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P 101348Z HAY 91 FM AKDmi\SSY GUATEKA.t.A TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY INFO AHEHBASSY S?.N SALVADOR AMEMBAssY TECOCIGALPA l\HEMBASsY SAN JOSE AMEHBI\SSY MANAGUA AMEHBI\SSY MEXICO AMEHBI\SSY MADRID DEPTJUSTIC£ WASIIDC USCINCSO QI.IARRY I!'I'S PM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 4 4 3 6 USIUSSION GEil!MI 2123 AMCOOSUL N'APLES DIA WASHDC

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l;_E C R E :;: SD:TION 01 OF OS GUATEI1AL/I. 04628

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SECRG'I'

Si!eltEI

PAGE 02 GUATEM 04628 01 OF OS 101405Z

E.O. 12356: DECL: OAOR TAGS: PHUM, PINS 1 PTER, POOV, HOPS, Ml\1\R, GT SIJBJECT: SELECTIVE VIOLENCE PAAALYZ~ 1'HE LEFT

REF: (AI GUATEMALA 433 4 (B) GUATEMALA 3992 (C) GUATEMALA 3818 (0 1 GUATEMALA 3628 (£) GUATEMALA 335 4 (ALL NOTAL!

l. 9EEJ\.P!'" -- ENTIRE TEXT.

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2 . WHILE THE TOPIC OF ·sELECTIVE VIOLENCE• IS CER~AINLY NOT A NO<J ONE HE?.£, IN RECENT \fi££KS W£ HAV£ 8£E2t HF-;Rlr«; WITH INCRE.\SINC INSI ST£NCE FROM POL.ITIC I ANS. I..ABOR LUD£RS . HUHI\N RIGHTS .\CTIVISTS . 1\HD EVEN THE HUHAII RIGHTS OtiBUOSHAN T!U\T 'Tt!!:P.E IS A GRO<-IING 0\MP.\IGN OF VIOL.ENCE UNDERWAY COtiDUCT£0 EITHER BY THE COG OR ELEMENTS WITiiiN IT. ~S SO OFTEN HAPPENS, IT IS I MPOSSI BLE TO PROVE OR DISPROVE SUCH ASSERTIONS. NEVERTHELESS. TliEP.£ HAVE BEEN CERTAIN ACTS OVER THE P.\ST YEAA OR SO. UND£9. BOnl THE CEREZO WI> TH£ SERRNIO AlliHNISTRATIONS, nt>.T COULD WELL. BE EXAMPLES OF 'SEL.ECTIVE VIOL.ENCE· AU~ED AG~INST PERSONS FOR POL.ITICAL REASONS. THIS MESSO\G~ TO\KES ~ GENERAL. LOOK AT TK£ TOPIC OF "SELE:CTIVE VIOLENC£• IN GUATE:MALA, WI> EX!\MINES , IN DETAIL. THE RECENT KILLING OF DINORA PEREZ AND ITS IHP~CT ON GUATEMA!.I. • S TINY LECAC. LEFT; WHILE THERE IS NO • PROOF' OF WliO KILLED HEP.. SHE SEEMS THE STEREOTYPICAL VICTIM OF SELECTIVE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE LEFT.

SELECTIVE VIOLENCE

PAGE 03 GUATa~ 0 46 28 01 OF OS 10140SZ

3. AS GENER.\t.LY USED HERE, THE TERM REFERS TO THE TAAGETING OF INDIVIDUO\LS "'HOSE DEATH. PERMANENT DISAPPEAAl\NCE. OR EXILE WOULD HAVE A 'CHILLING ' EFFECT ON 011tERS INVOLVED Ill S0KE POLI:TICAL ACTrYITY NOT COtiDONEO BY THE PERPETRATORS OF THE VIOLENCE. AMOOG SOME OF THE MORE VISIBLE RECENT EXAMPLES OF SELECTIVE VIOLENCE, WE SEE 'rnE POLLOI-liNG ' THE FEBRUARY 1990 KIDNAPING OF LEFTI ST PEOIATRICII\N CARMEN VALEN'ZUELA (EIIENTUALLY REL£0\SEO .\NO FC.ED GUATEMALA); THE BRUTAL

