El Salvador and Honduras
150. Telegram 38780 From the Department of State to the Embassies in Honduras and El Salvador
Summary: The Department instructed the Embassies in Honduras and El Salvador to avoid becoming intermediaries in the border dispute between the two countries.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–1973, POL EL SAL–HOND. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by El Salvador Country Officer Alexander Sleght on March 1; cleared by Hurwitch, Pezzullo, and Political Adviser T. Frank Crigler in USOAS. Repeated to Guatemala City, Managua, San José, and USCINCSO. In telegram 761 from Tegucigalpa, February 27, the Embassy reported that Foreign Minister César Batres had informally asked the U.S. Government to ascertain whether or not the Salvadoran Government intended to respond to peace initiatives put forward at a recent meeting in Guatemala. (Ibid.) In telegram 783 from San Salvador, February 28, the Embassy stated that it saw no benefit to becoming involved in the El Salvador-Honduras dispute as a channel of communication between the two governments. (Ibid.)
151. Telegram 168092 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Honduras
Summary: Responding to a Honduran purchase of Cuban sugar, Director of Central American Affairs Lazar met with the Honduran Ambassador and sought assurances that his government would follow through on its commitment to oppose a Venezuelan initiative to lift OAS sanctions against Cuba.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Immediate. Drafted and approved by Lazar on August 23. Repeated to San Salvador, Guatemala City, San José, and Managua. The Venezuelan initiative on Cuba is described in Document 275. In telegram 167208 to Tegucigalpa, August 22, the Department stated that Batres had told Shlaudeman that his government opposed the Venezuelan initiative but had not mentioned the Honduran purchase of Cuban sugar. (Ibid.) In telegram 168889 to Tegucigalpa, August 24, the Department instructed the Embassy to urge López to reverse the transaction, warning that it could affect the Honduran U.S. sugar quota. (Ibid.) In telegram 3472 from Tegucigalpa, September 11, the Embassy reported that Lazar told Batres the purchase “might well create problems in future between two governments in ways difficult to control.” (Ibid.)
152. Telegram 209707 From the Department of State to the Embassy in El Salvador
Summary: During a meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary Bowdler, Salvadoran emissary Alfredo Ortíz Mancía said that an impression existed within the Government of El Salvador that relations with the United States had cooled. Bowdler assured him that this was not the case and that the U.S. Government maintained a policy of evenhandedness in its relations with El Salvador and Honduras.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Priority. Drafted by Lazar and approved by Bowdler. In an October 23 briefing memorandum, Lazar assured Bowdler that the U.S. Government had not leaked news of Israeli aircraft sales to El Salvador in an effort to influence negotiations between El Salvador and Honduras and had “deliberately refrained from taking sides,” scrupulously following a policy of “evenhandedness” in the provision of military equipment to both countries. (Ibid., ARA/CEN Files: Lot 75D469, El Salvador—Political 1973) According to telegram 233087 to San Salvador and Tegucigalpa, November 28, during a November 27 meeting with Bowdler, Ortíz Mancía asked the U.S. Government to help bring about a settlement of the border dispute. Bowdler replied that “any solution, to be effective, will have to be arrived at by agreement between the two countries and cannot be imposed upon them by any third party.” (Ibid., Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number])
153. Telegram 4627 From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Summary: During a conversation with President Molina on the dispute with Honduras, Director of Central American Affairs Lazar and Chargé Moskowitz expressed their interest in being helpful but noted that the two governments would need to settle their differences by themselves.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential; Immediate; Limdis. Repeated to Guatemala, Managua, Mexico, San José, Tegucigalpa, and USCINCSO. All brackets are in the original except “[1.]”, added for clarity.
154. Telegram 37 From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Summary: The Embassy reviewed the record of Salvadoran President Molina after a year and a half in office and noted that the U.S. role in El Salvador would remain small in 1974, given the lack of major U.S. interests in the country.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, [no film number]. Confidential. Repeated to Tegucigalpa, Managua, San José, and USCINCSO.
155. Telegram 3967 From the Embassy in Honduras to the Department of State
Summary: The Embassy reported that it discussed its concern over the presence of a Cuban commercial representative in Honduras with Foreign Minister Batres, who insisted that his government only wished to keep its options open in the event OAS sanctions on Cuba were lifted.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D740265–0584. Secret; Immediate. In an October 10 Intelligence Note, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research observed that an “unexpected result of Hurricane Fifi,” which devastated Honduras in September, could be to push the country “into early reestablishment of commercial and possibly diplomatic relations with Cuba,” and that the Honduran Government’s actions might well depend “on the extent and kinds of disaster assistance, international financing, and credit opportunities offered to Honduras in the wake of Fifi.” (Ibid., P740134–1079) All brackets are in the original except those indicating garbled text.
156. Memorandum From Stephen Low of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Scowcroft)
Summary: Low briefed Scowcroft on Honduran interest in purchasing combat aircraft, noting that a 1973 U.S. Government decision to block the sale was being reconsidered.
Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Latin American Affairs Staff Files, Box 4, Honduras—Political, Military. Confidential. Sent for action. On January 13, Scowcroft marked the memorandum to indicate his interest in the Honduran F–86 case and to request that Low follow it. In a January 15 memorandum to Scowcroft, Low reported that Bowdler and Lazar generally agreed that the sale should be allowed to proceed but hoped to use the licenses “as leverage with the Hondurans to get talks between them and El Salvador started again.” (Ibid.)
157. Airgram A–21 From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Summary: While acknowledging that incidents of repression had taken place, the Embassy reported its judgment that the Salvadoran Government did not engage in “consistent, substantial or continual violations of human rights.”
