STAFF NOTES: LATIN AMERICAN TRENDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000300120026-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 21, 2005
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: July 2, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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Secret
~Vl ~ ~ K Ov E
Latin American Trends
Secret
1.32
July 2, 1975
No. 0516/75
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CONTENTS
July 2, 1975
Chile: Opposition To the Junta's
Labor Code .
Guatemala: Coalition Party Weakened .
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Eric Williams Visits Cuba 10
Uruguay: Bordaberry Attacks
Personalities, Not Issues . . . . . . . . . 12
Colombia: Carlos Lleras Throws
in the Monkey Wrench . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
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Chile: Opposition To The Junta's Labor Code
The proposed amendments to the labor code drawn
up by the military government have elicited wide-
spread criticism from trade unions, which are fear-
ful that the vague language of the statute will be
employed to curtail existing rights and prevent the
holding of free union elections and strikes.
The preliminary draft of the revised code is
now awaiting suggestions and comments by the union
organizations. Several major unions have requested
a six-month delay to permit more detailed study of
the changes, but the government is determined to
push for promulgation by September 11, the second
anniversary of the junta's takeover.
Among the specific objections of labor leaders
are provisions that appear to allow the lengthening
of the work week and the shortening of vacations.
The loose wording of the article on collective bar-
gaining states that strikes will be allowed "when
economic conditions permit the free play of the in-
terested parties but in no case before March 1, 1976."
Among other sections which seem to give the government
added leeway in interpreting the law to its own liking
are two more dealing with strike approval--once that
right is restored:
...Article 313 authorizing the labor and defense
ministries to prohibit any strike that "affects
strategic activities or the economic stability of
the country."
...Article 335 stating that "in cases of strikes
that affect the health, or (general) social or economic
conditions, or prejudice all or a part of the community,
or affect the security of the country, the government
can decree a suspension."
July 2, 1975
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From all indications it would appear that the
government has no intention of altering the limita-
tions it wants to impose on labor. Union requests
for an extension beyond July 8 on the deadline for
comment on the official draft have already been re-
jected by the labor minister. Moreover, the govern-
ment's handling of the recently enacted social statute
of enterprise suggests that the final form of the labor
document will not differ substantially from the current
one. The government has not yet responded publicly to
union appeals for the appointment of several prominent
labor leaders to a "commission" that would review sug-
gestions and complete the final law. But the must
probable response to this is a flat no.
For the most part, organized labor probably will
soft-pedal its reservations and offer only timid op-
position to the eventual decree. The junta, on the
other hand, evidently recognizes the sense of futility
that pervades the labor establishment and will be less
inclined than ever to concede anything to its critics
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July 2, 1975
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Guatemala: Coalition Party Weakened
The National Liberation Movement, formerly the
dominant member of the governing coalition, was
further weakened and isolated last week when only
two of its members were elected to head congression-
al committees. On the orders of President Laugerud,
the remaining 11 seats were divided among the MLN's
former allies, the Democratic Institutional Party
and the Organized Aranista Central, and the two op-
position parties. Laugerud's tight control of the
elections strongly suggests that he intends to speed
his plans to form a new coalition that excludes the
National Liberation Movement.
July 2, 1975
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Eric Williams Visits Cuba
The visit to Cuba of Trinidad and Tobago Prime
Minister Eric Williams from June 18 to 22 was ap-
parently only a partial success. The Cuban leader-
ship proved unwilling to give full support to several
of Williams' proposals.
Williams sought Cuban backing for a special Law
of the Sea arrangement for the Caribbean. Havana's
response was vague and stopped short of full endorse-
ment. Castro and Williams agreed only that "arrange-
ments for the use and management of the marine re-
sources should be examined."
The two prime ministers agreed to propose Havana
as the site and September 1-4 as the dates for the
first meeting of the Caribbean Committee of the UN
Economic Commission for Latin America. The suggested
agenda includes discussions of education and public
health, but not the Law of the Sea as it affects the
Caribbean.
A major reason for Havana's limited cooperation
is probably the competitive personal relationship
between Castro and Williams. As one of the major
leaders of Caribbean independence, Williams has ap-
parently viewed Castro as a young upstart and poten-
tial rival. Castro's coolness toward Williams' pro-
posals can be seen as a response to Williams' own
earlier stand-offishness and lack of response to
past Cuban initiatives.
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July 2, 1975
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Castro also reportedly wanted to avoid too close
an embrace of Williams at a time when the Trinidadian
has antagonized Jamaica, Venezuela, Guyana, and
Mexico--countries with which Havana maintains good
relations. In fact, Guyana's Prime Minister Burnham
visited Cuba in April and Jamaican Prime Minister
Manley will arrive this week for a lengthy visit.
In attempting to expand its influence in the
Caribbean, the Cuban leadership has greater expecta-
tions for an enhanced Cuban role in Jamaica and Guyana
than in Trinidad and Tobago. Castro will be careful,
however, to remain on good terms with Williams because
of his desire for Port-of-Spain's support in inter-
national forums. F_ I
July 2, 1975
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Uruguay: Bordaberry Attacks Personalities, Nct Issues
President Bordaberry has attempted to eliminate
a major source of friction within his Ministry of
Agriculture by dismissing both the civilian minister
and his military subordinate.
For the past several weeks the two officials had
sought to undermine each other by resorting to rumor
mongering and attacks of diatribe. The quarrel appears
to have been largely personal, but it served to focus
high-level attention on agriculture, which only last
month was the subject of a major policy dispute between
Bordaberry and the generals over the regulation of beef
sales.
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Because this issue--which also involves a conflict
of interests between small and large ranchers--has not
been resolved, Bordaberry's shuffling of personnel is
only likely to prolong the dispute. In fact, the latest
reports indicate that military leaders are attempting
to replace the recently fired officer with someone who
will continue to represent their views.
July 2, 1975
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Colombia: Carlos Lleras Throws in the Monkey Wrench
Liberal Party elder statesman and former presi-
dent Carlos Lleras Restrepo, despite his trumpeted
retirement from politics last year, is now behaving
very much like a presidential candidate. Although
the election is not until April 1978, Lleras' resump-
tion of political activity stands an excellent chance
of seriously dividing--and weakening--the Liberal
Party.
Lleras has abandoned his post on the National
Liberal Directorate, at least for the moment, and
established a shadow leadership in the form of a
separate national party headquarters. The new group,
still in the process of organizing, has set up com-
mittees on finance and the economy--as well as sports
and folk dancing. Regional directorates are also
being organized, presumably in such Lleras strongholds
as Santander and Boyaca departments.
To assert himself significantly, Lleras needs
wider support than he seems likely to get, particular-
ly from the party's majority roster of national con-
gressmen. Most of them support Ambassador to the
United States Julio Cesar Turbay, who is currently
toying with he idea of resigning his post and return-
ing home to take on Lleras. President Lopez, who
recently was moved by growing public disorder to de-
clare a nationwide state of siege, is trying to pre-
serve the Liberals' overall image and is remaining
aloof from the intra-party squabble.
Meanwhile, the Conservative Party, numerically
smaller and markedly less dynamic than the Liberals,
is quietly keeping the lid on its own internal prob-
lems and hoping that the Liberals will eventually
fall apart.
July 2, 1975
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