SENATOR SPECTER'S MEETING WITH MAJOR D'AUBUISSON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91B00135R000500930023-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 6, 2010
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: May 19, 1983
• Content Type: CABLE

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00 RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
STU9238
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DE RUEHSN #4465/01.1391659
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
0 1916562 MAY 83
FM AMEMBASSY SAN $AIVADOR
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6603
BT
C O N F I D E N T'I A L SAN SALVADOR 04465
E. 0. 12356: DECL 5/19/89
TAGS: _OVIP
SUBJECT: SENATOR=_SP.EC7ER-'S':MEETING::WITH.;MAJOR
- D'AUBUISSON~~ ~~ ~~-._ ~ . _ _
1. C. ENTIRE TEXT.
2. ON~MAY 13, ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT AND ARENA LEADER
ROBERTO D'AU6UISSON, JOINED BY HIS TWO PRINCIPAL LIEU-
TENANTS, HUGO BARRERA AND ARMANDO CALDERON SOL, MET AT
BARRERA'S RESIDENCE WITH SENATORS SPECTER AND SYMMS,
AMBASSADOR HINTON AND POLCOUNS. SENATOR SPECTER AND
MAJOR BOE ENGAGED IN A SPIRITED, FRANK EXCHANGE. .;
3. SENATOR SPECTER OPENED BY STATING THAT HE AND MANY
OF HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE WERE CONCERNED A80UT THE
LACK OF PROGRESS IN BRINGING TD JUSTICE THE MURDERERS OF
AMERICAN CITIZENS, AS WELL AS THE HIGH NUMBER OF POLITI-
CAL KILLINGS IN EL SALVADOR IN GENERAL. D'AUBUISSON RE-
SPONDED THAT THE CHURCHWOMEN'S AND SHERATON CASE WERE PRO-
CEEDING FORWARD, AND THE TRIGGER MEN IN BOTH WOULD BE
FACING TRIAL SOON. SENATOR SPECTER COUNTERED THAT IN .HIS
VIEW, THE EVIDENCE AGAINST LT. LOPEZ SIBRIAN IN .THE
SHERATON MURDERS WA5 VERY CONVINCING AS WELL. YET, THE
JUDGES IN THE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE AND THE COURT OF
APPEALS HAD THROWN OUT THE CASE AGAINST HIM. MAJOR BOB.
RETORTED THAT THE MURDERS HAD OCCURRED UNDER THE
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC JUNTA, AND THAT NOBODY SEEMED CON-
CERNED ABOUT PUSHING THE CASES HARD AT THAT TIME. IN ANY
EVENT, WHATEVER AN OUTSIDER MIGHT THINK,. THE OPINION OF
THE SALVADORAN COURTS HAD TO BE RESPECTED.
4. SENATOR SPECTER SAID THAT MANY OF HIS CONSTITUENTS,
INCLUDING MANY CONSERVATIVES, AS WELL AS MAN1' OF HIS
FELLOW SENATORS, SUPPORTED CUTTING OFF. ASSISTANCE TO EL
SALVADOR UNLESS JUSTICE WERE DONE. D'AUBUISSON RESPONDED
THAT SUCH A POSITION WAS VERY SHORT-SIDED, AND MISSEC THE
LARGER ISSUE, WHICH WA5 WHETHER THE U.S. WAS GOING TO
ALLOW EL SALVADOR TG BECOM ANOTHER MARXIST-LENINIST ,
57ATE, LIKE NICARAGUA OR CUBA. IF THE MARXIST-LENINISTS
TOOK OVER EL SALVADOR, THE U.S. COULD FORGET .ABOUT IM-
PROVING HUMAN RIGHTS HERE. SO ULTIMAT~L1', HE ASKED
RHETORICALLI', WHAT WAS TO BE GAINED BY A CUTOFF?
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3. SENATCR SPECTER ASKED Ir, IN O'AUBUISSON'S VIEW. THE
HUP~AN RIGHTS SITUATION HAD IMPROVED. C'AUBUISSON RE-
SPONDED THAT IMPROVEMENT WOUlO BE IMPOSSIBLE A5 LGNG AS
THE WAR PERSISTED. MOREOVER, THE MORE THE 'dAR INTENSI-
FIED, THE GREATER THE NUPABER OF 4BUSE5. WHAT ',JAS NEEDED
TO DEFEAT THE GUERRILLAS 'WAS A WAR AT ALL LEVELS, NOT JUST
ON THE TRADITIONAL MILITARY LEVEL. LEANING TOWARD THE
SENATOR, D'AUBUiSSON THEN SAID HE WISHED TO TALK "OFF
THE P.ECORO." AMBASSADOR SVHITE. HE SAID, HAD MADE MUCH OF
THE POLITICAL KILLINGS SJHEN HE WAS HERE, AND HAD COINED
THE PHRASE "DEATH SQUADS" TO DESCRIBE THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
BUT THERE WAS, D'AUBUI550N SAID, NO SUCH THING A5 A DEATH
SQUAD. NOR WA5 THERE ANYTHING MYSTERIOUS AT ALL ABOUT
THE DEATHS. WHAT WA5 HAPPENING WA5 SIMPLY THAT CONCERNED
ELEMENTS WITHIN THE MILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES HAD BEEN
MOVING EXTRA-OFFICIALLY TO ELIMINATE THE SUBVERSIVE RING
LEADERS. THIS METHOD WA5 REQUIRED BECAUSE OTHER AVENUES
FOR DEALING EFFECTIVELY WITH THE SUBVERSION WERE BLOCKED.