MURDER t.AST SEPTEMBER OF t.EFTIST AN'IHROPOLOGIST MYRNA AACK CHANG; AND THE OCTOBER ASSASSINATION OF JOURNALIST AND LEFTIST POLITICIAN KUMBERTO GONZALEZ CAAAR~ AND TRE ATTEMPTEO ASSASSWATION THE SAME MONTH OF JOORNAI.IST BYRON BARRERA (Hl'S WIFE DIED IN THE ATTEMPT; HE WAS BADLY WOONDED AND LEFT GUATEMALA) .. : .D1 ADOITION TO '!'tits£ VICTIMS, OF COURSE. THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS OF CERJ AND GAK, PARTICULARLY IN RIJRM. AREAS , WHO HJ\VE FALLEN VICTIM TO • SELE:CTIVE VIOLENCE. " THE MURDER LAST MOOTII OF . LEFTIST OINORA PER£<: (REF A) COULD ALSO FORM PAAT OF THE WAR AGAINST THOSE SUSPECTED OP BEING OUTI\ICliT CUER!Ut.t.A SYMPATHIZERS OR "USEFUL IDIOTS· WHO COULD m SOME W11Y

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FURTHER GUERRILLA AlHS.

~ . IN UCH CAS£, THE VICT!!i WAS NOT PARTICOl..ARLY WELL -~~ OUTSIDE OF HIS OR HER CIRCLE OF IMMEDIATE ASSOCI ATES; THE VICTI!iS OJE?.E NOT PERSONS GENERALLY CONSIDERED IMPORTANT OR INfLUENTIAL IN SOCIETY AT

Ur~CUSS!FIED LAAC£. SOH£ , SUCH AS GO!Iz-\LEZ 1\HD BARRERA, HAD BEEN FAIRLY ACTIVE POLITIC.\LLY IN THE PAST, BUT WERE NO LONGER MAJOR PLAYERS . IN NONE OF THE CASES LISTED AllOVE

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PACE 0< CUATEM 04628 01 OF OS 10140SZ HAD THE VICTIM RECENTLY RECEIVED 'TfiREATS, I.£ .. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF IMPENDI NG VIOLENCE.

S. WHY WERE THEY SELECTED? 'mAT THE VICTrMS ARE GENERALLY liNKNOWN IN WIDER SOCIETY MEANS A MORE Ml1l'£D REACTION 80TH LOCALLY AWl ABROAD; IT MAKES THE QUESTION ·~JKY? ' MORE DI FFICULT TO ANS\·IER AND MANY NON-POLITICAL EXPI..\NATIONS, E.C .. COMMON CRIME. CAN PLAUSIBLY B E PUT FORWARD 1'0 EXPLAIN THE VICTrHIZATION OF A RELATIVELY ANONYMOUS PERSON. WHILE THE VICTIMS ARE NOT FIGURES OF WID£ RENOWN, THEY ARE WELL KNOWN WITHIN THE S}W.L GROUPS COMPRI SING THE LEFT. THE eQLT•FROM-THE-BLUE STRIKE AGAINST ON£ OF THEIR MD'.BEP.S CAUSES A RIPPLE OF TERROR

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E.O. l23S6' DECL• OADR TAGS ' PHUM, PINS, P'I'ER, PGCJII. MOPS, MAAR, GT SUBJECT: SELECTIVE VXOLENCE PARALnES THE LEFT

TO GO THROUGH THOSE GROUPS (-HE WASN'T EVEN Til£ MOST IMPORTANT ONE IN OUR GROUP; IP THEY ARE WILLING TO GET HIM, NOBODY IS SAF£1 • ) FORCING MAllY MEMBERS nml HIDING OR EXILE OR AT L£?ST INTO ABliNDONING WHATEVER I:HMEDIAT£ PROJECT THE GROUP HAD. THIS IS PARTICULARLY SO IN THE CASES OF THOSE GROUPS ~IITII LITTLE ;m: TM£ WAY OF INTERNATIONAL LINKS OR SUPPORT . Ill TM£ CASES OP BOTil GONZALEZ liND PEREZ, FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR DEATilS FORCED . THE CANCELLATION OF PLANS TO REGISTER LEFTIST GROUPS (THE URD AND THE GU, RESPECTIVELY) AS POLITICAL PARTIES.

