BACKGROUND TO OPERATION LEADING TO THE DISCOVERY BY THE SECURITY FORCES OF MARIO SANTUCHO, COMMANDER OF THE PEOPLE'S REVOLUTIONARY ARMY - 1976/07/21

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06701401
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: July 21, 1976

�
SER
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701401
,k� (Whim Flied BO
Intelligence Information Cable
WARNING Nona
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED
(ROUTINE
IN 986691
PAGE 1 OF 4 PAGES
sba' it.1"=" elet6=rj 2=.8,4"*""osti=ac"*" L. als"P"'"
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND BeI OF REPORT.
THIS IS AN INFORMATION WORT, NOT MAW EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
OW 21 oxy 1976
REPORT CLASS S E .WARNING NOtiCE4PSENSITIVE
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED�4.
3.5(c)
COUNTRY
ARGENTINA/CUBA
3.3(b)(1)
SUBJECT
BACKGROUND
TO OPERATION LEADING TO THE
DISCOVERY BY THE SECURITY FORCES OF MARIO
SANTUCHO. COMMANDER OF THE PEOPLE'S
REVOLUTIONARY ARMY
1, THE INFORMATION WHICH ENABLED THE SECURITY
FORCES TO LOCATE MARIO ROBERTO S A N TU C H 0.
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701401
3.3(b)(1)
3.5(c)
POEN .4307 OBSOLETE PREVIOUS
943 EDITIONS
�
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701401
IN 986691
WARNING NOTICE
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED PAGE 2 OF 4 PAGES
SEERa
(classification)
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
3.5(c)
COMMANDER OF THE PEOPLE'S REVOLUTIONARY ARMY (ERP).
WAS PROVIDED BY AN ERP OFFICIAL WHO CONTACTED THE
ARGENTINE ARMY AND OFFERED TO REVEAL THE WHEREABOUTS
OF SANTUCHO AND OTHER ERP LEADERS IN EXCHANGE FOR THE
RELEASE OF HIS WIFE WHO HAD SEEN PICKED UP. THE ARMY
NOT ONLY AGREED, BUT ALSO PROMISED THE ERP OFFICIAL THAT
HE WOULD BE GIVEN MONEY AND ASSISTANCE IN LEAVING ARGENTINA
WITH HIS FAMILY, THE ARMY THEREUPON TOOK THE ERP OFFICIAL
TO SEE HIS WIFE TO ASSURE HIM THAT SHE WAS BEING
HELD AND WAS WELLI AFTER WHICH THE ERP OFFICIAL PINPOINTED
THE BUILDING IN VILLA MARTELL! IN BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE
NEAR THE CAPTIAL WHERE SANTUCHO AND OTHER ERP LEADERS
WERE HIDING OUT, THE ERP OFFICIAL SAID THAT SANTUCHO HAD
BEEN LIVING IN THIS BUILDING FOR ABOUT A MONTH. (
COMMENTS AS REPORTED IN THE NEWS MEDIA. A SHOOTOUT
BETWEEN THE SECURITY FORCES AND EXTREMISTS TOOK PLACE
IN VILLA MARTELL! ON 19 JULY 1976 RESULTING IN THE DEATH
OF SANTUCHO. ERP LEADER JORGE BENITOURTEAGA
AND OTHERS WHO HAVE NOT YET BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED,)
21 THE GRP OFFICIAL ALSO Tota THE AoTHRORITIES THAT �
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 CO6701401
3.3(b)(1)
'OVM nom OSSOLETE PREVIOUS
9-73 EDITIONS
proved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701401
WARNDIG NOTICE
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOUR= AND METHODS INVOLVED
�
(C!asstfics�on)
IN 9813121.1
PAGE 3 OF 4 PAGES
FURTHER DISSEMMATION AND USE OF This INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTROLS STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
3.5(9)
BECAUSE OF THE DANGER TO SANTUCHO'S LIFE AS A RESULT
OF THE COUNTERSUBVERSIVE CAMPAIGN IN ARGENTINA, SANTUCHO
WAS PLANNING TO TRAVEL IN LATE JULY TO CUBA VIA MENDOZA
IN ARGENTINA. CHILE AND EUROPE, TO REMAIN IN CUBA ABOUT
A MONTH, ir--]COMMENTI SANTUCHO'S WIFE. HER PARENTS
AND HER CHILDREN BY A FORMER MARRIAGE ARE BELIEVED TO BE
IN CUBA.) COMMENTI
A' PLANE TICKET TO CUBA WAS FOUND ON
SANTUCHO'S BODY.)
3, THE ERP OFFICIAL SAID THAT EARLIER IN JULY SANTUCHO
HAD HET WITH MARIOFIRMENICH. COMMANDER OF THE
MONTONEROSt TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS REGARDING THE
POSSIBILITY OF A MERGER OF THE ERP WITH THE MONTONEROS,
A SITUATION WHICH WAS STILL BEING NEGOTIATED BY THE
TWO ORGANIZATIONS AS OF 19 JULY, ACCORDING TO THE
'ERP OFFICIAL, SANTUCHO ALSO ASKED FIRMENICh FOR MONEY.
BUT FIRMENICH REFUSED. POINTING OUT THAT THE ERP ALREADY
OWED THE MONTONEROS U.S. $6000000, THE MEETING BETWEEN
SANTUCHO AND FIRMENICN WAS HELD IN THE NORTHERN SUBURBS
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701401
3.3(b)(1)
3.3(b)(1) '
pproved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701401
-
POORI�jorg MOUT! PREVIOUS
1.73 EDITIONS
�
YARNING NOTICE
SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED PAGE 4 OF 4 PAGES
.SEGRET
4861211.
�
(classiNeatton)
FURTHER DISSEMINATION AND USE OF THIS INFORMATION SUBJECT TO
CONTRO1S STATED AT BEGINNING AND END OF REPORT.
3.5(c)
OF BUENOS AIRES, THE ERP OFFICIAL SAID THAT A LIKELY
REPLACEMENT FOR SANTUCHO AS COMMANDER 00 THE SRP IS
LUIGMATT1N I.
REPORT CLASS W.12�E�T-6.14ARNING NOTICE0SENSITIVE
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED",
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06701401
3.3(1:?)(1)
3.5(c)