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O.S r. 7'?. t: .CJOO 9 t/'f .ss: ~SZ:· ?"f.e . ooo7i2

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MILITARY L~TELLIGENCE SUMMARY (MIS), VOLUME VIII LATIN AMERICA (U)

NOVEM BER 1979

uere,.•• r

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ti!LlTARY lNTELLlCENC~ SUHtiART VUS) , VOLUt1E \'I ll LATltl AMERI CA (U)

DDB-2680-lOSA-79

Infot"'Dat to n Cutof f D<l t e : Scpl<mber 1979

Thi s public~tlon supersedes HIS-Voluoe Ylll . Sepl caber 1979 .

(DDB-2680- 108-79) :-'b i~h should b~ de s troyC!d

11•1s Is a Depo r tmen t ~ f D<:fe nse ln tell i~e n~ e l'otument prtf'l~i"<!<l by t he \.fe&ttrn iUv i a ion

Dlrec tot<~:te f o r Rece• r ch, Da: Ccnse 1n t:cllige nc:e J\Sa nc:.t

of4e i itECEASWULE I 8 fl!!lfttiltl NA,.Oh .. t$

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PREfACE

(C~ Tne MilitaTy l ntl@l·l1Seocc Sucmary {HlS), publicbed in e1gh t volume~ ~ is a synopsis of atlitary 1dtelligente ~~rldwide. Intended to s,u·•e as 3 r eady ce1e.r~ace, the HI S pr eler'l tG ,. Coa p11.,;.t1on of i GUlligenc e on tl10s~ fo'C'c.es W t.eh contribute to th-e • i llt•ry e:eeurit)' o ( each coun try, and on the pOlitical and econoa.ii::: factors e ffect ing the eowtry~e: m1 Utary capabil ity. Published semiannually, t l\c HIS s e rves to update. inforaation in other ~lA publicatio~c.

(U) Onl e1s otherwise indicated , the 1n1o~t1on in Volu:es I V and VIII is tha t avaibble in DtA as cr I April an<! 1 October . The data c.utofl d'atc tor the ot1\er volumes is 1 January' and 1 July ,

(U) lnfonaa tL)n staaarit~d i n the M!S is available in detail in nuce r ou$ DlA pub l1ca t1onc . A l tc t of celated public.et1o~s, both c•­pletad Qnd scheduled. is pub lished i n the Resister Of lntelltaenee Pobllc3tion• ( DDS-2600-37-79) · · and t he. Defenoe lntelll~ence troduetlon Sehodule (DOM-2&0()-35A-i9). :ihc lntelUgen:ce lloers Outde .(DDP-i600-39 7- 79.) expla l a.s hov to obte.in finished intell1g~a.ce :products and servi ces frca OL\. ·

(U) Add res sees ate requestC.d to forva~ inforution ·\lhich will cu ppleuent or corr~ct this volvae • . Ques tions and eoluaents · should: b e r~ferred in writing to t.he Def~nse ln t• lligencf! Agency '.(A'tfN: D8-3E) , Washln&ton , D. C. 20301.

Hi ( Revene Blank)

SECRET (Thfol pti'O Is CO•IFI8Ef4fl~

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liECf\.LT

TABLE OF CONTE~TS

ORl~tfTAriON HAP

ARCENl"l NA BOLIV I A BRAZIL CH IL£ COLOIIBIA CUBA DOMINI~~ ~PUBLIC

.ECUADO~ EL SALVN>OR CUATE'tAu CUYAKA HAITI HOIIDUR•IS JM!Al CA MEXICO NICAMCUA PANMIA

.- ·· PARACUA)"

Pf>II!J IJRUCU,\X YENuVEU.

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GECRLI Th l6 P"Q c Is UNCU\SSlfl&O

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J. C"e(lf:OFGkftt Poli.ct e-al - M.J..litary Situation: Cuatemah h: a republic vith • pOpularly Gleeted President and l.etlslature. The •111 t a ry are a pervasive · ·pa rt · of th~ system of gove rnment, both nationa l ~nd local.

