INTENTION OF THE SALVADORAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO SEEK A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM THE PRESIDENT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629927
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2019
• Case Number: F-2017-01057
• Publication Date: March 21, 1983

Approved for Release: 2019/08/07 C06629927
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Document:CIAA -0000 505934 Subject:
D COMET
SEEK A VOTE OF
MIDB
830321
INTENTION OF THE SALVADORAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO
CONFIDENCE FROM THE PRESIDENTC 44696CIAA 505934 MS083-0778537
CIA-505934C0383 1 UPID
FRP: 2 4
MILITARY
83 0778537 MS0
PAGE 001
TOT: 212218Z MAR 83
CIA 505934
212218ZCIA 505934
TO: IMMEDIATE DIRNSA, DEPT OF STATE, DIA, WHITE HOUSE
SITUATION ROOM, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFF,
ZEN/CIA OFFICE OF CURRENT OPERATIONS,
USCINCSO QHTS PANAMA.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFO TION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
REPORT CLASSSE RET--WNINTEL
DIST : 21 MARCH 1983
COUNTRY: EL SALVADOR
SUBJ: INTENTION OF THE SALVADORAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO
SEEK A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM THE PRESIDENT
TEXT: 1. ON THE EVENING OF 18 MARCH 1983, GENERAL JOSE GUILLERMO
((GARCIA)), MINISTER OF DEFENSE, EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN AND
IRRITATION OVER A WIRE SERVICE ARTICLE OF THE SAME DATE IN WHICH
GARCIA IS HARSHLY CRITICIZED BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL SIGIFREDO
((OCHOA)) PEREZ WHO IS ASSIGNED TO THE INTER-AMERICAN DEFENSE
BOARD AS THE RESULT OF A REBELLION HE LED AGAINST GARCIA IN
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JANUARY. AS A RESULT OF THIS ARTICLE, IN WHICH OCHOA DECLARED
THAT HE AND MILITARY UNITS IN EL SALVADOR WILL USE FORCE TO
REMOVE GARCIA IF HE DOES NOT RESIGN, GARCIA SAID THAT HE PLANS
TO SUBMIT HIS RESIGNATION TO PRESIDENT ALVARO ((MAGANA)) ON
21 MARCH WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT MAGANA WOULD REFUSE TO
ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION, THEREBY PUBLICLY DISPLAYING HIS SUPPORT
FOR GARCIA'S REMAINING IN OFFICE. DEVELOPMENTS
DURING THE 18 MARCH MEETING OF FIELD COMMANDERS WITH MAGANA
AND THE HIGH COMMAND TENDED TO FAVOR GARCIA AND SUGGESTED THAT
THE PRESIDENT DID NOT FAVOR HIS RESIGNATION.)
2.
GARCIA AND MAGANA WERE CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM CEREMONIES
COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SALVADORAN AIR FORCE
WHICH WERE HELD AT ILOPANGO AIRBASE ON 20 MARCH. THE PERCEPTION
THAT GARCIA WILL NOT RESIGN COULD LEAD TO A CRISIS WITHIN THE ARMED
FORCES ON THE PART OF THE COMMANDERS WHO ARE MOST INSISTENT ON GARCIA'S
REMOVAL; PRIMARILY, COLONEL ADOLFO 0. ((BLANDON)), COMMANDER
OF THE FIRST INFANTRY BRIGADE AND COLONEL JUAN RAFAEL
((BUSTILLO)), COMMANDER OF THE AIR FORCE. AT A MINIMUM, THESE AND
OTHER COMMANDERS OPPOSING GARCIA MAY CONFRONT MAGANA AND INSIST
THAT HE FACILITATE GARCIA'S REMOVAL. IT ALSO IS POSSIBLE THAT
SOME UNITS, PARTICULARLY THE AIR FORCE IN WHICH RESISTANCE TO
GARCIA IS ALMOST UNIFORM AMONG THE OFFICERS, WILL ATTEMPT TO FORCE
GARCIA'S RESIGNATION BY SUSPENDING ALL MILITARY OPERATIONS UNTIL
HE IS REMOVED OR PUBLICLY PROMISES TO LEAVE OFFICE.
WARNING: REPORT CLASSSECRET--WARNING NOTICE--INTELLIGENCE
-DISSEMINATION AND
EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR.DECL:
OFFICER.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL
DOCUMENT.
ORIG/REL:
RECORDED REPORTING
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Approved for Release: 2019/08/07 C06629927