ASSESSMENT OF RECENT CONFRONTATION BETWEEN SIGIFREDO OCHOA PEREZ AND JOSE GARCIA

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629967
• 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: January 28, 1983

Approved for Release: 2019/08/07 C06629967
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Subject: ASSESSMENT OF RECENT CONFRONTATION BETWEEN
SIGIFREDO OCHOA PEREZ AND JOSE GARCIAC ACR83-0385056
MIDB
830128 UPID
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83 0385056 ACR
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1.
SUBJECT: ASSESSMENT OF RECENT CONFRONTATION BETWEEN
SIGIFREDO OCHOA PEREZ AND JOSE GARCIA
2. THE EARLY JANUARY 1983 CONFRONTATION BETWEEN MINISTER
OF DEFENSE JOSE GUILLERMO GARCIA AND COLONEL SIGIFREDO ((OCHOA))
PEREZ WAS ONLY THE MOST RECENT CONFLICT INVOLVING GARCIA AND
FAR RIGHT WING ELEMENTS IN EL SALVADOR. COL. OCHOA HAS BEEN A
STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF ROBERTO ((D'AUBUISSON)) AND ASSISTED THE
ARENA PARTY IN THE LAST ELECTIONS. THUS OCHOA AND D'AUBUISSON
HAVE FORMED A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP. IN ADDITION, OCHOA WAS
RECEIVING FAVORABLE PRESS REPORTING IN THE U.S. AND HIS EFFECTIVE
MILITARY TACTICS AGAINST THE COMMUNIST INSURGENTS MADE HIM A
FAVORITE AMONG U.S. MILITARY ADVISORS. THESE FACTORS COMBINED
TO MAKE OCHOA, FROM GARCIA'S POINT OF VIEW, A GENUINE THREAT TO
GARCIA'S POWERFUL POSITION AS DEFENSE MINISTER.
SIGNS OF STRAIN BETWEEN GARCIA AND OCHOA WERE ALREADY EVIDENT IN
JULY 1982. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH A U.S. VISITOR, GARCIA WAS
ASKED WHETHER OCHOA WAS INDEED THE GREAT TROOP COMMANDER PRESS
REPORTS HAD MADE HIM OUT TO BE. GARCIA REPLIED THAT OCHOA WAS
GOOD, BUT SO WERE OTHER SALVADORAN TROOP COMMANDERS WHO WERE
RECEIVING LITTLE NOTICE. REGARDING THE PUBLICITY THAT OCHOA WAS
RECEIVING, GARCIA CHARACTERIZED IT AS PURE "HOLLYWOOD.") GARCIA
RESPONDED TO OCHOA'S THREAT BY EMPLOYING A PREVIOUSLY EFFECTIVE
TACTIC DESIGNED TO TAKE A POTENTIAL POLITICAL ADVERSARY OUT OF
THE PICTURE. HE POSTED OCHOA AS DEFENSE ATTACHE TO URUGUAY.
GARCIA WAS PROBABLY VERY SURPRISED WHEN OCHOA REFUSED THE
ASSIGNMENT.
3. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE CONFRONTATION, OCHOA'S POSITION WAS
NADENfiAL
CL BY:
CL REASON:
DECL ON:
DRV FROM:
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SUPPORTED BY D'AUBUISSON, AIR FORCE COMMANDER RAFAEL ((BUSTILLO)),
TROOP COMMANDER ADOLFO ((BLANDON)) AND TROOP COMMANDER JAIME
((FLORES)). MOST OF THE OTHER TROOP COMMANDERS SUPPORTED GARCIA'S
POSITION. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS MUCH RESENTMENT AGAINST GARCIA
AMONG RANKING TROOP COMMANDERS, HE WAS SUPPORTED IN THIS CON-
FLICT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: A. HAD OCHOA AND D'AUBUISSON
PROVEN POWERFUL ENOUGH TO TOPPLE GARCIA, IT MIGHT WELL HAVE
PRESAGED AN INCREASE IN INFLUENCE FOR THE FAR RIGHT IN REGULAR
MILITARY AFFAIRS. THIS WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ARMY BEING
TASKED TO PURSUE COUNTERINSURGENCY OPERATIONS MUCH MORE
AGGRESSIVELY THAN THE OFFICERS WERE PREPARED TO DO; B. AN
INCREASE IN RIGHT WING POWER WOULD ALSO HAVE STRENGTHENED THE
ROLE OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND ORDERED DEATH SQUADS IN AREAS
WHERE TROOP COMMANDERS NOW HAVE FREE REIGN; C. A RESURGENCE OF
VIOLENT RIGHT WING ACTIVITY MADE POSSIBLE BY ARENA CONTROL OF
THE MILITARY (AS THE TROOP COMMANDERS FEARED WOULD HAPPEN) WOULD
HAVE MADE CERTIFICATION BY THE U.S. CONGRESS VERY DIFFICULT, THUS
CUTTING OFF THE FLOW OF NEEDED SUPPLIES AND MATERIEL.
4. A COMPROMISE WAS NECESSARY TO BRING THE CONFRONTATION TO
AN END. GARCIA WAS FORCED TO AGREE TO STEP DOWN AS DEFENSE
MINISTER WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME PERIOD (TWO-THREE MONTHS).
THIS HE WILL PROBABLY DO AS IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS THAT HIS
POWER IS WANING. OCHOA AGREED TO ACCEPT AN ASSIGNMENT AS INTER
AMERICAN DEFENSE ATTACHE IN WASHINGTON. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A
PRESTIGIOUS POST, IT WILL EFFECTIVELY ELIMINATE HIM FROM THE
POLITICAL PICTURE IN EL SALVADOR, AT LEAST FOR THE PRESENT.
AS FOR A POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT FOR GARCIA, PRESIDENT ALVARO
((MAGANA)) WILL CHOOSE A NEW DEFENSE MINISTER ONLY AFTER CAREFUL
CONSULTATION WITH BOTH THE MILITARY AND ARENA. THIS WILL
PROBABLY RESULT IN A COMPROMISE CANDIDATE WHO IS ACCEPTABLE TO
ALL, AND WHO WILL OF NECESSITY CONTINUE GARCIA'S ROLE AS
MODERATOR OF CONFLICTING POLITICAL ATTITUDES.
6. FILE:
CONFIDENTIAL.
DECL:
ALL
CONFIDENTIAL
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