LADBAC@UNMB.BITNET (Dr. Barbara A. Kohl) (09/09/89)
September 8, 1989
CENTRAL AMERICA UPDATE
Copyright 1989
(Latin America Data Base, Latin American Institute, University
of New Mexico. Project Director: Dr. Nelson Valdes. Managing
Editor: Dr. Barbara A. Kohl)
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GENERAL
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PRELIMINARY TALKS BETWEEN SALVADORAN GOVERNMENT &
REBELS SCHEDULED FOR SEPT. 10-14 IN MEXICO
On Sept. 5 in Mexico City, Ana Guadalupe Martinez,
diplomatic official for the Farabundo Marti National
Liberation Front (FMLN) announced a proposal that the rebels
begin talks described as preliminary to dialogue with a
Salvadoran government delegation in Mexico on Sept. 10-14.
She said there were no conditions regarding the level or
composition of the government delegation.
Next, Martinez said the FMLN suggested that San
Salvador Archbishop Arturo Rivera y Damas act as mediator.
In addition, the rebels requested representatives of the
Organization of American States and the United Nations be
present at the meeting as witnesses.
Martinez said the FMLN had sent a letter to President
Alfredo Cristiani about a month ago presenting terms for
negotiations citing an offer of discussions made by
President Alfredo Cristiani in his inaugural address. She
added that the rebels had decided to make public their
acceptance of the government's conditions "because we have
had no answer and decided to make some concessions."
In effect, the FMLN dropped prior insistence that talks
be held in El Salvador, and for the armed forces to
participate in any talks, preliminary or otherwise.
Martinez said, "We are going to be talking about the
war and the armed forces. But if the army does not want to
be present, or cannot reach an agreement on whether to
participate or not, so be it."
Rebel spokespersons told reporters that Archbishop
Rivera y Damas had informed Cristiani of their new offer on
Sept. 1.
--In an interview with Notimex on Sept. 5 in San
Salvador, Guillermo Ungo, leader of the opposition
Revolutionary National Movement (MNR), said that while the
FMLN's position is "impeccable," the problem continues to be
one of determining what issues will be negotiated. In other
words, he said, does the government want to negotiate FMLN
demobilization, or a solution to the war to be followed by
demobilization.
Ungo stated that the Cristiani government's capacity to
negotiate is questionable. In this sense, he said, the
delegation that will meet with the rebels must be equipped
with matters to negotiate acceptable to Washington.
Next, Ungo said that he had the impression the US
government's mood is simply to gain time, rather than any
real interest in negotiations at the moment.
Gerardo Diaz, secretary general of the FENASTRAS labor
federation, said there are concrete signs showing that the
FMLN is willing to dialogue with the government toward
reaching an agreement. He added that certain "government
sectors" will try to boycott a dialogue.
Christian Democrat Party leader and former foreign
minister Ricardo Acevedo Peralta expressed skepticism on the
possibility of achieving peace by means of dialogue between
the guerrillas and the rightist government. The
government's economic austerity measures, he said, militate
against ending the civil war via a negotiation process
between the rebels and ARENA (Nationalist Republican
Alliance). He added that as long as solutions to the
problems of El Salvador's majority are not found, achieving
peace will be very difficult.
--On Sept. 6, Cristiani accepted the guerrilla proposal
for preliminary discussions in Mexico. He rejected the
participation of Archbishop Rivera y Damas as mediator.
--On Sept. 7 in Mexico City, FMLN spokespersons
Martinez and Mario Lopez read a statement at a press
conference saying that the rebels would reduce military
activity toward bringing about "as soon as possible a
definitive process of negotiation" to end the civil war.
They said the FMLN would suspend acts of sabotage against
the electric power supply and telephone network and was
ending its the use of land mines and explosives in booby
traps.
Martinez said, "This is not a total cease-fire."
The FMLN requested that in exchange, the government
take similar actions and end repression.
In San Salvador, President Cristiani described the
FMLN's statement regarding suspension of operations and
other measures as "positive." He also announced that
members of the government delegation had been selected. The
meetings between the two sides, he said, would be
"continuous" and private.
