POLITICAL PICTURE IN EL SALVADOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002000760002-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 9, 2003
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 17, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

released only on a promise to sign away their .votes for Espinola. Espinola
was also reported to be using government funds and printing presses in his
e'ampaign. 25X1 A
Approved FQkK sWli N&FdA 82-00457 -b 02-8
18 FOR ATEONf LDf NTIA[ D
COUNTRY El Salvador
SUBJECT Political Tictu're in El Salvador
25X1A
PLACE
ACQUIRED
25 1I F nW TkTFO 28 October 1948
THUS DOCUMCNT CONTAINS INFORUATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF TRe UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MARINO OF THE CSPIOHAGE ACT GO
U. S. C.. 31 AND 32. AS AUEUOED. ITS TUANSUISSION OR THE REVELATIN
OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY DANKER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED MASON IS PRO-
LIS.TED BY LAW. REPRODUCTION OP THIS FOAM IT PROHIDITED. "DIV.
AVER. ItIFORNATION CONTAIIYTD IN CODY OF THE PORN MAY BE UTILIZED
AS DEC'NEDRFCEG% V 4(RECEIVING AGENCY.
SOURCE
-ho~s the canton commanders and other officials of the 1,800 cantons of the
country had obtained thousands of signatures by threats and the use of
force. In the country towns farm laborers have been rounded up, nut in j
and their machetes, their only piece of prope"ty, taken away. They are
A
DATE DISTR. 17 ~.:ov. 1948
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
{LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION FOR THE RESEARCH
USE OF TRAINED INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS
1. On 28 October, General Salvador Pena Trejo of El Salvador prec'icted that
the country was. headed for a revolution precipitated by. trouble arising
from the January 1949 elections. He said that the people were becoming
indignant over the methods being used by the government candidate, General
!auro Espinola, whose election is virtually assured. Pena Trejo described
2. As reported in IL plans are progressing for the formation of a
coalition against k%spnola by all other presidential candidates. Pens. Trojo
recently declared that each candidate would enter the coalition as soon as
he felt his personal support to be stronC enough to win.after. Espinola was
eliminated from the political picture.
3. Pena Tre jo, for example, stated that he l at the moment, was not quite ready.
Ile had built his party to 150, 000 strong, but he wanted to indoctrinate the
Army with his plan for Army reform. He estimated that about two weeks would
be necessary to accomplish this. Col. Josea Ascencio Wenender would join a
coalition at any time, as he already has his popular support behind him. Pena
Trejo admitted that Col. Menendez had the greatest popular support in numbers
of any candidate. Col. Aguirre has already indicated his desire to join a
coalition. Claramount and Orantes do not count as candidates, but they would
be invited as a courtesy.
Pena Trejo indicated that the other candidates desire him to take the
initiative in this matter. He had not as yet definitely made up his mind
whether a coalition should be formed. In all probability, the one who would
benefit most from the elimination of Espinola would be Col. r:enendez. Th+.s,
according to Pena Trejo, could not be p9rmitted because of Col. 2enendez'
Communist affiliations and because of his connections with President Arevalo
of Guatemala. However, Fenn Trejo expected the coalition to develop. He
predicted a coup d tetat on the part of the Army to eliminate Col. =enende:.,
but even this, he atated, would be difficult because %enend.ez is himself an
Army man.
CLASSIFICATION CONrFIDTlaTIAL
5TATE I `~( ?~ _ jG NSRB ' ~
ARMY DISTRIBUTION
Document No. ----- Q
Np CHANGE in Class. CM L18RAR
^ DECLASSIFIED cONFIDENTIALa
Class. C- k ::{ D .LO: TS S C
DDA 4 Apr 77 CONFIDENTIAL
25 ?nth: v _.. ?-`f` /17 roved F r Release 2003/12/10 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002000760002-8
,at.: 3,J1_MAY -1~~g b p .
 Approved For Release 2003/12/10 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002000760002-8
9NFIDENTIAL
col, F IDE lAL
CENTRAL INTELU GENCE AGENCY
25X1A
Pena. Tre jo' said ho did not feel that all the candidates -would withdra -,
weaving the election to Espinola. He added he felt sure there would 'be
violence before election time. He said that a coup d'etat could be
engineered at any mobent if he or even Col. Aguirre were willing to to-lee
ire responsibility, although ho, himself, did not wish to do soe Ninety
rercent of the three hundred younger officers would cooperate i-mmeiately,
rind the present regire would be powerless against such determined efforto
Pena Trejo attributed hiis reluctance to asses leadership to the fact that
although he would win in Fl Salvador, he would "lose internationally."
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2003/12/10 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002000760002-8