CONFIDENTIAL FILE: THE CLASSIFIED DISPATCHES FROM EMBATTLED EL SALVADOR CONTAIN GRIM NEWS.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100160119-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 3, 2012
• Sequence Number: 119
• Publication Date: March 12, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

ST"T
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/03 :CIA-RDP90-009658000100160119-6
_ ~ :,:. r, ~r.~:~..::~ THE WASHINGTON POST
;,;; t ac:~_(,~~ 12 March 1981
"Confidential File: The classified
dispatches from:: embattled El .Sal-
vador contain grim .,news.: Here are
some excerpts:,~_ _.:.~ ~_~,..._ _.-
_, ? Three weeks ago, the American
' Embassy warned that the moderate
..,Salvadoran government would be "se-
'verely imperiled" without massive U.S.
economic aid. "I am convinced," ca-
bled' % acting;. Ambassador Frederick
Chapin, "that the most urgent need is
for $22 million to $40 million:' But
within two weeks,, the price for saving
the moderate government skyrocketed
to $260 million. "Unless political sta-
bility is brought about soon," warned ',
'a confidential cable,.-"there is little ~I
chance the current government can ii
survive the next three to six months." ,
? The battles between the military I
>~ j n~a:;`'and. left_wing .,guerrillas have
`made: incendiary`'news._ But the great-
er' danger to" the government is from
the`right-wing,:'elementa~ that have
controlled the'"tiny Central' American
'> nation in 'tl-e .past. The- Salvadoran
right has "powerful' support,.. according
to intelIiQence `re o~ not only from '
` aria estimate 20 percent to 30 percent
of; the Army officers abut from wealthy
- members of the once-ruling. oligarchy, ~
wla-~~ want ~he~r'sexpropriated land
back.' '` Y ~ _
.Despite all~the~~arms and training;
provided' by Soviet-bloc nations
through Cuba and Nicazagua,.the Sal-
vadoran .left has largely failed to gam
widespread support 'among the popu-,I
lation:'~"They are havin? trouble get ~
tinga recruits," reports an ~intelligen e ~
source ,~ .:.. ~ . .? ~~'
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/03 :CIA-RDP90-009658000100160119-6