6. AS AN EXAMPLE, HE SAID, THE NATIONAL POLICE RECENTLY
HAD ARRESTED THREE MEMBERS OF A SPECIAL FAL HIT SQUAD.
UNDER INTERROGATION, THE THREE ADMITTED THEIR MISSION WAS
TO ASSASSINATE HIMSELF, HUGO BARRERA AND A THIRD ARENA
LEADER, RENE BARRIOS AMAYA. THE POLICE HAD ALSO SEIZED
SOPHISTICATED COMMUNICATION GEAR AND A COMPUTER WITH THE
NAMES OF ALL THE ARENA PARTY MEMBERS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE
ONE OF TH05E FOUND HARBORING THE THREE WAS THE SISTER OF
MINISTER OF PUBLIC WCRKS PIO AYALA (PCN), HIGH-LEVEL PRES-
SURE HAO BEEN BROUGHT TO 3EAR ON THE NATIONAL POLICE TO
SUPPRESS FURTHER ACTION IN THE CASE. THUS THE EIGHT CON-
SPIRATORS STILL AT LARGE WERE PRESENTLY BEING (EXTRA-
OFFICIALLY) HUNTED DOWN BY CONCERNED MEMBERS OF THE
SECURITY FORCES. CONCLUDING HIS POINT, D'AUBUISSON AGAIN
EMPHASIZED THAT THE DEFEAT OF THE GUERRILLAS REQUIRED
THAT WAR AGAINST THEM 8E FOUGHT ON MANY LEVELS. 4ND BY
"FAIR MEANS AND FOUL." AFTER ALL, THAT WAS HOW THE
GUERRILLAS WERE FIGHTING. TO FOLLOW THE "RULES OF THE
FREE WORLD," HE SAID WOULD SERVE ONLY TO PROLONG THE WAR
AND DESTRUCTION OF THE COUNTRY.
7. SENATOR SPECTER ASKED D'AUBUISSDN HOW HE WOULD RE-
SPOND WERE THE U.S. CCNGRESS TO PASS LEGISLATION CURRENTLY
BEFORE THE SENATE, TYING FUTURE U.S. ASSISTANCE TO EL
SALVADOR TO GOES ENTERING INTO UNCONDITIONAL DIALOGUE WITH
THE GUERRILLAS. WITH SOME EMOTION, D'AUBUISSON SAID THAT
HIS PERSONAL RESPONSE WOULD BE TO TELL THE U.S. CONGRESS
TO TAKE ITS AID AND GO TO HELL. WHEN SENATOR SPECTER
EXDIS
CLARIFIED THAT HE WAS REFERRING TO DIALOGUE WITH THE FOR,
O'AUBUISSON ASKED RHETORICALLY ~r1HAT THERE WOULD 8E TD
TALK ABOUT EXCEPT THE CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS, UNLESS THE
SENATOR WAS TALKING ABOUT POWER-SHARING. SENATOR SPECTER
SAID HE WA5 NOT TALKING ABOUT POWER-SHARING. O'AUBUISSON
ADDED, THE DAY THE SANOINI$TAS AGREE TO HOLD UNCONDITIONAL
TALKS WITH THE FON, I WILL SUPPORT UNCONDITIONAL TALKS
WITH THE FOR. O'AUBUISSON WAS CONFIDENT, HOWEVER, THAT
THE FOR WOULD NEVER ACCEPT COMPETITION IN ELECTIONS BE-
CAUSE THEY KNEW THEY COULD CAPTURE ONLY A HANDFUL OF
VOTES.
8. COMMENT: D'AUBUL550N WAS BRUTALLY FRANK, E.G. IN
EFFECT JUSTIFYING DEATH SQUADS, IN THIS CONVERSATION.
HIS REACTION TO A POSSIBLE CONGRESSIONAL IMPOSITION OF
UNCONDITIONAL NEGOTIATIONS AS A PRICE FOR CONTINUED U.S.
AID WAS CCUALLY HARD, A REACTION INCIDENTALLY WHICH
HAD BEEN VOICED, PERHAPS LESS FORCEFULLY BY POLITICAL
LEADERS OF MORE MODERATE PARTIES. IT IS WORTH ~e
POINTING OUT, HOWEVER, THAT MAJOR BOB APPEARED TO
DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN TALKING WITH THE FDR ABOUT
THE CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS, WHICH HE ACCEPTED AND
UNCONDITIONAL NEGOTIATIONS. THE SENATORS SEEPED TO
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BE IMPRESSED BY HIS FORCEFULLNESS IN EXPRESSING HIS
CONVICTIONS.
HINTON
END OF M'cSSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
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