NICARAGUA/FIGHTING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01070R000201250007-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 18, 2008
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: June 17, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2008/09/18: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201250007-3
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
17 June 1984
NICARAGUA/ BOETTCHER: Injured soldiers from a demoralized
FIGHTING CIA-supported rebel army retreat to Costa Rica from
Nicaragua. One month ago, the anti-Nicaraguan rebels
boasted they would capture most of southern Nicaragua and
establish their own government. Now the rebels are
running from an advancing Cuban-supported Nicaraguan army
which has launched an offensive to drive the rebels from
Nicaragua's river frontier with Costa Rica. The rebels
said that when the Nicaraguans attacked they were short of
supplies, ammunition and virtually leaderless after their
commander Eden Pastora was injured last month by a bomb.
He is recuperating in exile in Venezuela. This rebel said
the Nicaraguan army was attacking the retreating rebels
with helicopters and airplanes. He said he waited 15 days
be evacuated. Costa Rican authorities are considering
a state of emergency Monday because so many rebels are
fleeing into their country. Only three rural guardsmen
protect Costa Rican territory nearest to the fighting.
Costa Rica has no army, and these rural guardsmen are the
country's first line of defense. The Nicaraguan army is
attacking rebels only a short distance up the river. Lt.
? Manuel *Analopez says day and night for the past week the
bodies of dead rebels have been floating down the river.
Peasants living along the border are packing their
possessions in boats and leaving. A few weeks ago, the
U.S.-supported rebels completely controlled Nicaragua's
river border with Costa Rica, but their ammunition and
? food ran out. Some of the rebels believe the only way to
save themselves is to join with other CIA-supported rebel
groups fighting in northern and eastern Nicaragua, but
they fear such an alliance might come too late to save
them from the advancing Nicaraguan army. The Costa Rican
rural guard is afraid that more fighting will spill into
their territory, and they believe that more refugees and
injured rebels will flee up this river into Costa Rica.
Mike Boettcher, NBC News, on the River San Carlos in Costa
Rica.
Approved For Release 2008/09/18: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201250007-3