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P750041–0821. Confidential. Drafted by Political Officer William G. Walker, cleared in draft by Political Officer Bruce Beardsley and AID Director Edwin Anderson, and approved by Moskowitz. Forwarded to Guatemala City, San José, Managua, Tegucigalpa, and USCINCSO. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors and “[Ref:]”, added for clarity. Telegram 12320 to all diplomatic posts is dated January 1. (Ibid., D750020–0520) Telegram 14917 to all diplomatic posts is dated January 22. (Ibid., D750025–0090) In airgram A–17 from Tegucigalpa, February 14, the Embassy reported that it had no indication that the Honduran military regime violated human rights. (Ibid., P750038–0400)
158. Telegram 54268 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Honduras
Summary: The Department reported it was inclined to approve the transfer of combat aircraft to Honduras, noting that withholding a license for the transaction had not helped to bring about a settlement of the dispute between Honduras and El Salvador.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750085–0400. Confidential; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Lazar, cleared by Vest and Ellsworth, and approved by Bowdler. Repeated to San Salvador. In telegram 954 from Tegucigalpa, March 12, the Embassy concurred in the approval of the transfer and suggested the U.S. Government inform the Salvadoran Government of the decision in a low-key manner. (Ibid., D750086–0880) In a March 21 memorandum, Low informed Scowcroft that the Department of State had approved the transaction. (Ford Library, National Security Adviser, NSC Latin American Affairs Staff Files, 1974–1977, Box 4, Honduras—Political, Military)
159. Briefing Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rogers) to Secretary of State Kissinger
Summary: Rogers informed Kissinger that United Brands had paid a $1.25 million bribe to the Honduran Chief of State, noting that this revelation would likely bring down the Honduran Government and damage the image of U.S. corporations overseas.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P760175–0717. Confidential; Eyes Only. Drafted by Rogers on March 28. In telegram 1204 from Tegucigalpa, April 1, Ambassador Sánchez stated the repercussions of the bribery revelations were “likely to be serious and damaging to company, GOH and USG.” (Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Presidential Country Files for Latin America, Honduras—State Department Telegrams, To Secstate—Nodis) In telegram 1584 from Tegucigalpa, April 22, the Embassy reported on the Honduran military leadership’s removal of López as Chief of State; he was succeeded by Col. Juan Alberto Melgar. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750140–0912)
160. Airgram A–108 From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Summary: The Embassy analyzed signs the Salvadoran Government was weakening and noted the possibility of revolutionary upheaval in the coming years, adding that the ability of the U.S. Government to affect the course of events in El Salvador was limited.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P750130–1478. Confidential. Drafted by Political Officer Charles Blum on July 21; cleared in draft by Political Officers William Walker and Bruce Beardsley, Economic Officer Ruth Winstanley, and AID Director Edwin Anderson; and approved by Moskowitz. Forwarded to Guatemala City, Managua, San José, Tegucigalpa, and USCINCSO. Airgram 82 from San Salvador is dated June 12. (Ibid., P750101–0354)
161. Memorandum of Conversation
Summary: Kissinger and Salvadoran Foreign Minister Borgonovo discussed the border dispute between El Salvador and Honduras.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P820117–0795. Secret; Nodis. The meeting was held in Borgonovo’s suite at the Cariari Hotel. Kissinger met with Central American Foreign Ministers during a stop in San José at the conclusion of a February 16–24 Latin American tour. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors.
162. Memorandum of Conversation
Summary: Kissinger and Honduran Foreign Minister Perdomo discussed the border dispute between Honduras and El Salvador.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P820117–0801. Secret; Nodis. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors. The meeting was held in Perdomo’s suite at the Cariari Hotel. Kissinger met with Central American Foreign Ministers during a stop in San José at the conclusion of a February 16–24 Latin American tour.
163. Telegram 2302 From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Summary: The Embassy reported on a political crisis faced by President Molina after Salvadoran Army Chief of Staff, Manuel Alfonso Rodríguez, was arrested in New York on charges of conspiracy to sell firearms to criminal figures in the United States.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760194–0532. Secret; Immediate. Repeated to Guatemala, Managua, San José, Tegucigalpa, and USCINCSO. In telegram 2303 from San Salvador, May 20, the Embassy added the following passage to be inserted in paragraph 3 of telegram 2302: “C) The difficult negotiations with Honduras. These may be prejudiced by the Rodriguez case. The U.S. press is already suggesting that this is so and fanning the fires of mistrust; and this is being echoed by the Central American media.” (Ibid., D760195–1059) In telegram 2301 from San Salvador, May 18, the Embassy reported that Rodríguez’s arrest for “conspiring to sell ten thousand machine guns to the American underworld hit San Salvador, the GOES, and the military officers corps with dramatic and perhaps devastating effect.” (Ibid., D760192–1045)
164. Telegram 5586 From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State
Summary: The Embassy reported that it had asked Molina for further information on the possible death of a detained U.S. citizen at the hands of Salvadoran Government personnel.
Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, San Salvador 1963–1979, Roger Channel. Secret; Priority. Repeated to Guatemala, Managua, Mexico, Panama, and San José. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text that remains classified. Telegram 292197 was not found. In telegram 263443 to San Salvador, October 23, the Department transmitted a report indicating that Richardson had been “eliminated” by the Salvadoran security services after his arrest because they “‘did not know what to do with him.’” (Ibid.) In telegram 4970 from San Salvador, October 27, the Embassy summarized the information it had on Richardson’s case, noting that he had entered El Salvador on August 25 and had been detained after reportedly offering his services to the Salvadoran Government as a mercenary; Salvadoran officials later claimed that he had been deported to Guatemala. (Ibid.)