSE: And the United States? ORTEGA: Of course and with the support of the United
States. There are American soldiers in Honduras with full logistical and adviser
support, assurance of all kinds of material for agression. Now, whether the United
States is going to get directly involved in our war, that I can't predict. I'm not a
fortune-telling wizard who can saw exactly what will happen. But I can affirm that
with the vankees and troops that are in Honduras, if there is a conflict between
Honduras and Nicaragua, arising from the activities of the Somozista
counter-revolutionaries, then the possibility of the U.S. getting involved in that
conflict is much greater. the real scenario i see for the coming weeks is serious.
It's deteriorating because efforts toward peace, efforts at understanding are not
preceding a pace with the sabotage, the build-up of the Honduran forces and the
counter-revoluionaries Honduras and in Costa Rica.
KRAUSE: What's more likely, negotiations or war? ORTEGA: If the United States has a
number of points to make that they believe Nicaragua is supplying arms to E1 Salvador,
that Nicaragua has Cuban advisers or from elsewhere, etc., if there are a number of
things that they don't like about Nicaragua, there are also aspects of U.S. policy
that we don't like. And we think that there cam a._->d should be analysis, talks,
discussions but in a framework of mutual respect, decent framework? a civilzied
framework-, a framework, without conditions, without abusing the strength of one over
the other, without threats, without holding .a gun to our head.
?LACKEIL: Later, back in Washington, Charle Krause talked with Adolfo Calero,
commander in chief of one of the largest contra groups, the FDN, or Democratic Forces
of Nicaragua. Frause asked for his reading of the situation in Central America.
CALERO: Well. I would say the situation is real hot and, ah, it will continue to heat
up. And, ah, we will not cease in our efforts to establish democracy in Nicaragua, by
whatever means it takes. At the beginning, right after the Somoza overthrow, we,
political parties, private enterprise, practically all Nicaraguans gave the
Sandinistas the opportunity to establish a Democratic government. in January of this
-year we told the Sandinistas that we were ready, ah, to put down our arms if they
would fulfill the commitments that they made to the 0rgan.7-at'lon of American States
for democracy, pluralism, elections, respect of human rights. And since none of those
commitments have beer, fulfilled, ah, we have been obliged to take up arms against this
sea of troubles that Nicaraguans are going through.
STAT
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/22 : CIA-RDP90-00552R000100900006-7