Delegation members are Justice Minister Oscar
Santamaria; Presidency Minister Col. Antonio Martinez
Bareta; attorneys Abelardo Torres and Hector Contreras; and,
writer Hugo Escobar Galindo.
The government's goodwill gesture is apparently action
in response to requests that rebel wounded be permitted to
leave the country for medical treatment. Cristiani
announced that on Sept. 8, the executive would introduce a
bill in the legislature to permit rebel war wounded to leave
El Salvador.
[In statements to reporters on Sept. 6, Cristiani said
that the Geneva Convention does not apply to El Salvador
because the FMLN is acting outside the law, and therefore,
"there is no state of war." Nonetheless, he said, accords
of a humanitarian nature could be developed that would
permit more than one wounded guerrilla to leave the
country.] (Basic data from Notimex, 09/05-07/89; New York
Times, 09/06/89; AFP, 09/07/89)
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EL SALVADOR
*********************
EL SALVADOR: REPORT ON AIR WAR
On Sept. 7, the AP reported that the Salvadoran
military has stepped up its air war on suspected guerrilla
positions near towns in Chalatenango department. Local
residents say civilians are terrified because rockets, bombs
and bullets have hit homes in the area.
For instance, in an Aug. 19 air raid, the village of
Las Flores was left with rocket craters, and strafing damage
to a dozen homes and other property. Sister Teresa Racia
told AP, "Only by the providence of God was none of the
children killed." She said more than 200 children were
playing around the school building when a helicopter gunship
arrived and one rocket crashed into a hillside 60 yards away
and a second just 15 yards away.
A few minutes after the UH-1M gunship blasted the
surrounding cornfields and hills, a C-47 warplane strafed
the village with .50-caliber machine guns firing.
Rev. Miguel Vasquez, a Roman Catholic priest in nearby
Arcatao, said an A-37 dropped four bombs Aug. 20 at the
hamlet of Santa Rita, damaging three houses. Peasant
farmers Andres Cordova and Felipe Orellana said their
hamlet, Los Pozos, was strafed the same day. Orellana said
six houses were damaged and everyone was terrified.
The military claims air strikes are made only against
military targets. In El Salvador, few areas are far from
civilians. The danger of catastrophe--such as a direct hit
on the Las Flores school--has reportedly increased because
new anti-aircraft weapons acquired by rebels force military
pilots to attack from higher altitudes and therefore with
less accuracy.
EL SALVADOR: REBEL COMMANDOS LAUNCH SIMULTANEOUS
ATTACKS AGAINST MILITARY POSTS IN SAN SALVADOR SUBURBS
On Sept. 6, rebel commandos simultaneously attacked
military posts in at least four different suburbs of San
Salvador. According to the National Police, in the western
part of the city, rebels attacked with rifle fire and
explosives National Police and Belloso Battalion personnel
stationed at guard posts surrounding the headquarters of the
Central Election Council (CCE). The CCE is located in one
of the capital's most exclusive residential neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, rebel commando units attacked military
guards at the home of Agriculture and Livestock Minister
Antonio Cabrales.
In the northern area of the city, rebels attacked
military posts in the Miralvalle and San Ramon suburbs.
According to a National Police report, on the same day,
rebels dynamited electricity cables in the La Mascota and
Escalon neighborhoods.
Official sources reported that on Sept. 5, army troops
suffered 19 casualties in an operation aimed at containing
guerrilla violence in the capital city and environs. (Basic
data from Notimex, 09/06/89)
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GUATEMALA
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GUATEMALA: TELEPHONE COMPANY OFFICES BOMBED
On Sept. 6, police in Guatemala City reported that a
grenade thrown into the third floor offices of the
Guatemalan Telecommunications Enterprise shattered many
windows and damaged furniture and equipment. One person was
wounded, although over 50 people were in the building at the
time of the explosion. The blast also caused damage to four
cars parked nearby. (Basic data from AFP, 09/06/89)
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NICARAGUA
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NICARAGUA: TOP LEVEL CONTRA COMMANDER
KILLED IN CLASH WITH ARMY
According to a report broadcast by government station
Radio Sandino on Sept. 7, contra commander Rafael Rodriguez
Valle (a.k.a. Nelson), and seven of his men died Sept. 3 in
a clash with government troops near Waslala, Jinotega
department, 160 km. northeast of Managua.