'The cu r rent level of a111t•ry influence ill' considered h1&h and is expected to cont1n~1e o.t tbit level fo r the foteMe.ablc future. 'nte current Pre~dd~nt, · Ha.jor Ceuera l Fernando Ro'O'I eo Lucas C.ttrc ia . \oi O$ ~naugurated on I Jul y 1978 foe 8 4- ye&r teTm . The t wo r 6tired ~111tory of fic~ts who oppo sed hlm in. the . electio n appe ar to have stepped dl)v.l fa-om the ~litic:"l sc·~ne , thereby removin& a · potenthl. cause <If f ac­t1<Hi811ica i n che ailit.ary o fficer · coCps a nd · f.aC:!li.tatln:g loyalty t o wc·ae ~m.ong a111"t:a ry of f icers.

(iJ(titiPetUi) p-r esident Luc 3&" record to date has not becht i•.pressive~ ltls administration h~s a.ade fev pol icy innovationS' , and much o f i t to energy e.p~TS tO have been 5p.ent ltt bu reauc ratic: · joc:key~ng .3tld rutti ng ou~ ftres. Its p-erfo~ance, thu.& fer, ·pl•e:e s · i t vell 1<1lll,1n the co11servattv~ : ca.ol'd of its predecessor. . Luces hi•self lw.s not shovn (o~ceful .leadetsh1p, and the level of ~o~petence of his C3bine t appears \.'Cak.

('t~ltePORif) The Luea~ goycnnee.nt, . ea..-lY in itc te('ID 1 serv(!d notic e that· ft wOUl d not t olerate deeonCt•a tlOn6 laCk..if\C pclor •uthot'lr.atton. This · aet .. t:he stage for c l~aha.s · wi t h labor ahd othe.r . left1st oppo-sition org• n1catl0hc Wllic.h httd &t'own eaboldened during · th~ eore pe l:1111selve ,yearc cf: CX- P-rec"ident t.aug.~rUd . . M Oc. CQ:ber 1978 t neiden c: Upos~d the u~~an· .ptabl~.. 'Beg tnftlng aa t\ protest over enn~un~ements of o 5-ccn t lnc:·~ase · ln bus f are ((rom ·S to ·10 cents); the event wa G soon fiollowed by · "Widec-p~ead .strike& and lsbor .unres t.· The p~tu.t, f uel .c-d a t t:ir:aes by le.ft1at· .. Ctoderi·cs .and po.l1 t1cal and uni<On 8t"Out)e, de g.enerat ed l nt o tlottr\a~ .. ·wc.S.s rinB-lly t:H~ted. t.o . heavy ·cr1t.1cha :from varioUs eectors,

... vhich 'b.acke<i· his «Gft>•i&n, by or~eriag !the: pollc~ to ao•~ vlth fin~~nCS$ eglltnst ~·tr.lkt:rt and · protestors to ~ring the 9 ·d•ys of vtolenc.e: under c.ontrol .. · Had ·:the disorderc continued, they vould · have . posed • · serious thre.ii t(t the Lucas s overnl'llct0t"'6 . c:ontinu.ll'~e l n pover.- The illtlic.f.ry stood bli<:lc and allowed Lu<:a s to deal wi th tbe pr.oble.& o&ing the l.faC1t\na l ?oltc:e . .Th.e r1Qting was c:urbed , but bus t are hac remAined at ftve centS.

(t;'119f~ ltuman rights co;~tinu<' to suffe r from. tha Covo rnm.ent • s 1~b1li t)r t o dea l ef fe c tively '"'ith h i g h le•el8 of violence . Duc..int the per lod Luees ho s b~~n i.n offit~, th~ re hAve boQn reporte of a. rQvhal of tJn &ucicritU.nal "den rh squad:' So~:~~e of th~ recen t murders ~nd r.y$t.~­~1ous d icappearan.ces htwe been att ri but ed to 'uch • sroup, po5$i bly acting. ·b·ehind the faead<!: o( . a '• sec ret Al\tl- Coc:maun1st Army . '' Violo •lt oc: ts e.ga.inac pOlitica l 3nd l abot' pers.onal1tlte.a hn.ve in~ro.6ed &J.nce t he OCtober l 978 cr1cl6. Covcrn~ent act lo ns itt dea l ing vlth chnt ts:sve tesulted in the ditiUlf\tline, of ro.OGt pub l ic sec:t.Ot:' l •bor SCOUfiS .