6. WKO GETS TARGETED? IT IS A SIMPLIFICI\TION TO 1\l,lGUE

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GROUPS OR PERSONS ARE S£LECT!:O ONLY BECAUSE TIIE:"l ;..DVOCAT£ HUMII.N RIClM"S. SEEX TO PROHOT·E LABOR

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ORGANIZATIOl>l, OR SOME SIMILAR SOCIAL CHANGE . WITHOUT DOUBT. PERSONS G£1' KILLED FOR SUCH AC1'IVI1'IES. SOT THE SORT OF VIOLENCE WE ARE DISCUSSING HERE. VIOLENCE CAARIED OU1' BY ORGANS OF '!"HE S1'A1'E OR PERSONS WITKIN THE SECURITY APPARATUS, IS DIREC1'ED AT GROUPS AND PERSONS THOUGHT SUPPORTING THE INSURGENCY IN SOME WAY, INCLUDING HAVING THEIR ACTIVITIES OR PROPOSED AC1'I VITI ES. E .G .', REGISTERING A POLITICAL PARTY. EXPLOITED SY THE GUERRILJ..AS. THE CONCERN WITHIN THE SElCUIUTY FORCES OVER •£XPJ..OITATIOW OF THE LEGAL LEFT BY THE URN<; WILL RISE AS PEI<CE NEGOTIATIONS CONTIMJE. PARTICUt.AIU.Y IF AN ACCORD ALLOWS THE INTEGRATION OF THE GUERRILL.AS INTO

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P.IIGE 03 GUATEM 04628 02 OF 0$ 101405Z SOCIETY (REF 8).

7 . WHO ORDERS AND CARRIES OU1' THE HITS? IT IS VERY TOUGH TO ANSWER THIS WITH CERTAINTY. BASED ON OBSERVATIONS AND NUKEROOS CONTACTS WE HAVE HADE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, INCLUDING WITH MEMBERS OF A "DEkTH SQUAD, • WE CONCLUDE 'mAT THE SORT OF MIT DISCUSSED HERE IS CARRIED OUT OR DIREC1'ED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY FORCES, OFTEN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE (D- 2) BUT ALSO OTHERS FROM PRESIDENTIAL S ECURITY, ZONE COMMA.NDS, AND OCCASIONALLY TH.E; CIVILIAN POLICE FORCES. HOW HIGI! uP THE ORDERS COME FR0!1 PROBABLY DEPENDS ON THE PARTICtrLAA CASE AND THE PEOPLE IN SENIOR POSITIONS IN '11i£ SI!CURrrY FORCES . MANY OP THE RURAL HITS ON C£RJ ACTIVISTS FOR EXAMPLE ARE PROB.\IlL Y DECIDED AT A LOW LEVEL--EVEN AT THE CIVIL PATROL OR MILITARY COMMISSI ONER RANK . IN SOME CASES, HOWEVER, RURAL ACTIVISTS SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN GUERRILLA ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN PICKED UP AND 'DISAPPEARED' B'l REGULAR ARM'l UNITS (E.G • , THE SAMUEL DE LA CRUZ DISAPPEARANCE OF 1~ 90) RESPONDING TO ORDERS FROM. THE ZONE COHMI\Nll OR A f>ETIICHMENT COHMANDER . . 8. RURAL AREAS ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO .: SELECT:r:v£ VIOLENCE' BY GUERRILLAS: CIVIL PATROI:.LERS, MILITARY COMMISSIONERS, AND ORDINARY CAMPESINOS SUSPECTED OF PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE ARMY HAVE SUFFERED DISAPPEAAAllCE, ";'ORTURE. AND IMIDER AT THE HANDS OF GUERRILLAS. THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSKJ\N, IN FN:r. HAS

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9. THE MORE NOTICED HITS IN THE CITY, DEMAND ING FA IRLY SOPHISTICATED SURVEILLI\NCE. CARS. I~OTORCYCLES. RADIOS • .\ND SAFE HOUSES {SUCH AS HI 1'HE VALENZUELA KIDNAPING ! , ARE PROBABLY DECIDED AND ORGANIZED AT A MORE SENIOR LEVEL . THESE DEI<TH SQUADS SEEH H.\D£ OF SECURITY PERSONNEL WHO OFTEN DO NOT KNQW THE REASON FOR 1'HE KILLING/KIDNAPING THEY ARE TO UNDERTAKE OR FROM EXACTLY WHER£ THEIR ORDERS CAME. "DEATH SQUAD" PERSONNEL .HIGHT OM'EN NOT APPf!,\R ON THE OFFICIAL ROSTERS OF THE SECURITY SERVICES AND DO NOT REPORT FOR DUTY TO' OFFICIAL INSTALLATIONS; THEY WAIT AT HOI~£ FOR ORDERS. USUALLY VIA THE PHONE, OR AT TIMES ARE PICKED UP WITHOUT PRIOR • NOTICE TO PERFORM A JOB . THEY OPERATE IN CELLS SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO TRACE ORDERS UP THE HIERARCHY . OFTEN, AS