Rodriguez, commander of the "Hermenegildo Gonzalez
Valle" company of the Fifth Operational Brigade, entered
Nicaraguan territory from Honduras with 39 men on Aug. 20.
Their mission was to carry supplies, communications
equipment, 250 million cordobas (about $10,000) and a "large
quantity of dollars" to contras operating inside Nicaragua.
The government estimates that 2,000 contras are currently
engaged in offensive operations in Nicaraguan territory.
The supplies were solicited from the CIA by contra
fighters pertaining to Democratic Revolutionary Alliance
(ARDE), the Wenceslao Aviles Independent Front and the Jorge
Salazar II Battalion, said Radio Sandino.
The 27-year-old Rodriguez Valle joined the contra army
in 1983 and was named task force chief in 1985. Later he
became an top commander of the Jorge Salazar II Battalion.
The Battalion's operations were concentrated in eastern
Nicaragua.
According to the radio report, the surviving 32 contras
scattered after the clash with the army. In addition to all
the cash, they made off with as much of the supplies as they
could carry.
Radio Sandino said the contra high command has ordered
the capture and assassination of Rodriguez Valle's security
guard who are charged with robbing the money. Because of
the robbery, said the radio report, the contras cannot
justify the failure of the mission to the CIA.
*********************
PANAMA
*********************
PANAMA'S PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT: SUMMARY OF
DEVELOPMENTS, REACTIONS, SEPT. 1-7
Sept. 1: Former comptroller Francisco Rodriguez was
sworn in as provisional president of Panama at a brief
ceremony. He was appointed president by Panama's Council of
State on Aug. 31. (See CAU 09/01/89, for coverage of
selection process, descriptions of new president and vice
president.)
--In a statement from the White House, President George
Bush said: "The United States will not recognize any
government installed by General Noriega. Our ambassador
will not return, and we will not have any diplomatic contact
with the Noriega regime...The United States will continue to
take other steps, including the tightening of measures to
deprive the illegal regime of funds that belong to the
Panamanian people."
--Brent Scowcroft, national security adviser to
President Bush, told reporters that the US has decided not
to impose new macro-economic sanctions against Panama,
result of concern for Panamanians' welfare. Scowcroft was
speaking aboard the aircraft carrying President Bush back to
the summer White House in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Scowcroft said current sanctions will be maintained,
despite acknowledged ineffectiveness, "until Noriega is
willing to acquiesce to the will of the Panamanian
people...I wouldn't rule out escalation, but we don't have
any specific plans."
In April 1988 Washington froze Panamanian government
assets in the US. The US government has also imposed trade
sanctions and prohibited certain payments to Panama's
government by US citizens and companies.
--US embassy officials in Panama City said Washington
is compiling a list of companies and individuals associated
with Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega for the purpose of
prohibiting them from carrying out any business transactions
with US citizens.
--US State Department spokesperson Margaret Tutwiler
said embassy functions in Panama City would not change.
Most diplomatic contacts with the Panamanian government had
been phased out since President Eric Arturo Delvalle was
deposed in February 1988. In May this year, when the
government annulled elections, Washington recalled
Ambassador Arthur Davis. Tutwiler added that there are no
immediate plans for personnel changes at the embassy.
The spokesperson pointed out that President Bush's
statement did not mean a break in diplomatic relations with
Panama, since the embassy will continue to function.
Meanwhile, Panama will continue without diplomatic
representation in the US. After Delvalle's ouster, his
ambassador to the US, Juan Sosa, delivered custody of
Panama's embassy and consultates in the US to the State
Department. Until Sept. 1, Washington recognized Sosa as
ambassador to the US.