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At t(mt i•,n now seem,; to foe. us otl pcivt\te sc<.tor labor sroups, with ·violence dlrec;ted at union leader s.

(.CIU8Pefl:t0 tn t he a rea of poli t ical rl&htt, the flcs t n•v p"<>litlcal part its in 10 y~e.rs ha ve ·been cert1fie:<l during the fir~t y~or of . Lucas' ade1nistn t1on . A tot.Bl o( 16 new part!c s had file-d applicat:1on$, and as Of Scpte1111be r 1979 t 4 h3d been c.crti Hed. 1neludtns 1 le f tist p3.rty,. tho ~~ (,Fr ente de Unldad Revolue i onar io--Unlted Revolut1onar}' FroC\t. The leader .o( tMs P'lrly .e-nd. fot'111er Kayor of G-u~ tem.sla City, Ha0\Ull Coloa A.rgue.ta·, w•& aurdered 11'1 """rch 1979, seve ral day5 after his

: party had at't;alne.d c.Crtificetion. · Th i s and; the murder of Socia l Deoocr-atic. l eader and foru.er Foretgn Kini,ter, A.l be reo Fu~ntes Mohr, 2 aOnths earlier. is 3 sctbsck to· the ao~ftent t o open . t hc po11tiea~ors for : '-fider c hotcee . and 10ore · op~n .e lec tio•'s. Army C1\1e f of Sta ff, Holjor GenC:ral O.vid Cancinos Ba.rt:ios, -who was scheduled to be elevated to . the posi t ion of llin1tter of ~fensf! ·ort 1 July 1979. and cons idered by •.atlY a$ . President . W e. as' cho~ce es successor to cho Presidency, was ecsas­~inated on 10 J~nc 1979 •

. (~lttet·'el\:te SOS!e o f tho. iGS\IC.S· whic h th(! Luc:.as g.ove r:naaent mus t

address arl): Jnflstion.ty pre$sures on th(! .p-oor (12-.1 ' perc&rtt pet ye.er for t:be past 4 years), c·rovl~ l abor: aillt.anc:y . tnd lett- a l\4 r~ghc-ving Violence, al111ed ~t s.oe1oec0nomlc · t"edress and t.nt1mida t1on o( pol itical op~ne_~ts • . .

( e/ueP&JtN) t ·he ulid-197 6 re aurtence ·of e xt i-e=e ·le Ct terroris:t .actl\li'ti.~s c.on tlnu.ed iTt to .1979, ·but most le rt ter ror ist. acte during the first: 9· •ont~s of. th~ year . Occurred away ft'om . the ~ap1t.al ci ty~

.nte . Cuatemela~ Army Of the l'oor- (ECP) has be~n t~ a ost ac.tlve croup. ·and ·lts · tert"Ol' · let iOns· h.a.v .. ·been ·l•rge ly in t he no rthern .porttoas ·o f

. Hue:ltu.eteoan&,o-- and Quiehf: . l)eport•ea.tc. · ECP p1::op8ganda actlvS.dec have · al&<> occud:ed ·alo·ng· t he l'&ei fic. coa1n11 region ,Jnd in the ·cap( tal cl·ty~ teiror1st actc h3 ve· run ·tbe br<:~ad s pectp m fr:oa sbo rt term _.el&u.re and -propag:andhint .or · "uall: tows to mut"ders and kidneppings. Oo.e c;»f the more bizarre 1nt 1d'en.ts . wa.s .tbe · AprU 1979 EGP takto•e: r of the town· of Scm ·Miguel de ·us pantan in centr.t~~ l Qutchi Depa r:tcaent, 1A1ere town people were · coerced int o a ttendiflg propas anda lecture& in t ile t own's central p le1.a. Tb i s · a c t ion · f o lloved the J a tu.)• ry 1 !79 •e1 &UT e of Nebaj i.n' we n-central Quiche Depart mc:mt . Wi tn esses to bo tt\ of these inctde~tiiS clai med that CuateiDal•n lndh.l'& 'W~t"t 3mon,e th~ &G~ &roup. . .

