DETENTION OF ARMED FORCES OFFICER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION ON ORDER OF THE SALVADORAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00004239
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: April 18, 2018
• Case Number: F-2016-02029
• Publication Date: August 1, 1983

Approved for Release: 2018/04/11 C00004239
COUNTRY: EL SALVADOR
SUBJECT: 1. DETENTION OF ARMED FORCES
RIGHTS VIOLATION ON ORDER
MINISTER OF DEFENSE.
2. PROTEST OF THIS ARREST BY
DO I:
MID-AUGUST 1983
OFFICER FOR HUMAN
OF THE SALVADORAN
JUNIOR OFFICERS.
4 DURING EARLY AUGUST 1983, MINISTER OF DEFENSE
GENERAL CARLOS EUGENIO ((VIDES)) CASANOVA ORDERED THE ARREST
OF CAPTAIN SALVADOR ((FIGUEROA)) MORALES, AN OFFICER OF
MILITARY DETACHMENT SIX IN SONSONATE DEPARTMENT, FOR ALLEGED
PARTICIPATION IN THE 22 FEBRUARY 1983 MURDER OF 18 PEASANTS
ON A COOPERATIVE FARM NEAR SONSONATE CITY. VIDES ORDERED THE
ARREST OF FIGUEROA IN THE FACE OF GROWING INTEREST IN THE
CASE ON THE PART OF HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE
INTERNATIONAL PRESS. VIDES ADVISED CONFIDANTS DURING THE
WEEK OF 14 AUGUST THAT HE HAD BEEN COMPELLED TO HAVE FIGUEROA
ARRESTED DUE TO THE ABSOLUTE REFUSAL OF FIGUEROA'S COMMANDING
OFFICER, COLONEL ELMER ((GONZALEZ)) ARAUJO TO INVESTIGATE OR
RESOLVE THE INCIDENT.
ACCORDING TO VIDES, GONZALEZ HAD VIRTUALLY
COMMITTED INSUBORDINATION BY REFUSING TO PURSUE AN
INVESTIGATION OF FIGUEROA'S ACTIONS AND VIDES FELT IT
NECESSARY TO DEMONSTRATE HIS AUTHORITY. ON VIDES ORDERS,
FIGUEROA WAS DETAINED AT THE GENERAL STAFF BUILDING IN
SAN SALVADOR AND IS BEING HELD PRISONER. ALTHOUGH VARIOUS
OFFICERS OF THE GENERAL STAFF ARE AWARE OF FIGUEROA'S
SITUATION, VIDES ORDERED THAT THE AFFAIR NOT BE DISCUSSED
WITH FIELD COMMANDERS OR JUNIOR OFFICERS. VIDES CONFIDED
TO CLOSE FRIENDS THAT HE IS CONCERNED THAT GONZALEZ MAY
ATTEMPT TO SOW DISSENSION WITHIN THE ARMED FORCES USING
THE FIGUEROA CASE AND VIDES' ASSOCIATION WITH DIALOGUE WITH
THE INSURGENTS AS A TOOL. VIDES NOTED THAT RIGHTIST OFFICERS
WITHIN THE ARMED FORCES ALREADY HAVE LET IT BE KNOWN THAT
THEY ARE OPPOSED TO A DIALOGUE WITH THE INSURGENTS AND WOULD
ALMOST CERTAINLY REGARD THE ARREST OF FIGUEROA AS A MOVE
DIRECTED AGAINST THE RIGHT.
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1111iiii1111100 VIDES HAD NOT DECIDED ON WHAT
FURTHER ACTION TO TAKE WITH FIGUEROA, INCLUDING THE ISSUE
OF WHETHER OR NOT FIGUEROA SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. VIDES EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE
FIGUEROA INCIDENT MIGHT PROMPT RIGHTIST OFFICERS TO
CONSIDER INITIATING A COUP TO FORCE VIDES FROM OFFICE.
