EFORTS BY CIVILIAN GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO PERSUADE T

Created: 3/1/1995

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

Current Classifications

CIA

DIfttfSA. DEPT OF STATE//FOR INR, OfA WASHINGTON

DC. OA WASHINGTON DC. CNO WASHINGTON DC. OiC WASHINGTON DC. CSaF WASHINGTON DC. TREASURY DEPT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATIONSCISCSO QUaRRT HEIGHTS PH.

COUNTAT:

SUPJ:

EFFORTSIVILIAN CtfATE-tALAN COvERKMEHT PERSUADE TTtE MLITaRT TO COLLAJORATENVESTIGATION OF THtCASE

OFFICIALS

5

SUXKaAY: NONE TEXT: 1*

E FESRUART SENIOROVERN^EhT OFFICIALS NET TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITYHOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF FORMER GUATEKAL-AJi" REVOLUTIONARY ORGANIZATION OF THE PEOPLE IS AAftS <ORPa) COKKANDER EFRaINArtACA)) VEUSQUEi. ALIAS "CO^DaNTE EVERAADO," TKE KEET1NG INCLUDED CIVILIAN MMCJES

rtlLITARY OFFICERS aXD ftEtfBERS OF THE CUATEJIaLaN GOVERK/iENT PEACE COJOllSSlONHO WERE REPRESENTING PRESIDENT RAJ11R0E LEON)) CAAFIO.

ACCORDING OVERXrllXT OFFICIAL. AH INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS PRESENT

ust

CuVcent Classificationr>

THE MEETING SAIDWERE NOT VERY suppoa7ive

OF THE INITIATIVE.aFTEA BEINC TOLD IT HAO THE FULL IaCKINC OF PRESIDENT DS tSON.

3. EMBER OF COFAZ TRIED TO PERSUADE THE MILITARY OFFICERS IO WORK TOWARDSRUTHFUL amd CREDIBLE VERSION OF THE EVENTS LEADING TO THt DEaTH OF HE IA pla IN id THAT THE MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS CIRCULATING ABOUT lANACA'SOF THEM OFFICIAL OR SEMl-OFfic1al--DO NOTHINC BUT DISCREDIT THt CUATEKALAN COVERNKENT AMD COULD YETAJOR OBSTACLE IN THE PEACE PROCESS. THE MILITARY OFFICERS BEaCIED WITH SOKE HOSTILITY. SATING THE EXECUTIVE WAS TRTING TO FORCE THE MILITARY TO COME UP UITH SCAPEGOATS. THt CIVILIANS AT THE MEETING DISAGREED WITH THt MILITARY OFFICERS. AND SUGGESTEDETTER SOLUTION WOULD It FOR THE ARM TO ADMIT IT HAD RaMACa. and THAT SAKaCa HAD COOPERATED WITH THE ARMY. THIS SUGGESTION WaS ALSO REJECTED BY THE MILITARY OFFICERS. WHO SAID THAT THE VERSION OF EVENTS CLAIMING BAMACA WAS KILLED IN COMSAT "as TRUTHFUL.

A. BECAUSE an ACIEEmENT COULD NOT IE REACHED ON THt PROPOSEO INVESTIGATION. OR IVtM IF AM IHVtSTICATION WOULD BE PURSUED ST THE MILITAAT, THt COFAZ MEMBER SUGGESTEDILITARY COMMISSION STUDY THt MATTERRIORITY BASIS. THE CROUP ACRECOOMMISSION WOULD It FORMED COMFOSfD OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. MIIITaRF INTCLLICCMCE. THE PRESIDENTIAL STAFF. AND THE NATIONAL DEFEHSt STAFF.

b

LATE FEBRUARY AS AWARE Or THE DISCUSSIONS AT THE LATE FEBRUARY

MEETING SAID TKaTDOIS NOTHE MILITARY COMMISSION IO BETOEINVESTIGATION OF THE BaMACa CaSE will IE USEFUL oiye *VERSION OF EVENTS RELATED TO BaIaCa. AffJBi

IHi MILITARYl RESISTq" CIVILIANS IN IHE EXtCUTIVt BRANCH. BECAUSE IT FEELS IT WOULD HAVE TO COMPROMISt SOME OF ITS OFFICERS AND aDMIT TO WROJiCOOINC. *JMbhBBBBBBBbV COMMENTED THAT IN REALITY. THERE IS NO NEED FOR ABUTEED rOR THE MILITARY TO IE FORTHCOMING ABOUT WHAT IT ALREADY KNOWS ABOUT THt CASE.

:

ARE TRTING TO ENLIST THl SUPPORT OF KINISTCR OF OCTCNSt CEnERaI MARIO RENENRIQUEZ)) MORALES TO KAVt THE ARMY COKE UPIFFERENT-D PORE TaUTHFUL" VERSION OF EVENTS. aBVJfHJBJJpjJi cnr1quu IS ISTINC TC II OPEN. AAnPLE. HE KOIZD EMIQUEZL THt UNITED NATIONS HUNAN RICHTS VERIFICATION MISSION IN GUATEMALAIST OF FORMER UINC COMBATANTS WHO ARE COLUIORATINC WITH THE ARMY. WHICH WOULD HAVE BttN UNLIKELYHORT TIME AGO. THE MINISTER HAS ALREADY BEEN TOLD BY CIVILIAN OFFICIALSATISFACTORY RESOLUTION Or THE BAMACA CASt IS URCEMIT NEEDED. WHILE THERE IS SIUL SOME HOPE FOR SUPPORT FROMtRBBBBlTftaTaRBBBBBVlN)REONG way FROMANDID AND FORTHCOMING MILITARY ON THl BAMACA AFFAIR.

Original document.

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