32. Memorandum From Robert Pastor of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1
SUBJECT
- Conversations in Santo Domingo
With Andy Young and others, I had conversations in Santo Domingo with General Torrijos, Former President Oduber of Costa Rica, Foreign Minister Consalvi of Venezuela, and Armando Villanueva of the Peruvian APRA party. Copies of the memoranda of conversation are attached,2 but I thought I might summarize a few overall impressions.
In discussing individual countries’ political affairs and particularly return to democracy, the theme that kept recuring is the problem of polarization. In Peru the activities of the ultra left and ultra right are threatening the efforts of the Constituent Assembly. In Ecuador the outspoken leftist Bucaram threatens to alienate the military and provoke them into fixing the election to ensure that Bucaram’s nephew, Roldos, cannot win. Oduber volunteered that leftist and rightist terrorist groups in El Salvador were both strong enough to make political accommodation impossible. Torrijos even opined that in Bolivia opposition leader Siles was as responsible for provoking the coup as Pereda was for making it. All of the people we talked with seemed aware of the need to help those who seek to develop the broad consensus necessary for functioning democracies: Consalvi is going to Peru at Perez’ request to talk to leaders there; Oduber’s party is rendering technical assistance to Torrijos’ new party and to Samudio’s liberal party.
Andy correctly observed that he sensed a new idealistic pragmatism among the leaders we met: an inner confidence that the direction of political change in Latin America was towards more democracy, and that the best guarantee of arriving there would be by small steps which reassure the military.
There is a different variation on this theme in Nicaragua, where efforts are directed to finding a democratic alternative to Somoza. [Page 138] Consalvi once again urged us to “twist arms” on behalf of change in Nicaragua.
Other interesting items:
On Belize: Torrijos was very excited by President Carter’s reference in the OAS speech,3 but there was general agreement that the new Guatemalan government would have to settle internal differences between the Vice President and the Foreign Minister and that the ball is in the Guatemalans’ court.
On Africa: in response to Andy Young’s briefing, Torrijos promised to provide troops for a UN peacekeeping force in Namibia.4
On Colombia: Consalvi expressed concern that the U.S. had not given Colombia sufficient attention and that a special effort should be made since Lievano, their Foreign Minister, will be assuming the presidency of the UN General Assembly. Andy Young is considering a trip there, and I am following up on this issue.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron, Box 27, Latin America, 7–10/78. Confidential. A copy was sent to Mathews. Inderfurth, Bartholomew, and Denend initialed the memorandum. An unknown hand crossed out Aaron’s name in the addressee line. At the top of the memorandum, Brzezinski wrote: “v. interesting. ZB.”↩
- Attached but not printed.↩
- See Document 31, footnote 2.↩
- In the right-hand margin next to this paragraph, an unknown hand wrote an exclamation point.↩