COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IN SALVADORAN REGIME

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002300260005-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 1, 1998
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: February 2, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

SEPT. a48 25X1A2g
Anoroved For Release 1-9991D9/09._.CIA-RDP82-00457ROO2300260005-7
.`I4. AIY REPQRT NO.
IN FO .TJ Q. ,,R fPQRT rL)
COUNTRY El Salvador
SUBJECT Communist Influence in Salvador ,Rbgime
ACQL1(RED
DATE OF INF 25X1X6
DATE DISTR. 2 D Feb 1949
NQ., QF,PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
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stated his belief that the coup d'etat of 14 December in
or ousted President Castaneda was purely an impromptu
etfatr, and not an elaborately planned move. In his opinion, Lt. Col.
Cordoba and ,jor Oscar Bolanos suddenly decided that Castaneda
.d be removed., and they proceeded to do so without having any plans
for a government to succeed him* ant on to say that Cordolba r,
024 S03enos were caught up in their own indecision, and leftist elements
#IL 'f'ore they could prevent it# The only solution they saw was to
e-e, rod Major Osorio in Mexico to come and take power in Zl Salvador to
It the leftists from assuming full control*
stated that in his opinion Col. Osmin Aguirre would emerge as
the final victor in the struggle for control, since Col, Aguirre would
or ize a counter-movement and set up a more conservative government* rt<
Ieyes Guerra said that Cordoba, Bolanos, and Osorio are really loyal
followers of Aguirre.
C ommme t .
A review of reports received at Guatemala prior to the Salvadoran
eoup d+etat suggests that Salvadoran Communists may have had prior
vi 1.41 owledge of the recent coup _d' etat and possibly aided it. Many
r i had been exiled in Guatemala, including Daniel Castaneda, Virgilio
terra., Jose H. Zamora, Juan Valiente Ali~erto Vides Ramos Miguel
v:ry # , guel
armol and Pedro !Ayala. These men, believed to be Communists, are
?m~j -known to have associated closely with high officials of the Guate-
' Ala government, including the President and cabinet. If the CSTN
sj lei`s were aware of the impending coup d'etat, there was plenty of
~ E eporyunlTiy ror tine uuatemalan government to obtain such knowledge.
L Goa ~ .-y
President Arevalo of Guatemala promptly recognized the new regime in
L~a
.? 3I . Ivador;, instead of displaying his usual hostility toward a
211iiary junta. The Guatemalan government, moreover, displayed no
ir3se,as did other groups, that Col. Osmin Aguirre was not behind
the coup.
 Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : CIA-RDP82-0O457R002300260005-7
25X1A2g
C.L+ fTRAL ITNTELLIGENCE AGENCY
A letter from Moises Castro y Morales, intellectual leader of
Salvadoran Communists, advisedbDr. bagel Gochez Castro, president
-Of, the CSS 1. that the "feudal c0pitali stir regime" in El Salvador
must be liquidated. In another letter Castro y Morales wrote to
Jose H. Zamora, known communist and officer of the COW that a
completely organized group was needed"to take over the leader-
skip of the revolt when called upon by. the, people to do so,?!
1a[or Oscar Osoio, at present the head of the governing Junta of
l Salvador under the new regime, associated very closely with
Me or Humberto Villalta (recently deposed as Chief of the Armed-.
)'Qrces) who held tae position of Secretary of Propaganda of the
Villalta, while not openly Communist, likewise associated
.sly with many Communists of the C.
A report from El Salvador dated 1 August 1947 stated that the
Communist'movement in El Salvador depended greatly on outside
help, and intimated that the Communists might have some working.
agreement with Col. Jose Arturo Castellanos, a Salvadoran army
officer living in Mexico City. Castellanos was also closely in
touch with Villalta.,.
#ti.lio Garcia Prieto, Secretary of Finance of the CStN, was`
Offered the portfolio of Fomento and Public Works in the new
cabinet. He`reportedly refused the offer because his brother
had been imprisoned by the Junta.
Many Salvadorans are coming back from Guatemala where they had
been exiled. These include Daniel Castaneda, Virgilio Guerra,
Miguel Marmol and Efrain Rios, all 'ummunists and all C SLN
an@ fibers. This is another indication that the C&LN has bane
fitted from the new government, and that returning fd'ommunists
are, planning to take an active part in the government.and labor
a ` Airs in, E1 Salvadore
. 25X1A2g
CQmment Reports received from El Salvador after the
.;.....~.....,~-ter ~,~.;
eou. d+etat'indicate that Communist support was not welcomed by the
new governing Junta.
Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002300260005-7