HI/U8!'6ft:tf~ Since J anuary 1977, the Cuatea.a.lan 1\ray h•c conducted counttrhHI~rg.ene y o peretions in n, rthern Qulch& DcP3rt.ment . and . tht Ixe"n kive r . area. but ha& been unabl<' to exert any rc.a.l pressure or .t~~ehieve a deel slve •c. c. ion, p.erc.1ally due to the t'eaotenoes of thea~ a.rell& .and the r ug&ed natur~ of the t cr raio. Ot ho c e Ktre•c LeftiRt.

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terrorist . g roup' , the radical di&sident g ::oup of t be CoCDDuo.i&t Party (PGT) ·.tnd the Rebel Anlled rorc.ec (FAJt), have bet.n act1vQ in pro po­c-anda. acti v-ity but have t ekan credit for only a few terrotiU •ctJs.

+e~1tOPOl<J1' Traditionally, good fceUnsc towa rd the Unlted Ste.te& sour~d .among' the ~:r~ili.taty in 1975 \llhe n th(! \JS did not sell o-Lt7 a ircraft co Cuatceal ,.. R~ l.t t loRS worcened l n 1-'.a"Cch 1977 ~hen l t bec<tCD.e lr.nowt\ t hat t l'le US .Sccreu ry of State ' s report to the US Congress on huaan r ights c'rltl<ilzed Gu;ne:D.41.la f or past abuse& . Cons 1derin& thls to b~ str ictly an ·internal affairs issue ; the Guatemalan Government responded by reje~tln& all OS • illtary a i d and a ll rues- of aliitary eqolp•ent th'a t are condltlon.a.l on the 1Gsue. o't human r ights. !.ate in 1977 ' · the c·uatemlllan Governmen t at temp te<l ·ro'· purchase F-5 . airc raft f rom· the. US . After soa.e d elay, t he rcqvea t ~s denied. In lfllte 1978 , G\tatemala expressed an l ntere•t l o JIUrcbacin& ·the · T-34 ·at r eraft f roa the US t o

. s upport the A.lt Fo rce pilot trainln& prog r am wbi c:h began in February · 1979.. they ve.r~ provided v 1th ptie1ng d ata but c hose. to pur~hnae a

os..Ouar aircraft (Pilatus PC>-7) froai Sv1turland. ~is d tcls1on vas 'b ase d on th r ee filll<:tor·c : f &ar that the . US wOul d aot: cell T-34s t o (iu.atem.sla. thereby subjec:tins their pride to anothe r US refuse.l: the S'-d.s s offer o f prompt delive ry 'and· good tern&; end ass ur ance by tl\e Swiss tb.Jt t he air c r a f t woul4 be .del ivered v ith het'd po1nt6 on which a rmament cao bt. mounte.d fQr use 1n gu'ritter y tcainlag o f nev pUo t&.

(~s'lCOF0!\1" · tO•'&rd the e.nd of·. t he La'U&U 'Ud adatntstration • Cuatemalo r e queste-d to rutae · p.art1e.lpat1oo i n t he lnterna't1o n•l Militar y 'Educe­

. t{.on i)Rd Trainlng (II-lET) proeram . lbi6 reques t wa s · reeetved t oo late ·for constder~ t1o1\ 'In t h'c FY '7 9 I KE'l progrm:a but was lnclu'de4 ·t n n 80 ~eglslatlou . fo·r th• a 01ount o f $2~0,000 . In la t e lla tc h 1979 , the CUet~u..Un Govercuzent vas 1afo~ .throu,eh the .. ,loce-1 piess · that the llouse of . ltep're Sentat ivf.s Md ·d eleted · cuat•&le f-r<Ja~ .IMEt "b&c&us:e of l u h\ailan rt.ghte' recotd under t h.e' LuCas ad111lnl i traiion. · ~le *d re-... ttro~ ce•ct1on.s· · fto11 · Cuatemalafl· Covernaent · off i e.lals . including suggestions t ha t t he US · Mili ta r y Gr<~up a 1ght .be a&ked t-o leav e. . the eoW\tr y.. Tbe Gua tetD.ab.:n Cove:rnse.nt ' ll"'at u offic i&l vot'd a f " tbe ·s t atus of ·!MET and