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? 101H8Z MAY 9 1 fM ~·t£1113.\SS"l GU>.T£HAU>. TO SECSTATE WASHoe PRIORITY 8953 INFO A>IEMBASSY SAN SALV>JX>R Alt£:-!Sl-SSY TECUCIG~.LPA AM~SnSS'l SAN JOSE AMENBASSY MANAGUA AHENSASSY HE:XICO kHEHBASSY MADRID OEPTJUSTICE WASHoe USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PM US.IISSIOtl USUN !fEW YORK 4 4 38 USMISSION GENEVA 2125 AMCOHSUL NAPLES OIA WASKOC

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NAS PROBABLY DONE IN THE MYRNA MACK STABBING, STREET THUGS ARE HI RED TO DO THE ACTUAL DEED, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TIIAT '!'HE GUERRILU\5 TODAY HAVE '1m! CAPABILIT¥ TO ACT SO OPENLY IN URBAN AREAS.

A CU\SSIC HIT : DINORA PEREZ

10. AS PER REF A, •P£RE2 (291 WAS SHOT TO DEATH IN THE DRIVEWAY OF HER HOME IN GUATEMALA CITY IN THE EVENING OP APRIL 29. SHE WAS SHOT 'l'HR£E TillES AT POINT• BLANK RANGE: STOMACH, THORAX. HEAD. DESPITE AN INITIAL POLICE REPORT WHICH SOUGHT TO ATTRIBUTE THE CRIME TO COMMON CRIME, WITNESSES REPORT NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO STEAL HER CAR OR 1>Nt OTHER IT£M • HER "no;() ASSAILA!fl'S CALMLY RODE OFF ON A SMALL MOTORCYC~E. FRIENDS AND · ASSoei AT£S, INCLUDING THE HUl1AN RIGHTS OHBUOSMAN

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Hl!1SE!..F' ~ TEL~ liS ~7' 'I'O ni£1~ K..'JO'A'LEDGE SHE K}I.O NEVER P.flCEI'I£0 ;.Nt TI'..REnTS PRIOR TO HER DEATH .

11. PEREZ WAS ;..CTIVE IN STUDENT POL ITICS AT SAN CARLOS UN:VE?.SITY IUSACI . AFTER LEAVING US.\C SOl~£ EIGHT YEARS AGO. SHE l-;()P.KED AT 'l'HE BANCO DE OCCIDENT£ WHERE SHE BEC..UIE ~. LEADER IN ITS UNION . SHE WAS INVITED TO S.\N JOSE FOP. A MEETING WHICH LED TO THE FOUNDING OF THE CHRISTIAN DEI~OCRATIC CCTC . BUT TURNED DOWN THE IN';:T.\TION BECAUSE HER FATHER WARNED HER ACTIVITY 'WOULD

9EEREE

PACE 03 GUATEM 04628 03 OP OS 1014062 GET THE l'fl!OLE FAMILY KILLED .' ACCORDING TO THOSE WHO KNEl-l HER DURING THIS TIME, SHE ADOPTED ' EMOTIONl\L AND EXTR.E!iE" RHETORIC AND POSITIONS. SHE LEFT THE UN IOM AND RESIGNED FROM THE BANK TO ORGANIZE A LABOR MQVD!ENT FOR MARIO SOLORZANO WHO WAS THEN DIRECTING THE SOCil\L DEMOCRATIC PARTY FROM EXILE IN COSTA RICA . SHE ATTEMPTED TO HOOK UP WI TH MODERATE LABOR LEADERS IN CUSG FOR THE 1985 ELECTIONS, BUT THEY, TOO, S IDELINED HER AS TOO EKOTIONAL .

