ARG 64 TELEGRAM FROM THE EMBASSY IN ARGENTINA TO THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE - 1980/08/15

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Keywords: 1977-1980
• Keywords: ARGENTINA
• Keywords: FRUS
• Keywords: SOUTH AMERICA
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06592929
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: August 15, 1980

Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C06592929
Telegram From the Embassy in Argentina to the Department of State
Buenos Aires, August 15, 1980, 1936Z
6584
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, 1)800392-0933. Secret;
Exdis; Nofom.
2 August 1. The Department noted that it had "received a number of reports suggesting
growing Government of Argentina ((IOA) cooperation with the Government of Guatemala
(GOG)." The Embassies in Argentina and Guatemala were instructed to assess the relationship,
to determine the following: "Have the Argentines entered into any specific agreements with the
GOG to sell military equipment, to train Guatemalan military or police personnel. or to facilitate
Argentine exports to Guatemala? Is the Embassy aware of any other areas of cooperation'?"
(National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, 1)800368-0290) (C)
(
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PAGE 01 BUENOS 06584 172144Z
ACTION SS-30
INFO OCT-01 ADS-00 SSO-00 /031 W
R 151936Z AUG 80
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6406
SECRETBUENOS AIRES 6584
EXDIS
NOFORN
122830 172207Z /23
E.O. 12065: RDS-4 8/14/00 (RUSER, CLAUS W.) OR-M
TAGS: RAID MASS 117. AR GT
SUBJECT: (S) GRO ING ARGENTINE INVOLVEMENT IN GUATEMALA
REF: STATE STATE 2033-9V
1. S/NOFORN - ENTIRE TEXT.
2. WE KNOW FROM BOTH ARGENTINE AND GUATEMALAN CREDIBLE
SOURCES THAT THE GOA PERCEIVES OF CENTRAL AMERICA AS A
VACUUM RAPIDLY FILLING WITH RADICAL LEFTWING EXILE GROUPS
--SOME TERRORIST, TO INCLUDE MONTONERO GROUPS
WITH CLOSE TIES TO HAVANA. GENERAL CARLOS MARTINEZ,
CHIEF OF THE ARGENTINE STATE SECRETARIAT FOR INTELLIGENCE
(SIDE) HAS STATED THAT HIS SERVICE HAS INCONTROVERTIBLE PROOF
THAT THE MONTONEROS AND OTHER SOTHERN CONE TERRORIST GROUPS
HAVE TRANSPLANTED THEIR HEADQUARTERS IN EXILE FROM EUROPE
TO HAVANA, WITH AN INCREASINGLY GREATER PRESENCE AND MILITANT
INFLUENCE IN CENTRAL AMERIA, AT THIS TIME PRIMARILY
NICARAGUA AND EL SALVADOR. ( WE CANNOT CONFIRM THEIR VIEWS
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH "HEADQUARTERS" IN HAVANA.) J
THIS IS, OF COURSE, CREDITED IN GREAT PART TO USG ABDICA-
TION OF STRONG LEADERSHIP IN THAT REGION, AS RANKING
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ARGENTINE OFFICIALS VIEW U.S. POLICY IN CENTRAL AMERICA
AND THE CARIBBEAN. THUS, SENIOR ARGENTINE OFFICIALS SEE
CENTRAL AMERICA AS A NEW SAFEHAVEN AND FOCUS FOR CUBAN-
LINKED COMMUNIST AGGRESSION LED BY THE SAME MILITANTS OF
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THE RADICAL LEFT EXPELLED FROM ARGENTINA, CHILE AND OTHER
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. MARTINEZ EXPRESSED SERIOUS CON-
CERN THAT THESE ACTIVISTS OF THE RADICAL LEFT, IF PERMITTED
TO TRIUMPH IN CENTRAL AMERICA, WOULD USE THAT REGION AS A
BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR RENEWING SUBVERSIVE AND GUERRILLA
OPERATIONS AGAINS ARGENTINA. THAT IS, PRESUMABLY, THE LAAX
RATIONALE FOR ARGENTINA'S INTEREST IN ASSISTING GUATEMA
EL SALVADOR AND HONDURAS, ESPECIALLY, IN RESISTING THE
RADICAL LEFT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES.
3. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF GUATEMALA REGARDS
ARGENTINA AS THE ULTIMATE "SUCCESS STORY" IN DISARTICULAT-
ING THE LEFT, AND IS EAGER TO EMMULATE "THE ARGENTINE
MODEL" IN REPEATING THAT EXPERIENCE IN ITS OWN COUNTRY.
TO THAT END WE ARE AWARE OF TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE AND COUNTER-INSURGENCY ALREADY GIVEN
OR BEING GIVEN TO MILITARY PERSONNEL FROM GUATEMALA,
SALVADOR AND OTHER LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES. WE SUSPECT
THAT THE FORTHCOMING VISIT TO ARGENTINA OF GUATEMALAN
FOREIGN MINISTER RAFAEL CASTILLO VALDEZ, MAY HAVE A
GREAT DEAL TO DO WITH BILATERAL AGREEMENTS CONTEMPLATING
FURTHER ARGENTINE ASSISTANCE AND POSSIBLY MATERIAL
SUPPORT FOR GUATEMALA. AT THIS TIME WE ARE NOT
SPECIFICALLY AWARE OF POSSIBLE ARGENTINE AGREEMENTS WITH
THE GOVERNMENT OF GUATEMALA TO SELL THEM MILITARY EQUIP-
MENT, TRAIN POLICE PERSONNEL, OR TO FACILITATE ARGENTINE
EXPORTS TO GUATEMALA.
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