Foreign Relations of the United States 1977–1980; Volume XV; Central America, 1977–1980

416. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter¹

Washington, February 25, 1980

SUBJECT

• Letter from Salvadoran Archbishop Romero (U)

Attached at Tab A is the cabled text of a letter to you from Archbishop Romero of El Salvador, dated February 17.² The Archbishop is a very influential religious leader in El Salvador. Despite our efforts to convince him to support the current governing Junta, he has continued to come out strongly against the present government and in favor of a leftist alternative. (C)

The letter calls on the U.S. not to send economic and military aid to the current government in El Salvador, and equates such aid with the continuing repression of the Salvadoran people. (U)

I have asked the State Department to draft a reply for your signature. (U)³

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 21, El Salvador: 2/25–29/80. Confidential. Sent for information. Carter wrote at the top of the page: “Let Cy sign answer. J.”
2. Tab A was not attached. Telegram 1122 from San Salvador, February 19, transmitted the text of Romero’s letter to Carter as it appeared in press. Romero wrote: “I ask you, if you really want to defend human rights, to prohibit the giving of this military aid to the Salvadoran Government, and to guarantee that your government will not intervene directly or indirectly with military, economic, diplomatic, or other pressures to determine the destiny of the Salvadoran people.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 20, El Salvador: 3/80) An unknown hand noted that on March 3 the National Security Council received a Spanish-language copy of the letter dated February 17. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 21, El Salvador: 2/25–29/80)
3. Brzezinski added a hand-written postscript at the bottom of the page: “P.S. Lately, there has been some accommodation in his views.” In a February 26 memorandum to Vance, Brzezinski noted Carter’s instruction that Vance should sign the reply to Romero. For Vance’s reply, see Document 422.