· this will · no t be fo rthcoming unti l oft.•r the US Se.nat<! tlCtSi on the bill. Nevertheless, the House Act ion oc . I HET for Cuateoala is expected to r e sult i n further coo11ni of US-<;ua tee• l.tn c il i ury 'r e l t.tionc ·&ad 6ignala to the01 a t:omp~ll lng need to continue tbei r search f or other sources: of e.rms , 4::qu1pm~nt~ and tt'eini ... g t o aotn'tain and mode rniz~ t heir •ili tat'y force .

(e/14Ct0Jm) A 111 a jor it~D:I of Gua tema lan na t1o n•l preoc~upetioo !s the future tt tat us of nei ghborin& Be-lize (fo"'erly Britt Gh ltondurosh a Ut\1ted Uns,dom depende ncy. Gu.atetula cla1m6 s.overei&nty over 'Bolb.c b.a sed on te r-r1tot'1a l e.x.plort. t lon Oy Olriatophe r Ol l~.Dbu& and o o Spa ni&h

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coloni•l 'overneent jurisdiction. UK clat.• are ba$ed on tho ~stablish­a e nt of .a ·colony l n 1638 by shi.pwrecked Uriti&ll •tailor&. lbe British "'"'uld like to grant indep~ndence to ~li·ze: but fear cMt i f t hey did, Cuate111!3la -would 1nvadt. Be lite and annex the territ.ory.

Ee/Uererut; Ral• t ions vl.th t.he ·UK have been &pon.dl~.ally te.ncc for e eny years . In J une l977, cercain 1nfla~aetory &tatecca:s by cuateaalan o ( Uc: ia l s , c:<>up l.ed with Cuateca l.a' s expressions of anser c aused by &u:badot::~ Se izure o f a shi pment of 5.56-mm .ruta~u.nitlon de~t1.ned for Cua tcmala, resulted. ln. t he British making a larg~ in.cre.;a.se in t~~r Bell~e g ar rison.. CUateula r esponded by a:aldn,g prepara tions f or • COD:flic.t . I n carJ.y JulY 1977 • . tile cttuatto n '1135 very ten.5e, ·bu~ an a pparent ly productive round of negotiation& m.a'na.ged to relax te.os:ions. lt appears th~t Guat~ala ~~ld a~eept , in principle, t he exist~nce of '•n independ­e nt. . Beli'e, prov ided Gua te.ala t.~Cre ce-d~d some 'terr itory. S-tateae.nts ha ve been c:..:1dc by &evert~l Cua teul1n Cover noent o ! flcial&, since earl y in 1978, t hat would indica te ·a rcl3tivE!ly S!Dall · Cession of land . in southern Be.liz.e IJIOW.d be ·.a.ccepuble to Cuateaala~ 'nlc Lucas · admini­st r a tion ' c st~nee on t he issue is simi l ar t o tha t of t h e Lau&crud ~tovernm~nt ~&-. recognition th•t to tel -cec.ov e~:y of Bclt~e l s b;pOcsiblc: aod will ingness to settle lor .a &mall terr itot"1al ooncession. Neverthe­

' l • ss. , the Luca s govern•ent ~oes not see~:~ to be :.:mxiou.s' to sacrifice t he ~ountry' s bistor~cal claia just to put the i~cue to r~st. Tbe· future of negotiations 11 ~.c:~rc;e1n. but 1ndlcat1o~s a r e that the .Q.t.eteaelan Governmen t 6enfe& it bas: more to aai.n by C:IQt>loyin; the t•ctlc of delo.y then di&:playing .an active interest 'i n recOlv ing · t'he ~ssue •

