456. Memorandum Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency1
SUBJECT
- Covert Action Operations in El Salvador, September–December 1980
A. Situation. After more than a year in office, the JRG, composed of representatives of the military and the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), continues to fight for its survival. Although it has avoided complete polarization of the country between extreme right and left, it has not been able to end the violence. It has instituted a number of important reforms which have diminished the power of the oligarchy, but additional reforms which might have established a larger popular base for the JRG are still under discussion, while others are too new for the people to feel their full impact. Meanwhile growing pressures are being created by a deteriorating economy and increasing violence, of which the murder of American nuns is the most recent and critical instance. During this period, our programs continued to support the JRG, to improve the domestic and international image of the JRG, to improve resistance to Cuban and terrorist subversion while encouraging better protection of human rights, and to promote and publicize significant government reforms.
B. Operations. In November a training course was conducted in the analysis of captured documents and in debriefing and handling defectors. We continued to support key agents of influence close to the Junta, to enable key officials to upgrade their staffs and to build bridges to key insitutions. In the labor field programs were continued through key labor assets. Our assistance to the PDC also continued during this period, including increased efforts to improve the JRG’s domestic image and to initiate an international campaign to disseminate the truth about the government and its programs. The PDC completed a short film and a book called “La Verdad en El Salvador” for use by PDC representatives traveling abroad. A high-level Party delegation visited five Latin American countries using this material and will be touring Europe in the near future. In December, a political action expert made a second visit to El Salvador to assist JRG officials in improving its public relations and media campaigns. Internationally, efforts continued to counter Soviet and Cuban propaganda and to change the negative image of the JRG, especially in Europe. Several journalists from [Page 1172] selected countries were sent to El Salvador for on-the-spot coverage of significant local developments.
C. Impact. Training courses continued to be well received by the JRG; the skills and expertise gained will undoubtedly assist security forces personnel in their performance and effective handling of operational information and intelligence.
Our efforts to key agents of influence have contributed significantly to keeping the Junta together and functioning in an increasingly difficult and violent climate.
In the labor field our efforts to organize democratic labor unions continued during this period and have made significant inroads into leftist influence in this area. [3 lines not declassified]
D. Funding Aspects. In the first quarter of FY 1981 [dollar amount not declassified] has been committed to the above programs in El Salvador. The SCC members received a Memorandum of Notification in early December advising of the need for increased expenditures for a total of $1 million in FY 1981 to further the objectives of this program in El Salvador.2
E. Problems. A number of serious problems continue to plague the JRG and its efforts to promote a stable reformist government and contain the leftist forces. The most serious problem is the continuing level of violence and terror both from the right and left. The level of fear, consequently, in all sectors of society continues to be high, so that reforms and other programs cannot move forward smoothly but progress only sporadically. Another serious problem is the deteriorating state of the economy and low JRG reserves. Economic factors have begun to have serious impact on the ability of the armed forces to fight leftist guerrilla forces.
F. Proposed Activities. We plan to continue on-going programs, as noted above. [2 lines not declassified] Other plans include: increased efforts to provide effective in-country propaganda; assistance to [less than 1 line not declassified] and other business and industrial groups which support the JRG, and efforts will be made to spot and recruit new assets in the labor field in order to maintain momentum already well established for democratic labor. On-going and new programs will be continually reviewed and evaluated to insure they are in accordance with the Presidential Finding, and to effectively assist the JRG to carry out essential political, economic, and social reform programs.
- Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Records, San Salvador, 1973–1980. Secret.↩
- See Document 454.↩