--In response to Washington's decisions to deny
recognition to the new government, and to cut off diplomatic
relations, Rodriguez said in a nationwide broadcast on
Friday night that "as an eminently peaceful people,"
Panamanians "have not been, nor do they want to be enemies
of the American people." He called on the US government to
recognize that its "policy of high-handedness" against
Panama "does not respond, by any account, to the sensible
and realistic execution of many of their interests that we
accept and recognize." Rodriguez added, "I am sure there
are many important interests of the United States that can
be compatible with the national interests of Panama without
undermining their prestige or sacrificing our dignity."
Rodriguez asked for international solidarity,
especially from Latin American governments, with "the
Panamanian struggle against interventionism, imperialism and
neocolonialism."
The new president committed his administration to
organizing new elections and handing over power to elected
civilians as soon as adequate conditions are in place. One
of the conditions is "a guarantee that elections can be held
without foreign interference and manipulation." Other
conditions are the termination of US economic sanctions
against Panama, and the return of about $300 million in
Panamanian assets impounded by the US to the country's
treasury.
--During a news conference transmitted via satellite to
Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Uruguay, Argentina,
Brazil and Peru, Deputy Asst. Secretary of State for Inter-
American Affairs Michael Kozak said the US had not discarded
the option of military intervention in Panama. He added
that this decision was in President Bush's hands.
Kozak noted that Washington would not need to send
troops to Panama since a large number of US soldiers are
already stationed in that country.
The official asserted that the Bush administration is
committed to seeing Noriega punished under the law because
in addition to his alleged stature as one of Central
America's principal drug traffickers, he has protected
Medellin cartel members and permitted the laundering of drug
profits in Panama. Kozak said that Panama's problem is not
the Canal, but rather a moral conflict brought about by
Panamanians' desire to see the end of Gen. Noriega's
dictatorship.
Next, Kozak said that US military personnel are on the
alert to prevent Noriega's aggression against persons
charged with Canal maintenance. Such operations, he said,
are "strategic."
--Costa Rica, Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia,
Brazil, Chile and Argentina have recalled their ambassadors
to Panama.
Rodriguez said none of the countries deciding to
withdraw ambassadors have notified Panama of a break in
relations.
--According to a statement by the Costa Rican Foreign
Ministry, the government of President Oscar Arias has
decided not to recognize Panama's provisional government.
The new government was described as "unconstitutional."
[On Aug. 31, Arias called on Latin American governments
to recall their ambassadors to Panama as a gesture of
protest. He said Costa Rican ambassador Jorge Emilio
Regidor would not return to Panama City until Panama
restores legal institutions.
Arias asserted that Guillermo Endara, presidential
candidate of the Civic Opposition Democratic Alliance (ADOC)
in the annulled May elections, is Panama's legitimate
president.
Last week the Panamanian government said it had
dismantled a group of Panamanians planning sabotage and
destabilization. These actions were to be launched from the
Costa Rican city of Neilly, located on the Panamanian-Costa
Rican border.]
--Unidentified US officials cited by Copley News
Service (09/02/89) said that another tactic against Noriega
consists of an attempt to revoke the US citizenship of
Orville Goodin, who served as finance minister under the
administration of outgoing president Manuel Solis Palma.
Born in Jamaica, Goodin became a naturalized US citizen
before moving to Panama. The officials said Washington has
initiated legal steps to revoke Goodin's US citizenship
because of his service as a Panamanian government official.
Sept. 2: Rodriguez met with leaders of the
Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) and other officials to
form a cabinet.
--In a statement issued in Paris, the European Economic
Community said the administration in Panama is "without
institutional legitimacy." It called for a solution that
would allow the Panamanian people to choose their own
government.
--Guillermo Ford, ADOC vice presidential candidate in
the May elections, told Notimex that the opposition will not
engage in dialogue with the provisional government.
According to Ford, opposition militants are not closed to
dialogue, but it would have to take place in the context of
a legitimate government.
