Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXXII, Dominican Republic; Cuba; Haiti; Guyana

190. Memorandum Prepared for the 303 Committee¹

Washington, March 17, 1967.

SUBJECT

• Support for a Moderate Social Christian Student Group in the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD)

1. Summary²

During a 29 November 1966 White House meeting chaired by Mr. Walt Rostow, a program of short-term courses of action for the Dominican Republic was agreed upon.³ One of the objectives in this program is the encouragement of moderates within the Revolutionary Social Christian Party (PRSC) and weakening the influence of hard-liners and Communist infiltrators within the PRSC. This proposal is designed to contribute to the implementation of this objective by enabling the Revolutionary Christian University Bloc (BRUC), a Social Christian affiliated student group which reflects the moderate faction of the PRSC to make the strongest possible showing in the elections scheduled to be held in May at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD). A BRUC victory in the University would also benefit and strengthen the moderate wing of the PRSC. The cost of the proposed operation will be [less than 1 line of source text not declassified]. If this effort is carried out as proposed, the mechanism used could subsequently provide the access and means of influencing the moderate leadership of the PRSC.

2. Problem

To enable BRUC to make the strongest possible showing in the student government elections to be held in May 1967 at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo. A BRUC victory or its strong showing would not only be a counter-force to extremist influences in the university, but would also benefit and strengthen the moderate wing of the PRSC.

3. Factors Bearing on the Problem

a. Origin of the Requirement:

This proposal is submitted at the recommendation of Ambassador John H. Crimmins, [2 lines of source text not declassified].

b. Pertinent U.S. Policy Considerations:

The proposal is based on policy stated in a paper entitled “Short-Term Courses of Action for the Dominican Republic” which was approved on 29 November 1966 by representatives from the White House, Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the Central Intelligence Agency. To encourage PRSC moderates and to diminish influence of hardliners and any Communist infiltration of the PRSC is one of the objectives cited in the paper. In this context a strong, more moderate Social Christian Student group in the UASD would also tend to strengthen the PRSC faction which represents a more responsible leadership.

In the University elections of 1966 BRUC lost to the Communist student association which now controls the university by a vote of 1182 to 1587 out of a total of 3000 votes cast.BRUC will again present candidates for election during the student government elections scheduled for May 1967. It is the only significant non-communist student association at the University with a fair chance of winning the election. Thus, should BRUC win the coming student elections, or at least make a strong showing under a continuing relationship with moderate PRSC leader Caonabo Javier Castillo, Communist control of the student government as a vehicle for Communist propaganda would be circumscribed and the turbulent political climate at the University would be ameliorated.

The University elections, however, will also play an important part in off-campus politics on a national scale, where student groups enjoy disproportionate importance as pressure groups. Therefore, inasmuch as the BRUC candidates being put forward for election are closely identified with the leadership of the moderate wing of the PRSC, a strong BRUC position in the student government of the UASD could substantially strengthen the moderates within the PRSC, and thus become a moderating influence on the Dominican political scene.

The PRSC is a left of center political party in opposition to the Balaguer Administration. Although the PRSC has generally followed a radical line since the April 1965 Revolution, often tactically allied with the PRD (Revolutionary Dominican Party) and a coalition of extreme leftist parties, in recent weeks the Javier leadership of the party has declared itself in “constructive opposition” to the Government. This posture of “constructive opposition” was formulated by Caonabo Javier Castillo, the Secretary General of the PRSC, who is also influential among Dominican youth. Because of his prestige among youth and students, Javierʼs call for “constructive opposition” has been taken up by BRUC, a Social Christian Student Association, which reflects the line of the Javier faction of the Party. Thus, by helping BRUC, it is hoped that a first step will have been taken towards bringing about a more constructive climate in the university which would at the same time strengthen the more moderate wing of the Party. In this connection, it is well to recall that the PRSC is the only significant left-of-center party which has made its policy of peaceful opposition a matter of public record.

Although Javier now represents the moderate wing of the party, it must be noted that he is also young (age 31), mercurial, and has become in the past identified as a strong critic of so-called U.S. Imperialism in Latin America. It is possible, that Javierʼs recent conversion to a more conciliatory position vis-à-vis the Balaguer Government may be only of a tactical and temporary nature. It should also be noted that even if Javier maintains a party line of loyal opposition to the Balaguer Government, he may in the international field continue to attack the U.S. and so-called “U.S. Imperialism” in Latin America. However, even were Javier to retrogress to a hard anti-U.S. position, a strong BRUC position in the University would be preferable to Communist domination of the student federation at the university. Under any circumstances, development of access to the moderate leadership of the PRSC could constitute an essential instrument in moderating the PRSC line whichever way Javier might veer in the future.

In short, channeling support to a moderate leader of BRUC directly or through a leader of the moderate Javier faction of the PRSC, would be a secure and inexpensive means of implementing the recommendations of the above-cited 29 November 1966 paper on Short-Term Courses of Action for the Dominican Republic.

c. Operational Objectives:

The operational objective is to insure the election of a moderate PRSC affiliated student group as the majority element in the Government of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, thereby encouraging and strengthening the progressive moderate faction within the PRSC, and its stand for “constructive opposition”.

[3 headings and 3 paragraphs (18 lines of source text) not declassified]

4. Coordination

Action was recommended in Santo Domingo by Ambassador John H. Crimmins, and approved at the Department of State by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Mr. Robert M. Sayre.

5. Recommendations

It is recommended that the 303 Committee approve this proposal to support BRUC, a moderate Social Christian Student Association in the University as a counter force to extremist domination of the student elections and as an encouragement nationally to the moderate faction of the PRSC.

1. Source: National Security Council, Special Group/303 Committee Files, Subject Files, Dominican Republic 1967. Secret; Eyes Only.
2. At the end of this section is a handwritten notation that reads: “303 Committee rejected the proposal at its meeting of 7 April 1967 [see Document 191]. Decision reversed on 5 May 67 (see minutes dated 8 May 67) [see footnote 2, Document 200].”
3. See Document 187 for a briefing memorandum for the meeting.