12. WHEN SOLORZANO RETURNED TO GUATEMALA, SHE JOINED LUIS ZURITA, A LEFTIST CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR AT USAC. IN A SPLIT WITH THE PA!!TY AS SOLORZANO WAS "TOO CAUTIOU'S. • ZURITA. SLIGHTLY OLDER THAN PEREZ IL\D BE.EII A MEMBER OF THE FUR PARTY CWHICH VIR'IUALLY DISAPPEARED IN THE LATE 1970'S AFTER THE MURDER OF ITS FOUND!lR COLOM ARGUETA), SET UP A COMBINATION THINK TANK AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST FOUNO.\TION, FUH!lACUII, WITH SWEDISH HOf.IEY. PEREZ WENT TO WORK AT FUMDACUA. WHICH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE GUATEMALA PRESS ASSOCIATION CAPG), IL\D SPONSORED A SERIES OF PANEL DISCUSSIONS ON THE PEACE PROCESS IN GUATEMALA TO WHICH LABOR LEADERS , HUMAN RIGHTS . ACTIVISTS. ECOIIOKISTS, AND CONGRESSMEN WERE INVITED CPEREZ MODERATED SUCH A SEMINAR, WHICH EMBOFP ATTENDED,

THE WEEK BEFORE HER' DEATH) • PEREZ ALSO 1\'0RKED AS A DIRECTOR OF THE FUNDAGUA-BACKED "MARIA CHINCIULLA" INSTITUTE (THE SAH.E OUE FOR WHICH DR . VALENZUELA WORKED) 1-.,UCH ENGAGES IN EDUC.\TIONAL AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES OF VARIOU'S SORTS IN IND IGENOUS AREAS, INCLUDI NG IN SOME CONFLICTIVE AREAS . AT THE TIME OF HER DEATH , SHE l-IAS TE.~CHING INDIAN WOJffiN BASICS OF POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.

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ll . ALONG Wl'TH ZURITA, PEREZ AND OTHERS C INCLUDING THE Al-SO MURDERED GONZ..U.EZ Gi\MARRA AND THE AU10ST MUROERED e ·tRON BARRERA I, HELPED FORI'! 'CONVERGENCIA DEMOCRATIC/\.· T!!E CD WAS A LOOSE ALLIANCE OF GUATEMALA'S DEMOCRATIC U:FT !>."HICK DECIDED. RELUCTANTLY. TO BACK THE P?.ESIDENTIAL CANDIDACY OF CHRISTIAN DE:MOCRAT (DCCI I.!.FONSO CABRERA. PEREZ ~lAS A 0CG CONGRESSIONAL c:.Nt>IDATE ON 'THE NATIONAL LIST, BUT DID NOT GET ELECTED.

14. ZURITA, PEREZ, AND OTI!ER LEFTISTS, INCLUDING PORKER DCC VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MARCO VILLI\MAR COMTREAAS ~VD DCC CO~~RESSHAN AND CONTROVERSIAL PRIEST ANDRES GIRON, HAD RECENTLY DECIDED TO CREATE A N~i LEFT-DF-CENTER POLITICAL PARTY ( ' GUATEMALA UNIDA ·I TO

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INFO LOG-00 ADS-00 l\.M/\l)-01 CIA£-00 C-Ol OS -00 H/\·09 H-01 INRE-00 INR-01 I0-19 L-03 NSCE-00 OIC..02 OKB-01 PA-01 PH-01 PRS-01 SCT- 03 SIL-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SS-01 TRSE-00 USI£-00 / 053W

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>.HEHSASSY S;J~ JOSE .>~EMBASS'I l'.;u.I;\GUA ~~EMBASSY MEXICO 1.11£HBASSY HADRID DEPTJVSTICE \1/ASHDC USC ll>CSO QUARRY HTS P>f USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 44)9 USHISSION GENEVA 2126 ANCONSVL NAPLES DIA ~1,\SHDC

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DICLVD£ ELDERLY 'HISTORIC' RADICALS FROM THE OCTOBER 1~44 REVOLUTION AND MIDDLE AGE LEPTISTS FROM THE OLD FUR. TilE DCG. AND THE NEARLY DEFUNCT PSD . GU HOPED TO

. DRAW Ot'l A NEW GENERATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, LABOR AND RURAL ACTIVISTS. ZURITA WAS TO BEGIN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR THE PARTY ON HAY 15.