--After a meeting of the ADOC leadership, spokespersons
said the Alliance had decided to launch a civil disobedience
campaign on Sept. 4. The campaign will consist of street
demonstrations and delaying payments to the government for
light, water and telephone services, as well as tax and
social security contributions. Spokespersons said they
expected more than 600,000 citizens to participate.
ADOC leaders said they had resolved not to purchase
newspaper space or broadcast time on government media
channels "to attack the dictatorship" that appointed
Rodriguez president because "it was he who managed the
military regime's finances."
Guillermo Endara criticized new US sanctions that will
prohibit transactions by US citizens with Panamanian firms
connected with Noriega or his "associates." He said this
measure will serve only to "castigate" innocent employees
and managers of more than 100 important Panamanian
companies.
Sept. 3: Rodriguez announced that six of the 11-member
cabinet under Solis Palma would continue in their posts.
They are Orville Goodin, Finance and Treasury; Juan Bosco
Bernal, Education; Jose Renan Esquivel, Health; Elmo
Martinez Blanco, Commerce and Industry; Darian Ayala,
Agricultural Development; and, Gustavo R. Gonzalez, Economic
Policy and Planning.
Five new ministers announced by Rodriguez follow:
Olmedo Miranda, Government and Justice; Hidalgo Fung, Public
Works; George Fishel, Labor and Social Welfare; Arturo Diez,
Housing; and, Augusto Valderrama, Presidency.
The provisional government will appoint a 41-member
legislative commission to replace the assembly, whose term
also expired Sept. 1.
Sept. 4: About 100 people shouting "Down with Noriega!"
gathered outside the Christ the King Roman Catholic Church.
ADOC leader Endara urged them to participate in civil
disobedience.
--Government and Justice Minister Olmedo Miranda
announced strict prohibitions against all public
demonstrations.
--Organization of American States Secretary General
Joao Baena Soares said member-nations had not adopted any
type of collective decision to isolate Panama.
--In Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Panama's new vice president,
Carlos Ozores, told a press conference that prospects for
resolving the Panamanian political crisis do not look good
as long as the US continues its policy of aggression, much
less resorts to force. Ozores was acting as chief of
Panama's delegation at the Non-Aligned Movement summit.
--The US Embassy in Panama released a list of 152
names, including all members of the cabinet and the 14
members of the Panamanian Defense Forces Strategic Command.
Embassy officials told reporters that US companies and
government agencies are forbidden from making purchases from
individuals on the blacklist or their companies.
US government agencies in Panama spend almost $900
million on goods and services in Panama. The measure will
affect millions paid by the US Southern Command and the
Panama Canal Commission to companies on the list for goods
and services.
The officials said they plan to release a list of
companies owned by Noriega or his close associates within
days.
Sept. 5: In an interview with Notimex, Gen. Noriega
requested support from Latin America to construct a new
republic, and "respect for this country as a sovereign
people." He was interviewed after meeting with a US
delegation of Vietnam war veterans.
Noriega said the US veterans had a genuine concept of
war, "which is a matter of life and death." He added that
the delegation was visiting Panama to collect information
about "our ambitions and potential...as a threat to the
United States."
The general said the US veterans can provide symbolic
support, but "what we need is for the world to know the
truth" of what goes on in Panama. The real struggle in
Panama, he added, is against hunger and underdevelopment.
According to Noriega, the provisional government has
given the opposition the opportunity to participate in
dialogue, but instead opposition leaders are waiting for the
United States for orders, and to deliver the government to
them.
Philip Jones, spokesperson for the seven Vietnam
veterans, said their visit to Panama was in the interest of
peace. He said the group traveled to Panama to investigate
the domestic situation in light of possible US intervention.
Jones said the delegation would inform other veterans and
the US public of their findings.
--In statements released in Panama City, the European
Economic Community, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Peru, Barbados,
Venezuela and Guatemala said they would not recognize the
provisional government and had recalled their ambassadors.
