HELMS SAYS CIA RIGGED ELECTION IN EL SALVADOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000302620045-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: May 9, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/20: CIA-RDP90-00552R000302620045-1 STAT
ARTICLE APPEND
JN PAGE3 .
Helms says
CIA rigged
election in
El Salvador
WASHINGTON TIMES
9 May 1984
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., has
charged that the the CIA '"bought the
election" of El Salvador's apparent
president-elect, Napoleon Duarte, and
the Salvadoran people should "take
whatever steps they deem necessary in
light of the facts!'
El Salvador has had several military
coups in its history and Mr. Helms
added to the speculation that another
could occur, saying, "In assuming power
through a rigged election, Mr. Duarte
runs the real risk of touching off
another conflagration in a war-torn
land."
Mr. Helms said Mr. Duarte, who is the
apparent winner of Sunday's runoff
election for president, is a "socialist"
who is "without a mandate to rule or the
arguments to produce national unity."
In the same statement released last
night by his office, Mr. Helms said the
right-wing candidate, Roberto
D'Aubuisson, has been unjustly
accused of links to death squads and
that he actually "espoused the princi-
ples of the Republican Party in the U.S"
Mr. Helms charged yesterday
that the CIA and State Department for
two years have funneled funds and other
assistance directly into Mr. Duarte's
campaign without Mr. Reagan,s
approval.
No response was immediately
available from the White House or State
Department to the senator's charges. ;
Last week, Mr.Helms asked President
Reagan to remove the U.S. ambassador
in El Salvador, Thomas Pickering,
because he allegedly aided Mr. Duarte's
candidacy, but yesterday Mr. Helms
said the ambassador was but one player
in a larger drama.
Mr. Helms said that the funding
decision was made by the Interagency
Group on Central America that coordi-
nates-policy in the executive branch.
Mr. Helms said that the U.S. efforts to
control the election outcome under-
mine, "The whole purpose of our policy
in El Salvador ... to build democracy..
Mr. Helms said that the support
reportedly given to Mr. Duarte included
funds for 400 precinct organizers, a
model press operation, technical advice
and funds for the "computer voter reg-
istration system that disenfranchised
20 percent of the voters the first time,
around?'
'r
The United States aided in the voter
registration procedure, which - were
opposed by Mr. D'Aubuisson's party.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/20: CIA-RDP90-00552R000302620045-1