COMMUNIST GUERRILLAS IN ASTURIAS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002100330010-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 1998
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: December 2, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION ?;C CQIWMOL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY ilow
Approved For Release( R9L/9 I 2-RR 7 A02100339k' T NO.
"I.- Is El
INFOR11TIO REPORT
PLACE 25X1A6a V
DATE DISTR. 2 December 1948
NO.-OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
1. Colonel Enri.,;ue LISTER has been instrumental in the elimination of
guerrilla leaders who formerly were prominent in the Spanish Communist
Party, according to statements made to source in mid-October 1948 by
one of these former leaders. The informant added that Communists who
are subservient to LISTER and his coterie are protected. Communists
who disagreed with LISTER have been sent to Spain, where they eventually
have been wither captured or shot. The informant said that he had been
subjected to LISTER'S two-week training for guerrillas being sent to
Spain, which involved walking in the mountains of southern France
carrying a knapsack weighing twenty to thirty kilograms, but that he
had refused to go to Spain because he considered the mission foolhardy.
This refusal was the cause of his disgrace inhe Party. Among the
guerrilla leaders who are out of favor in Par y circles are Ricardo
OSCOZ and Francisco QUITIAN Cerrij6, the latter known as "Comandante
Paco."
2. Two young Communists who crossed the Franco-Spanish border in late
October said that they had been sent to France by ;ianolo CAJIGAL, chief
of guerrillas in Asturias, to determine the loyalty of two men who had
come to Asturias in March 1948 claiming to have been sent from France by
the Communist Party Political Bureau to take charge of the whole
guerrilla movement in Asturias. Their guide, a certain ELOY, was known
and trusted by the guerrillas, but CAJIGAL was unwilling to trust the I,,
two men to the extent of informing them completely as to the guerrillat
sources of support end other details. They thereupon suggested that
hx~re' 7.iability by immediately sending a code message through the
t6 ;,qrt on their mission. CAJIGAL sent ELOY, and they were to prove
'CAY AL send someono whom he trusted with them to France when they returned
clandestine radio. When four months had elapsed without word
em, the guerrillas began to expect an ambush from moment to
? Ci Fia?.,C7
0 a v A A
,t. The two guerrilla envoys said that in a previous debacle, sixteen
n"had been killed by Spanish police who in the guise of Political Bureau
'Ifaison men had stayed ir;;..the mountains with the guerrillas for several
ays. The two men told Source they must see Santiago CARRILLO, Vicente
URIBE, or "La Pasionaria herself" (Dolores IBARRI{RI).
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CETI TPAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
3,. The guerrillas said that it was also part of their mission to tell the
Communist leaders in France that arms, ammunition and money were urgently
needed in Spain. They dreaded this assignment, saying that a comrade
previously sent on such a mission had been killed by the Communists in
France. They rude the following statements regarding their situation in
tsturias.
Weapons and Ammunition.-Forty hunting rifles, four ranid-fire pistols,
with thirty rounds (cartuchos) for each pistol. A. rapid-fire rifle, with
88 rounds. A cannon (naranjero) with 100 rounds. A carbine with 50
rounds, a Parabellum (submachine) gun-with 300 rounds. Two British
machine guns, each with 300 rounds. L ition for the last, a new
25X1A6a special size (largo), is easily obtained Prom the Franco forces if
payment is made in gold pesos. Comment. Socialist guerrillas
from the Asturian area also have mentioned the availability of ammunition
from their enemies for payments in gold. ) Sixteen 25X1A2g
additional rifles are 'ridden in the home of one of the guerrillas.
All the guerrillas carry rifles of the type used in the Spanish Civil
War, and each has a pistol and two or three hand grenades. The grenades,
however, are defective, and the majority of then. do not explode when
thrown.
Guerrilla Leaders and their Locations.- Manolo Diaz CAJIGAL is the
supreme leader of the Communist political and guerrilla movement of
Asturias. The police have offered a 1,000,000 peseta reward for him,
as well as 50,000 pesetas for each guerrilla delivered dead or ali-e.
CAJIGI L, who is known as "Villa", is 36 years old, of short stature and
swarthy complexion. His headquarters is in the Pena Mayor region.
Comment. Probably the PeTia Ma'ror; referred to is the region
oca.,e m~ way between Cangas-de-Onis and Mieres). His deputy is
lanolin FERTW:NDEZ, "El Peque", who has eight guerrillas under him, of
whom two are now in France. Other leaders and their groups are:
A.lad.ino SUAREZ, "Eldraque", 29 years old, from the town of Santa
Barbara. He commands six guerrillas at Pena area (not located).
Andres LL YIEZA, "El Gitano'+, swarthy, average stature, commands a
group of five guerrillas near .T4ieres.
Canol FERNANDEZ has three guerrillas under him on Monte Sebares." (not
located).
A guerrilla band near Llanos has been out of touch since their shooting
of a captive being held for ransoi Kroused the special vigilance of the
Falange.
1.1arcelino FERTNANDEZ Fernandez,'is chief of clandestine organizations
around Cangas-de-Onis. He maintains contact with the Communist cells
in various towns.
Propaganda leaflets are produced in CA JIGAL`S headquarters and
distributed among the peasants and miners.
These guerrillas are the only ones in the mountains of Asturias.
There are a few leftist elements who are hidden in their houses or
the houses of relatives, but who would rather remain in hiding than
endure the hard life of the mountain guerrillas. There are also about
thirty or fort Socialist gue tillas who once were active but who
lately seem to'be engaging only in defensive action. 5X1A6a
Comment, Some Socialist guerrillas have escaped to France, actor Ing
to information reported i
SECRET/COTTTROL/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY+ ,.,
0_C'-IA '7E n Class. ^
lam. C;Aiti' ' D TO: TS S l:
DDA Memo, 4 Apr 77
Approved For Release 1999/09/08: CIA-RDP82-00457R01tQ?33 1,0i,`EG 77/'763
Date: By:
 Approved For Release 1999 9~Q /08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002100330010-5
SECRE IITROL U.S, OFFICIALS ONLY
25X1A2g
ed, but the Socialists
The Socialist guerrillas
NAM,
appear to have received orders from France to break with the
Communists.
The Communist Party never has sent money to the guerrillas; on the
other hand, it has often demanded and received money from them.
Weapons and ammunition are badly needed and morale is very low. The
best men have been killed or captured, and the few good ones remaining
are tired and are bet;inning to believe that they are being betrayed
by the Party in France,
The Asturian guerrillas have no contact V,ith the guerrillas of Levante
or of apy other province. They had contacts some time ago with
fugitelves from the mountairs of Galicia and Leon, but these contacts
no longer exist.
A. group of forty guerrillas under Major Rodolfo PAL01,10 was captured.
ECRE TIROL - U.S, FFICIAI,S ONLY
Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002100330010-5