ARGENTINA: SHOOTING INCIDENT INVOLVING ARGENTINE WAR SHIPS[SANITIZED] - 1977/10/03

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06628524
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: October 3, 1977

Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C06628524
Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C06628524
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LATIN AMERI(A BRIEF 77-152. 3 OCTOBER 1977.Y
ARGENTINA: 1/THE SHOOTING:INCIDENT INVOLVING ARGENTINE WAR-
SHIPS AND SOVIET AND BULGARIAN TRAWLERS OVER THE WEEKEND MAY HAVE
RESULTED FROM THE INCREASING PRESSURE ON PRESIDENT VIDELA BY HIS
JUNTA PARTNJOA NAVAL Mgr ADKIRAL�MASSERA,. VIDELA HAS MANEUVERED
CAUTIOUSLY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR TO CONSOLIDATE HIS POLITICAL POSITION
AND ENJOYS SUBSTANTIAC SUPPORT WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE MILITARY. BUT
GREATER FRICTION AMONG THE JUNTA MEMBERS WILL MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT
TO AGREE ON AND IMPLEMENT NATIONAL POLICY../1Y
//MASSERA, PROBABLY TO ENHANCE HIS POLITICAL PRESTIGE,
ORDERED ARGENTINE WARSHIPS TO FIRE ON THE FISHING TRAWLERS WHEN THEY
WERE ENCROACHING ON THE COUNTRY'S 200-MILE TERRITORIAL LIMIT. WHETHER
BY COINCIDENCE OR DESIGN, THE NAVY HAS LATELY MADE A SHOW OF APPEAR-
ING TO BE THE LEADING DEFENDER OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY.//Y
//ACCORDING TO UNCONFIRMED PRESS REPORTS, TWO OF THE FOUR FISH-
ING VESSELS WERE BADLY DAMAGED, AND AT LEAST ONE FISHERMAN WAS
WOUNDED. ARGENTINE DESTROYERS HAD RECENTLY SEIZED FIVE SOVIET
TRAWLERS. AN EXPLOIT THAT WAS HIGHLY PUBLICIZED BY THE ARGENTINE
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MEDIA. IN ADDITION, THE FOREIGN MINISTRY--CONTROLLED BY THE NAVY--
DELIVERED A STIFF PROTEST TO CHILE OVER ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF
TERRITORIAL WATERS AND UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHTS OVER SOUTHERN ARGENTINA,
AN AREA OF NATIONAL SENSITIVITY BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUING BOUNDARY
QUARREL WITH CHILE.//Y
//MASSERA WILL NO DOUBT SEEK TO EXPLOIT THESE INCIDENTS. HE
HAS ALREADY MADE THE POINTED DECLARATION THAT THE NAVY IS PREPARED
TO PRESERVE THE GEOGRAPHIC INTEGRITY OF ARGENTINA, A SELF-SERVING
STATEMENT CLEARLY DESIGNED FOR DOMESTIC POLITICAL PURPOSES ./PO
//MASSERA HAS PREVIOUSLY TRIED TO UNSETTLE VIDELA, WHOM HE
CONSIDERS INDECISIVE, INEFFECTIVE, AND TOO WILLING TO COMPROMISE.
IN RECENT MONTHS, MASSERA HAS BECOME OPENLY CRITICAL OF THE ADMIN-
ISTRATION'S ECONOMIC POLICIES AND OF STATEMENTS BY VIDELA ALLUDING
TO THE PREEMINENCE OF THE ARMY.//Y
//INTERSERVICE RIVALRY, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN THE ARMY AND
NAVY,IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ARGENTINE ARMED FORCES, WHERE PERSONAL
AMBITIONS SOMETIMtS AGGRAVATE IDEOLOGICAL OR POLICY DIFFERENCES.
MASSERA HAS LONG DISAPPROVED OF WHAT HE VIEWS AS THE ARMY'S PRE-
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DOMINANCE, BOTH IN THE JUNTA AND THROUGHOUT THE GOVERNMENT.//Y
//IN 'ADDITION TO ITS IMAGE-BUILDING EXERCISES. THE NAVY IS
RUMORED TO 1HAVE ENGINEERED� A NUMBER OF RECENT INCIDENTS INTENDED TO
DISCREDIT VIDELA. THE SMALL MAGAZINE CONVICCION--WHICHIS BELIEVED
LINKED TO THE NAVY--PUBLISHED AN ATTACK ON VIDELA'S TRIP TO
WASHINGTON, LIKENING THE SIGNERS Of THE-DECLARATION OF SUPPORT FOR
THE PANAMA CANAL TREAtY TO "LACKEYS" HEEDING A CALL FROM THE "BOSS."
MASSERA HIMSELF IS REPORTEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SPREADING THE STORY
THAT VIDELA N WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH THE JUNTA. ENTERED INTO
SPECIAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE US DURING HIS TRIP./P0
//REGARDLESS OF WHETHER VIDELA BLAMES THE NAVY FOR THESE
INCIDENTS, HE RECOGNIZES THEM AS ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT HIS REGIME
AND IS APPARENTLY DETERMINED TO PUT AN END TO SUCH ACTIVITY. AN EX-
ECUTIVE ORDER BANNED CONVICCION FRon PUBLISHING FOR THREE MONTHS.//41
//IN TWO HERETOFORE ARE. INSTANCES OF "GOING PUBLIC" ON
MATTERS RELATED TO THE INTERNAL SECURITY SITUATION, THE GOVERNMENT
RECENTLY ACKNOWLED6ED THAT IT WAS DETAINING A PROMINENT UNION LEADER
AND HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE AND ALSO A JEWISH FAMILY SUSPECTED OF
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SUBVERSIVE CONNECTIONS. SUCH OFFICIAL ADMISSIONS WERE SELDOM MADE
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WAS LESS ATTENTIVE TO HUMAN RIGHTS; IN THE CON-
TEXT OF ARGENTINE POLITICS: THE, PUBLIC STATEMENTS REPRESENT A VICTORY
FOR THE MODERATE POINT OF VIEW THAT VIDELA ESPOUSES.//40:
//THE CONSENSUS WITHIN THE MILITARY FOR VIDELA'S RULE HAS
ALWAYS BEEN 'FRAGILE, AND WITH MASSERA INCREASINGLY OPEN IN HIS
CRITICISM, TE PRESIDENT MUST MOVE WITH CAUTION ON ALL FRONTS TO
MAINTAIN sopoRT BOTH FOR HIMSELF AND FOR THE ARMY.
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