15. liS MENTIONED (PARA S ), THE DEATH OF PEREZ ENDED PLANS TO REGISTER GU AS t.. PARTY. FURTHER GENERATING FEAR l\MONG THE LEFT WAS THE STILL UNEXPLI\ INEO troRDER OF ACTIVE DUTY GENERAL ANACLETO HAZA ON HAY 2 • FOR THESE

· LEFTISTS, THE DEATH SO SOON AFTER PEREZ'S COULD MEAN ONLY ONE THING' A kETURN TO THE TIT-FOR-TAT TERROR OF PREVIOUS YEARS (COHMENT ' IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR, HOWEVER. THAT GUERRILLAS CARRIED OUT MAZA' S MURDER). ZURITA AND HIS PIIMILY OPT"..O FOR ASYLUM IN CANADA. SIX OF HIS CLOSE ASSOCIATES CAME TO US IN PANIC SEEKING NIVS lWHICH WE ISSUED GIVEN 'l1iE IMMEDIATE DANGER THEY FACE) AND NOW ALSO SEEK 1\SYLUH IN CANADA. OTHERS, SUCK AS FATHER GIRON AND VILLAHAR CONTRERAS . HAVE DISTANCED 'THEMSELVES FROK THE GU PROJECT. FUIID!'.GUA, FACI NG AN

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UNCERTAIN FUTURE. CANCELED ITS FORUMS AND SEMINARS. PEREZ'S DEATH MAS EFFECTIVELY SHUT DOWN AN EFFORT BY THE LEFT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS. HERS WAS A CLASSIC HIT.

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PAGE 03 GUATEM 0 462 8 04 OF OS l01406Z THE SERRANO ADMINISTRATION'S REACTION

i6~-r=----------------------~;o~-~~ THAT AT THE

FUNERAL OF PEREZ, ALFONSO CABRERA APPROACHED ZURITA AND TOLD HIM, "I AH SOitRY BUT I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU FROM MINISTER OF DEFENSE MENDoZA. HE SEES YOU AND YOUR GROUP AS THE BEAC!IHEAD FOR THE URNG. • ZURITA, WORKING THROUGH HIS OLD FRIEND MINISTER OF LABOR SOLORZANO, URGENTLY SOUGHT AN APPOINTMENT ~liTH THE PRESIDENT OR MENDOZA BUT FAILED TO GET ONE . CLEARLY TEitRIFIED BY THE GOG'S APPARENT INDIFFERENCE, ZURITA AND HIS ASSOCIATES ))ElCIDED AGAINST GIVING THE PEREZ KILLING EXCESSIVE PUBLICITY AND DECIDED TO FLEE ABROAD, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. '

.....17. IN A LENG'nfY CONVERSATION WITH EMBOFFS ON MAY 6, [_- jsAiD HE IS NOT SURPRISED. HE RECENTLY

RECEIVED A CALL FROI1 PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN AND RIOS MONT BACKER GONZALO ASTURIAS (IRONICALLY , A FIRST COUSIN OF ORPA GUERRI LLA LEADER RODRIGO "GASPAR ILOM" ASTURIAS)

sAYING THE PRESIDENT THoUGHT I T IMPORTANTr ETO MEET THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO CONVINCE ir.fM THE OFF E

[- -:-Is NOT " PLAYING THE GUERRI LLAS' GAME . " _]SAID TO EMBOFFS, " IF THEY CAN THINK I AH A

GUEitRILLA, IMAGINE WHAT THEY MUST THINK ABOUT ZURITA. • C . fHAs NO DOUBTS PEREZ'S KILLING WAS CARRIED OUT BY P~NS"'Wl:THIN THE ARMED FORCES AS P,ART OF PLAN TO DISASSEMBLE THE LEGAL LEFT. L _;HOPES THAT WITH THE ENTRANCE ON DUTY OF NEW MINISTER OF INTERIOR HURTADO PREM, THERE WILL BE SOME PROGRESS ON THE PEREZ KILLING AND OTHERS, BUT MlNDERS HON MUCH SUPPORT HURTADO WILL HAVE FROM THE PRESIDENT .

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la . OIITHOOT DOUBT. H\JMAN RIGHTS IS THE MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS GOVERNMENT. THUS FAR. ITS PERFORMANCE IS MIXED. ~~ ONE HAND. SERRANO HAS GIVEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ASSUAA>ICES THAT THE IMPUNITY £NJOYEO IN PREVIOUS Y£APS l!:i lilltv.N RIGHTS VIOLATORS IS OVER. HE liAS BEGUN TO ASSERT CONTROL OVER THE ARMY . HIS GOVERNMDIT HAS PROSECUTED POLICEMEN FOR KILLI NG STREET CHILOR£N. H£ HAS UNDERTAK£N AN AGGRESS I VE APPROACH TO THE PEACE PROCESS IN HOPES OF ENDING THE 30 YEAR o/AR THAT SERVES AS THE EXCUSE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE SERIOUS HUHAN P.IGIITS VIOLATIONS. HE HAS PUSHED THE MILITARY ON THE CASE OF 'n!E KU RDER OF AMCIT MICIU\EL DEVINE. HE HAS