OMOMMSCOMMENT: ALTHOUGH VIDES DID NOT MENTION ANY PARTICULAR
OFFICERS AS BEING LIKELY TO LAUNCH A COUP, THE RIGHTIST
OFFICERS OF WHICH HE SPOKE CERTAINLY INCLUDE COLONEL
GONZALEZ; LIEUTENANT COLONEL RENE ((PONCE)), CHIEF OF
THE MOTOR VEHICLES DEPARTMENT OF THE NATIONAL POLICE;
COLONEL ANTONIO FRANCISCO ((MORAN)), CHIEF OF THE
EXECUTIVE HYDROLECTRIC COMMISSION OF THE RIO LEMPA (CEL);
COLONEL NICOLAS ((CARRANZA)), CHIEF OF THE TREASURY POLICE;
LIEUTENANT COLONEL MAURICIO ((STABEN)), EXECUTIVE OFFICER
OF THE CAVALRY REGIMENT, AND LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOAQUIN
((ZACAPA)), EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE SIXTH MILITARY
DETACHMENT.)
GENERAL RAFAEL ((FLORES)) LIMA,
SUBSECRETARY OF DEFENSE, SAID SAID THAT ON
8 AUGUST THE OTHER CAPTAINS IN FIGUEROA'S GRADUATION CLASS
FROM THE MILITARY ACADEMY "MARCHED ON THE OFFICE OF GENERAL
VIDES CASANOVA",
AND VIGOROUSLY PROTESTED FIGUEROA'S ARREST. THE CAPTAINS STATED
THAT THE ARREST WAS ILLEGAL AND THAT FIGUEROA WAS INNOCENT
OF WRONGDOING. FLORES LIMA SAID THAT HE AND VIDES WERE ABLE TO
PLACATE THE GROUP AND THE CAPTAINS LEFT SATISFIED THAT "JUSTICE WILL
BE DONE".
FLORES REMARKED THAT THE ARREST HAD BEEN MADE
BECAUSE OF PRESSURES BROUGHT TO BEAR BY THE U.S. GVERNMENT. HE ALSO
SAID THAT THE CAPTAINS WERE CORRECT IN ASSERTING THAT
FIGUEROA'S ARREST WAS ILLEGAL BECAUSE THE ARMY OFFICERS
ARRESTED HIM WITHOUT GIVING HIM FORMAL NOTIFICATION OF THE
PURPOSE OF THE ARREST. FURTHERMORE, HE IS BEING HELD IN
A MILITARY DETENTION AREA BUT UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE
JUDGE OF THE FIRST INSTANCE IN THE CIVIL LEGAL SYSTEM IN
SONSONATE. FLORES ADDDED THAT THE CASE IS FURTHER COMPLICATED
BY THE FACT THAT FIGUEROA IS A HIGHLY RESPECTED, DECORATED,
DEDICATED FIGHTING OFFICER WHO HAS SUSTAINED AT LEAST FIVE
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BATTLE WOUNDS. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF
THE CASE ARE UNCLEAR AND IT IS EY NO MEANS CERTAIN THAT
FIGUEROA IS GUILTY OR, IF HE IS. THAT IT CAN BE PROVEN THAT
HE IS GUILTY OF THE CHARGES.
(IMMOOMCOMMENT: RIGHTISTS WITHIN THE ARMED FORCES HAVE
IN TH FAST BITTERLY OPPOSED ANY EFFORT TO PROSECUTE OR OTHERWISE
PUNISH MILITARY OFFICERS ACCUSED OF POLITICAL CRIMES.
ACCORDINGLY, VIDES' FEAR OF EVOKING THE ACTIVE DISPLEASURE
OF THESE OFFICERS APPEARS WELL-F3UNDED. THIS IS, HOWEVER,
THE FIRST INDICATION THAT VIDES IS AT ALL CONCERNED OVER
THE SECURITY OF HIS POSITION AS MINISTER OF DEFENSE.)
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