. ~'8/Ue!'enx' Another preoccupation i s f ear t ha t the OJbeo e:upported

Sa nd1n.fste c;uc.c:e.ss i~ Nltar atua 4nd the po t enUttlly explosive citu.f.tion 1n El ' Salvador. will lead to· 1nt~n s1f ied inte rnal security . ptoblems for Cu•t~mal.a . · Prestd'eot Lucas· has c e.t with the . Presid.C!nts of El ·selv•dor and Kondur&G to 41£cuss the s ituation and has ·d~ded t o provid~ e~onoa­i c. aia in an ef.fort to' M.lp rebuild . Nicaragua'. ~ lcC:a~ l>ustne u es a nd 11.iddle class. Tt · is hoped ·" t.hat these s ee tor& Yill · have!! • moderating e ffect on tl\e · direc(ion of the Sandinista gove.rnnent, thus llinumhln.g t he 1nt,e t'n.at1one1 raaifJc.at i oP$ o f the Nie ar.agu.s.n' c revolutionary z eal. ne .cl t.Udt lon in &1 Sal".e.dor is. ~aorc cocplex. The CU• t emalcns are w1~1 1ng to to:up'port any anti-Commvnist reg ime . HoweVer. the. Curl'ent El Sa lvadoran t'egimc i s perc<!lved .as being beyond llelp, tnd the Cuateru.Lans arc uneure exactly bov to help prevent l e ftist elemeats h ·Om sef.:i.n& c·ontr~l.

~G/UePe~ Guetemala~ 8 Arned Forces ar£. cs-p• blc of defending the eovtttry •tai1\st 1nvas:ion by any of its Cent re.l Am~ticen nd.ghbors. T'hC!y could conduct succ«sdul ALall-seele oper ations ·~alnst £.1 Sa lvador, Hondur-as, or- -provided 8rl.d&h eleme nts we r e not prescnc-- Bcli z.e . The Cua temdon Army oppe.art. to b-e cnaklng a conc e rted effo rt to r~ plac:e CDuc.h

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or its obsolete' ~qu1Pcent with new arm&, purchased aa1nly f rom Belt~um, Iarael, Portusal, South Korea , a.od Fraocc. 'J;bis· vtms .to be part of · e.

· proar a 'to update it& . foTc.es ; be a.c: vell , if not better, a flied as lts central· Aller iean ne.ighbore; acd be pre pared for ac tion. lf n ecessary. •catnst &P.l1ze. The arms a re ~int obtalned from non- us so~rces . b~~ao6e of' Washing ton' 8 p.ast reluctance to supply Guate!m.a le. with the • tlitacy etsistance· desired. a nd the pres~c.t US 'poli<.y of . mak.in.c: aid dependent upon resPect !or human rlshts. Nevertheless, the US i s honoring p~st COIDiitmeitts for ~!i1t.ary supplies by providing Guatemala with l 1•1ted quanti ties o ! ~ -56-mm a.c•uniti Oa . • nd &l.s:o. Oeli'iu:! r tnt a l•r&e sh lpaaenc of 'vehicles t o C\latem.ala i n mid-1977.

(CIUQfiRMt The Cuatf:alalan Ana.ed l'orces are veak~ned by a top-he:avy 5t.n1or offic::<er CC'rps, absence of a ce-reor progrem for NCOs , and much obcolete equ 1 p.eat. Trad1t1onally dependent uPon the US for areas, Guatemala hac been seeKing new coureea.. 'l1ms far, aajoc iceps purc:rnt.s:ed froaa ·oon.-U S sources •re Galil r1flcs, RBY 4rc:~ored . c.ars, field

· k1 ~c:hens..;..:.all frOtll Israel; 5. S&-ma ·aamunition- -Portugal , Sout h Korea, Selg1um, a nd lcrae1; and Pilatus PC-7 aiN:r.,ft-Svit:.erland. They ert: 'p~esently interested in acquiring lOS1111 howit:urs, air defense artll.­lery, eort.ars, Gt'llored care , naval pa t rol Craft, transport airer.o.tt • and f1Shter/intercepcor aircraft. Inter est 1n acqui r ing new e.quipaent 16 not. io a uc::h to improYe C4peb.111ty for e.ct~ons as'elnst 8<!.11z:e ac to update QUatema4's ellitary ' force •.

