LIBERAL PARTY ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R004000330011-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 1999
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: January 9, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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SUPPLEMENT TO 25X1 A2g
REPORT NO.
1. On 27 rovember 1949, Dr. Dario Eohandia, Liberal Party leader, received a
group of left-wing Liberals representing the JEGA,* who informed him that their
movement will no longer accept instructions from the National Liberal Direct-
orate nor will it seek its counsel. The JEGA considers itself an independent
organization under the cominand of retired army officers, including General
Jorge Mrtinez Landinez and Captain Gustavo Gomez Posada.
2. The groups which make up the J',GA include some which are definitely anarchistic
and do not recognize the authority of the Liberal Directorate which they accuse
of having sold out to the Conservatives. They particularly distrust Liberal
loader Carlos Lleras Restrepo. As a result of this attitude, it is felt that
there may be attacks on certain Liberal leaders b,,' members of their ovv party.
This split between the leaders and the masses is becoming more apparent and
has made it impossible for the directorate to carry out many of its plans or
to form a national popular front.
3. At the meeting with Eohandia, the J-;GA group presented the following outline
of its future activities:
a. JEGA is completely rejecting the leadorshio of Senator Carlos Llerao
Restrepo, who is considered to have been largely responsible for the
diaster which '.nas befallen the Liberal Party.
b. JL A groups have been organized to fora resistance brigades in Bogota
and in the capitals of the Departmments. These brigades are secret and
their members are designated by numbers rather than names.
e. These groups will no longer tolerate the assassination of party leaders?
but are resolved to take reprisals a7ai.nst Conservative leaders whenever
the opportunity arises. They have compiled the following list of out-
standing enemies of the Liberal Party:
COUNTRY Colombia
R FO ATION REPORT CD NO.
DATE DISTR. 9 JAI
SUBJECT Liberal Party Activities
Laureano Gomez, President-elect
Gilberto Alzato Aveondano, Senator
Jose P:aria Villareal, Senator
Santiago Trujillo, mayor of ?ogota
Luoio Pabon "1unez, 'Governor of Santander (WTorte)
Iiernando Socrzano Salazar, Governor of Santander (Sur)
Luis Ignacio Andrade, Minister of Government
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d. JEGA believe;,. that Liberal workers should o-jntinue ir. their jobs, in
order to be :.n a position to act most effectively in sabot:-xi_neg the
government o,r private industry.
e, All brigader will be charged with the carrying out of perso_lal attdcks
against Con.:;ervatives and collaborators, but a special brigade has been
created wh.:h will have the sole task of committing acts of violence
against the enemy..
f. The JEGA r!roup believes that the strike order issued by the Liberal
Directoraio before the elections was most ill advised, since it was only
partially effective and hurt the workers economically.
4. Dr. Fchandio, who was not in agreement with the above JLQJ,. plans because he
thought they were subversive and would only bring about an ironclad dictator-
ship by Laureano Gomez or the establishment of a military regirrc, stated
that he woi:ld discuss these plans with Jorge Uribe Marquez, member of the
Liberal D5.eectorato and head of the JEGA~., in an attempt to peravildo him to
modify th,. line of conduct being contemplated by the Liberal left wing,
grout
5,, The Confoderaciora deg Trabajadores do Colombia ((,TC) has been considering the
probl? of the split in the Liberal Far-,;y. It was decided that Dr. Dario
Eoh.and3a shall assume the leadership of the National Liberal Directorate in
an atte r~ipt to avoid a complete party split., It 'Kms also though; possible that
large ?ambers of lower-class Liberals may be 3upporvi_-.L? the Co-=vnict Party
without foram lly Joining it.
Sa Souru.a also reported that Jorge Villaveoes, ?resident of the Liberal L`! i-
ei,x, . Directorate of Bogota and member of the-
he House of Ropiosvntative:s, ,aa
arrw.sted on 25 November 1949, along with five others who had thrown a bomb
tor.ard the Escuela General de Polic;ia. Vi.l.laveces** stated that the Vationa1
L'.beral Directorate had paid him Ps. l0,00O to organize terrorism in. Bogota,:
?'is companions, had been engaged to o rrmit sabotage and attacks against the
(onservativesw
'Cf .
*Cf
25X1A2
25X1A6a Comnerat.
vllaveoes _'1a previously been reported as a leader in the orgariizat ion of
Defense Cormittaos in 9ogota.
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP82-00457R004000330011-3