The above Latin American governments criticized the
"apathy and lack of interest" by some Latin American nations
who did not articulate a strong position on Panama at the
most recent special session of the OAS.
Sept. 6: Interim Foreign Minister Gustavo Gonzalez said
Panama is drafting a new foreign policy aimed at countering
US-inspired efforts to diplomatically isolate the country.
The "long arm" of the US has put pressure on other countries
to distance themselves from Panama, he said.
Gonzalez, former minister of planning and economy,
named an eight-member commission on Sept. 4 to restructure
foreign policy and to recommend actions to counter
condemnation by some countries opposed to the newly named
provisional government. Along with the US, a number of
European nations, as well as Japan, Israel and several Latin
American nations have registered their displeasure with the
appointment of Francisco Rodriguez as provisional president.
The commission has been asked to elaborate a strategy
to smoothe over relations with many nations, "especially
those in the European Economic Community," Gonzalez said.
He added that the foreign ministry is also "anxiously
awaiting" the reaction from some Latin American countries
that have not yet stated their position on the Panamanian
situation.
Sept. 7: At a ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of
the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Canal treaty, President
Rodriguez reiterated that the US has violated the 1977
accords. Washington's actions on Sept. 1 and after, he
said, represent an escalation of intimidation and violence
against Panamanian territory.
Rodriguez said Panama has continually demonstrated its
willingness to abide by the 1977 accords. He added that
the accords, aimed at maintaining efficient and open access
to inter-oceanic transit, have been responsibly observed bly
Panama. (Basic data from AFP, 09/01/89, 09/06/89; New York
Times, 09/02/89; AP, 09/02/89, 09/04/89; Copley News
Service, 09/02/89; Xinhua, 09/02/89, 09/04/89, 09/07/89;
Notimex, 09/02-05/89, 09/07/89)
PANAMA: ON DAMAGE TO ECONOMY, RESULT OF U.S. ACTIONS
On Aug. 27, at the conclusion of a meeting of 150 Latin
American entrepreneurs in Panama City, president of the
Democratic Revolutionary Party, Carlos Duque, said US
economic sanctions caused the loss of $2 billion in revenue
in 1988. This year, said Duque, Panama's gross domestic
product is expected to shrink by 21%.
The PRD president said 70,000 Panamanians had lost
their jobs, government revenues had dropped by half, and
hundreds of small- and medium-sized businesses have been
bankrupted. (Basic data from Xinhua, 08/28/89)
PANAMANIAN LABOR CONFEDERATION LEADER SUPPORTS NORIEGA,
BUT DEMANDS GOVERNMENT INCLUDE LABOR IN POLICY-MAKING
On Aug. 28, Panamanian Workers Confederation (CTP)
secretary general Mauro Murillo said that most of the CTP's
265,000 members would go to the streets if the government
does not implement policy changes responding to the "popular
sectors" on or shortly after Sept. 1. In statements to
Notimex, Murillo warned that the continuing absence of
"dialogue" on the country's political crisis between the
government on the one hand, and labor and other social
sectors will aggravate social discontent, and aggravate the
crisis.
Murillo said that the CTP had proposed the formation of
a provisional government on Sept. 1 that would include
popular sector representation. He said a new formula for
governing, or a national reconstruction program in which the
working class has an important role, must emerge.
According to the labor leader, workers have suffered
the most from the economic crisis, created in part by US
economic sanctions. He added that unemployment is very
high, "at least 16%."
CTP membership accounts for almost 40% of the national
work force. Included are public employees in of
communications, eelectricity, water, and transportation
services. Private sector employees belonging to the
confederation range from agricultural workers to teachers
and other professionals.
In an interview with Copley News Service on Aug. 30,
Murillo said he is a strong supporter of Gen. Manuel
Noriega. However, he said the government had thus far
failed to consult organized labor on the composition of the
new government.
"We have made the most sacrifices in the last couple of
years, and we deserve to be heard," he said. "Instead, we
have been ignored." (Basic data from Notimex, 08/28/89;
Copley News Service, 08/31/89)
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