2 • . ~U) KA>y Officids:

PrAsiden t : ~j Cen Fe.rnanc!o &om:eo Lvc.as C3.rc1a, A%m)' Mtnicter of fo~eign Rela~ions: Rafael Castillo Velde~ Hinistei of National Defen~e:· Haj Cen Ottc ~illerao S~i&eler Mo ri~g3,

J.rmy Army: · Chief of Staff, .~tiS Ccn Angel Anibal C~eva ra .Rodriguez tt.vy! .Coi:A:Jnder '· Col . ~rio tnrique !!!!, Balanos· . · Air . force: C~amander . Col Carlos A. ~rales Villacoro (O'&tlonal Police: Director C'e:Mr~l, Col y.l'lli.n Cbupiaa 8.ar3hona

3. (U) :Hil1tary Budget: $78,278,000 io the apprond mill tor y budget for fisc;:;al yt:or e nding )1 Dcc'ecabet ' 1979; thi s is 7.41X of th4: e:~ntt'Al govcrnaent budget and 1.1% of the estimated GNP . No service allocotio~ ic available. Dolhr v•lue conve.rted from quctze.le.o at the ~xc.hange rate of one quet~al eq~ala US $L.OO.

4. (U) Population: 6 ,817,000 as of I July 1979 Koles (ages 15-49): 1,574,000; physiully fit, t.02S ,OOO; 74,000 reoch

•111tary a ge · ( 18) annually · Ethl\lc Divisions : 41."; Indian , 58.6% l.adino* Li terac y: About 30%

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CUATI>MALA

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.. 5. ~ Amx: Ptr ionntl Str~n&th: 14,000 (1,100 of fleers, 1, 130 NCos: 7 , 76o privat~G.

21 640 6pec.tal1sis·, and 570 ci:udeat s and c:.ad~'ts).

' .

Rt.cerve: 35.000 ··se~trained. . . Major Units: S brtsades ( 1 infantry battalion e•c::h) , tO ~epar•te bat­

tal tons· (4 infantry, l a(rborae. infantry, 1 IDi~tt.ary .,ol.iee, · 1. ens; l ­neer, I t t"aining,"' 1 transpot:taU~n 1 and 1 P["t::G1.dent1a1 · CUtt.Td Ba t ,.: tal ion) . In' a.ddi tion, a 400-tDan tactie•l &i-oup is cte.t10n~d at 'Ltt Aurore A~r S.se for ai rport &ecu~lt~.

Major Eq Uipt'\ent : · 12 lO S-mill howitzers , 12 i5""1Dm. pac.k bov1 tze rs, 12 106.7-... (4 . 2-i nc!\) mortarc, · ~ Hl l3 an~ ~ Hll3Al "'"'ored personnel c.ar-r lerc , JO RBY Kk.. l aTIIOred personnel carriers ( I srael ) • 15 . H8 a('llor:cd e• u s, : and '1 Cad Ul&C Cage. t..'-100 4t;lllored ears . In edd!tlon, there' •re item~· 'in the ·irivent ory vhieh •re o f quetitiooable. 'c0111.uat e ffectiven.esc because· of age~ . S.llC-lud S.ng 4 MJAl araoc~ car& Vhi~h ai-e of Wo r ld War ·'II ' vintage 3nd 7 world War 11 K3 light : t.a'a.k.a concid~red so obcolete AS tO be useless. The Ar~y · ts e urrcnt ly wo rklng .on the ~8 .anored cars,. 'includltng · i n$talling ne-w en.g:l nes to ~ke t~ mOre effective.

