LATIN AMERICAN TRENDS: STAFF NOTES AUGUST 16, 1976[SANITIZED] - 1976/08/16

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06627530
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: August 16, 1976

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Latin American Trends
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CI SNLA 76-040
No. 0720-76
August 16, 1976
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LATIN AMERICAN TRENDS
This publication is prepared for regional specialists in the Washington com-
munity by the Western Hemisphere Division, Office of Current Intelligence,
with occasional contributions from other offices within the Directorate of
Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should be directed to
the authors of the individual articles.
CONTENTS
August 16, 1976
Argentina: Missing Persons 7
Argentine Church Protests Anti�Clerical Actions 9
Argentina: Possible Changes at the Top 11
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Argentina: Missing. Persons
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The Argentine government faces growing inter-
national and domestic protests over missing or
arbitrarily detained persons.
Within the last few months, several foreign
nationals have been arrested and charged with sub-
versive political activity. Some have simply dis-
appeared without explanation. Most diplomatic attempts
to gain their release or even information on their
status have failed.
A US priest arrested last week has been denied
consular access despite a protest note from the US
embassy. The West German, Italian, and Cuban
embassies have tried in vain to obtain information on
missing nationals.
Only the Israeli government has been successful
in freeing some of its nationals, and then only after
persistent protests brought the intervention of top
Argentine officials.
Until recently the Argentine public, anxious for
an end to terrorism, has generally accepted the need
for the government's tough countersubversion policy.
Now, however, military leaders are facing increasing
pressure to settle the cases of dozens of detained
Peronist labor and political leaders. Moreover,
popular concern is growing for the hundreds of indi-
viduals--both Argentine nationals and foreign exiles--
who have been detained or have mysteriously dis-
appeared since the March coup.
One of the most sensational detentions was that
of former president and retired army general Alejandro
Lanusse. The military recently placed him under
five days "disciplinary arrest" for his forceful
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public criticism of the government's treatment of a
university professor who served as Lanusse's educa-
tion minister. The minister and other faculty members
were accused of marxist sympathies.
Even the pro-government Buenos Aires press has
begun cautiously protesting some of the excesses.
One conservative journal praised Lanusse's courage
in raising "the issue that is on everyone's mind--
respect for human rights."
It is unlikely that domestic or international
pressures will move military leaders to put effective
brakes on the counter-terrorist campaign. Violence
that has for years plagued Argentine society was a
primary factor in the downfall of the five preceding
governments. Now that some progress is being made
against organized terrorists, human rights considera-
tions will not deter security officials from their
efforts to restore public order.
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Argentine Church Protests Anti-Clerical Actions
The arrest of a US priest in Cordoba last week
and the murder of seven Roman Catholic clergymen in
recent months have finally prompted the Argentine
church hierarchy to make an official protest to the
government.
Argentine security officials have long assumed
that "progressive" elements of church clergy and lay
organizations have been encouraging and assisting
left-wing subversive groups. The nebulous organiza-
tion known as the"Movement of Third World Priests,"
in fact, may be deeply involved with the terrorists,
especially in the Tucuman area. Organized in 1968,
the movement claims a large following in Argentina
and several other South American countries.
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Official pronouncements by the "Third World
Priests" usually include denunciations of capitalism
and imperialism. The members appear to disagree over
the use of violence to achieve their aims. Some
believe that the Argentine social and economic system
is so entrenched that "authentic socialism" can be
brought about only by revolution. Others claim that
violence may be necessary, but all other methods
should be tried first. Individual members of the
movement have had frequent contact with leftist labor
and militant student groups in Argentina and some
of them may have given support to terrorists.
Initially, the arrests of priests only served
to exacerbate the long-standing tension between
conservatives and progressives in the church hierarchy.
Historically, the Argentine church has been closely
identified with the government. The Papal Nuncio,
in fact, has been offering support for the army's
campaign against the guerrillas. In recent years,
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some church leaders have made an effort to adopt an
independent position from the government, but for the
most part they have avoided criticism of governmental
policy. The progressive priests, on the other hand,
have called for the elimination of unjust and op-
pressive political and social institutions and have
not hesitated to place the military government in
this category. This group has been loudly protesting
the arrests of priests.
The most recent murders and arrests have unified
the conservatives and progressives in a common cause.
Pope Paul VI sent a message to the Argentine clergy
denouncing "execrable crimes" against churchmen. His
demarche prompted the executive commission of Argentine
bishops to meet with President Videla and demand an
explanation. The letter of protest the bishops
presented to Videla was later leaked to the press.
The church's position for the present appears
to be one of willingness to make peace with the gov-
ernment if there is an end to unofficial repression.
President Videla apparently had told church leaders
that he understands the church's position, but that
he is determined to rid the country of terrorists and
this may be a long process demanding tough methods.
The church is likely now to work quietly for the
release of the detained priests. Further arrests
and murders, however, undoubtedly will provoke more
vocal criticism of the government.
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Argentina: Possible Changes at the Top
Changes at the top of the government and in the
military hierarchy may be in the offing.
Widespread speculation is centering on the
possibility that President Videla will shortly
announce the creation of a new cabinet-level post
and shift several top military men. Embassy
sources are giving credence to the
possibility of such moves by later this month.
Videla is said to be considering the creation
of a planning secretariat reporting directly to him,
and responsible for over-all policy coordination.
Such a move could be in response to growing criticism
that post-coup government policy has lacked direction
and at times appears confused. At the same time,
the advent of the new post could enable Videla more
readily to exert his own control over policy making,
thus responding to other detractors who charge he
is not sufficiently assertive.
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The President may also be on the verge of re-
assigning top army officers. Videla's confidant,
army chief of staff General Viola, may move up to
another newly-created job, that of deputy army
commander. This would allow Videla, who heads the
army, to devote more of his time to strictly presi-
dential duties, with the army in the hands of a
trusted supporter.
Regional army commanders Generals Diaz Bessone
and Suarez Mason would go, respectively, to the
planning secretariat and the army general staff.
Both have frequently been viewed as serious rivals
of Videla. In their new positions neither would
lose prominence, but both would be deprived of the
all-important troop commands on which to build a
political base.
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The new governmental arrangement could prove
more trouble than it is worth. The planning posi-
tion, for example, could turn out to be nothing more
than an additional layer of bureaucracy, rather than
a boon to efficiency. Moreover, there is no guarantee
that Diaz Bessone, regarded as an advocate of sterner
practices than those favored by the President, would
be compatible with Videla, Viola, and their supporters
in a policy making role. Finally, the new scheme
could conceivably hamstring the efforts of Economy
Minister Martinez de Hoz, at a time when he has be
gun to make sorely needed progress.
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