391. Paper Prepared in the Department of State1
1. El Salvador: The five person junta comprises two military officers and three civilians. The two military members have been named and are known to us to be moderate. Initial reports are that the US-educated head of the prestigious Catholic University, Ramon Mayorga, will be the junta’s president. Mayorga is well known to us for his moderate and progressive views and intellectual gifts. The other two civilian members have not been named. Our Embassy is in contact with the new government.
The proclamations issued to date by the new government also indicate a moderate and progressive philosophy. Specifics include the dissolution of ORDEN (a para-military organization responsible for human rights abuses), amnesty for political exiles and political pris [Page 975] oners, agrarian and tax reforms, a call for elections, and guarantees for unions and political parties of all ideologies to organize.
The new government has dissolved the legislature and the courts and will govern by decree until elections can be called. The Armed Forces have called upon the extremists of the left and right to give up violence and have indicated that they will deal vigorously with any extremist effort to interfere with the junta’s intended program of democratization.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 20, El Salvador: 10/15–31/79. Secret. Carter wrote in the left-hand margin: “Let them know that we will give them every support if they continue to honor human rights & democracy.” Pastor wrote “October 16, 1979” at the top of the page.↩