6. ~ Navy: . Petsonnel St ren&th :. 455 (40 gen~r:--.1 .service of'"fieer, 5 'H:lrine off1ee-rc,

20S .eencral &:ervic.e enl1e ted, a nd 205 enlisted Ma r ines) .' · Recer:ve : None Sh1 ps: · l f ast patrol craft . (PCF) (32-..eter) , 10 parr~l bo.to (PB) (2 25.~:-meter· • . 5.19.8-mete r.- • 19.2- met.ei, 2 '· 12..2-.e te.r) •. 2 .,. iver/ roadstead pa~rol boat• (PBR) (11-aeter), l medium lending craft (LCH), 1 a t.tcellaoeous awti.l.iary· (AC) .*•

Unltt: 'Ibe Na vy 1G a $mall p8.t rol f<Jrc.e , v1th 2 naval baceS (1 on . t.h.c Caribhe-•n .and l on t.he 'pacific Coast) .anO 1 Har1ne coapaoy of 5 pl&toons (4 · r1a toons on the. ca'r l bbe.en; 1 pJ•toou .o'n t he P• ct.fic:: Co~st) . . . · · ·

7. ·~·Air •Force: ' Personnel : Strength: . 470' ·(65 of ficer. , '405 enllsted)., , ·i nclud i ng· 60

pilots R.eserve.-: NQne Units : Fou r squadrons {l fighter, 1 t r•nsport , 1 .h~ l icopteT, and

1 maintenan.c.e).

• Wcste~nized Indian, ces t1:o 1 and Vbite.

•• In addition, two 8.5-m~te~: rlvel"/rondsteRd petrol b~ats are out o( the wa~er and a ppa rent l y not Qalva~eable.

6

9ECRE1'

SECRET

GOAttKAL;,

Aircraft: 64 tot&l: !2 jets (lO · A- 378 Hehte rs, 2 AT-33 trainor•); · 12 turboprops (t raiuerS-...:2 P1le.tus PC-7c ; tronsports--9 · Arave~~o , l

C-12 Sup<r Klng Air); 27 prop (13 tran.-porto--. DC-6n, 12 C-47o); 4 vtil1~y-:.=s Ce.sant 206e . l CeSsna 180; 10 trat..ners- -6 Cessna l12s end 4 t - 41&); ·13 h~ltcopt~T-c (utl ltty--8 UR-ltls . 3 Alouette Uti.· .. 2 l..ftaea ) ·*

8· ~ Para-mil1tap·: None- (Tile Ci vi l Police consist o £ tvo dictin<::t force~, bo t h s ub-

ordinate to the Minister of Government.) Pe1:sonnel Streneth: Na~t1onal Police - 5,570 ; Treasury Polit:e - l,Osa •

. 9, • ·. (U) Key ·US Otfichls: (ell in Cuot6018la City ~xcept as indlcate<l) Chief of Mission: Aaba&eador Frank ~- Ortiz , Jr. Deputy chief of Hi1si~ : Helv1n E. Sinn Chief, AID ~ssion: tliseo carrasco Dafense ·6ttach6 «n4 Aray Attache: Col Edward N. Fletcoor ltaval Atrach6 {}ie·xico City): Capt 1'11omoJ.S K. MUrdoch Air Attach~ (T~J:UCI.ealpe) ; l;ol Vlllio• E. Hiller ·

· lli litaey Gr...,p . Co...aa,fei: ~nd Cbt .. ( .. Anwy Sectio n: Col Donald R. Ley Cliief .- Air FOrce Secc i on: Lt COl NiCl\olaa· A· -Sehi llen . JT •

. .Joi nt Login ic.s Of!tee r: M:al ~c.hae 1 L. Brovn

10. (V) Foreign M1!1<erx Pre•ence: Israeli Mtlitfl ty Advi.aers: 2 (1 pilot and ,J Minteru~nce repre&ent4t1ve . ·assiat·lng ~ht Ou4t<!u~n .Air Foret: t.~ith otJe.rations and m.ainteno.nee o£ . ArtN8 81rc.raft).

* f~r ad41t1ontl P il~tu& PC- 7 a i rc ra f t purch~$C~ (rom Swt s~ to b ~ dellver~d i n 1979.

l (Re voroe Blank)

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