383. Telegram From the Embassy in El Salvador to the Department of State1

5049. Subj: President Romero’s Comments on Democratization.

1. (C-Entire text)

2. On the occasion of the presentation of new USAID Mission Director Charles Stockman (Sept 4), President Romero brought up with me the status of the democratization program. He noted that there is daily progress toward implementation of his Aug 16 declarations2 as to steps which would be taken to move the country toward free and honest elections on March 9, 1980. He ticked off the following letters which have now been sent:

A. To the Minister of Foreign Relations instructing him to facilitate the return of all political exiles;

B. To the Minister of Interior in the same vein;

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C. To the International Red Cross inviting its visit at a time and on terms of its own choosing to carry out any desired investigation with respect to prison conditions and political prisoners; and

D. To OAS Secretary General Alejandro Orfila inviting OAS supervision of the March election and in advance thereof dispatch to El Salvador of OAS experts who could provide technical assistance in electoral matters. (On this point, I mentioned to the President the distinction made in para 3 of State 222915,3 but he said that Orfila and the OAS could out the handling of his request as they wished.)

3. The President asked if I had received the copies of these letters which he had sent me. I replied affirmatively and said that I had also seen them prominently published in the daily press. The President smiled and said that this was harder to arrange than I might believe. The media owners were not in sympathy with his program for democratization, considered it a “sell-out”, and had refused to publish the text of his letters on a straight news basis. The GOES had then forced the issue by publishing them as paid press insertions.4

Devine
  1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790412–0604. Confidential. Sent for information to Guatemala City, Managua, Panama City, San José, Tegucigalpa, USCINCSO Quarry Heights, and DIA.
  2. See footnote 4, Document 379.
  3. In telegram 222915 to San Salvador, August 24, the Department reported that U.S. officials had met with Orfila concerning the OAS role in El Salvador’s upcoming elections. He commented that the OAS would provide technical assistance if requested, adding that the Salvadorans should make a request through the OAS representative in San Salvador as a technical assistance matter rather than raising the issue in the permanent council. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D790387–0293)
  4. In telegram 5083 from San Salvador, September 7, Devine reported that “Romero’s proposals appear to have won no ground with moderate opposition,” and concluded that “without very dramatic action on the part of General Romero it is highly unlikely that opposition can be persuaded to follow USG example of public recognition of the President’s words.” (Department of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Nicaragua/El Salvador Working Files, Lot 81D64, El Salvador Telegrams, 9/79)