SSCRST

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• PAGE 01 GUATEM 04628 05 OF 05 101406Z ACTION AAA-01

INFO LOG-00 AOS-00 l\MAD- 01 CIAE-00 c -01 DS-00 HA-09 K-01 INRE-00 I:NR-01 10-19 L-03 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-01 PH-01 PRS-01 SCT-03 SIL-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SS-01 TRSE-00 USIE-00 /OS3W

------------ ------64A679 10H45Z /48 38 P 1013482 HAY 91 • FM AHEHSASSY GUATEMALA TO SECSTATE WASHOe PRIORITY 8955 INFO AKEKBl\SSY SAN SALVADOR Na:KBASSY TEGUCIGALPA Na:KSASSY SAN JOSE Na:KSASSY MANAGUA l\KEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY MADRID

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EUR- 01 NSAE- 00 P-02 T-01

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:e Pr ineed: ll/11/ 19 97 OOC_Nm{8ER: 91GOATEM0 4628

DEPTJVSTICE WASHDC USC INC SO QUARP.V HTS P~l USXISSION VSUN NEW YORK 4440 VSMISSION GENEVA 2127 .•.MCONSVL NAPLES DIA WASHOC

~SeR e ~ SECTION 05 Of 05 GUATEMALA 04628

JUSTICE FOR ICITAP CINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD NAPLES FOR JJUIOT

SCCP.C'!"

PAG E 02 GUAT&I 0462 8 " 05 OF 0 5 101406Z

E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS : PHVM, PINS, PTER, PGOV, HOPS, IIARR, GT SUBJECT: S ELECTIVE VIOLENCE PARALYZES THE LEFT

NAMED A RESPECTED CIVILIAN HUI'IAN RIGHTS EXPERT AS HIS NI.W INTERIOR HI:HISTER--ALL STEPS TO BE APPL.\UD£D .

19. ON THE OTHER HAND, HE HAS FAILED TO END "SELECTIVE VIOLENCE • AND TO MAKE CLEM TO THE SECURITY FORCES THAT HE WILL NOT TOLilRATE SUCH ACTIVITY . rN FACT, IT IS NOT CLEAR 'IRE PRESIDENT OPENLY OPPOSES ACTIONS AGAINST THE LEFT, PARTICULARLY WHILE THERE IS A WAR ON . HE SEEHS 1\MBIGUOOS ON THIS TOPIC , AN AMBI GUITY THAT FUELS SUCH VIOLENCE. HE CLEARlY HAS DONE REMARKABLY WELL IN GETTING THE MILITARY TO ABANllOtl I TS LONG- STANDING OPPOSI TION TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH ARMED GUERRILLAS . THERE IS MORE Of l\ CHANCE fOR A PEACE ACCORD TODAY THAN AT MY OTHER T IME I N THE PAST TH~RTY YEARS. HOI'IEVER, PART OP THE COST FOR SUCH ACTI ON MIGHT BE THE TOLERANCE Of A COVERT WAR ADmD AT DENYING THE LEFT A CHANCE f'OR POI~ER IN PEACE THAT IT NEVER COULD GET I N ~IAR.

20 . WE CONCWOE, GIVEN THE IDEOLOGICAL BENT Of THE PRESIDENT AND MOST OP THOSE CLOSEST TO HIM, THAT THE CURRENT GOG HAY LOOK WITH BENIGN UPON EFFORTS PHYSICALLY TO ELIMINATE THE LEFT AS A REMOTELY POTENTIAL RI VAL TO PO~IER . AS PER REF B, THEREFORE, WE NONDER HOW GENUINE A P EACE WILL FOLLOW THE SIGNJ:NG OF ANY PEACE ACCORD. ' STROOCK

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.t.e Printed: 12/11/1997 DOC_NUHBER : 9l0UATEM04628 CHANNEL : n/a J

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P;.GE OJ CUATEM 04628 OS OF OS l0l406Z

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""• • Cu rrent Handling Restric tions ........ n/~ •• • Current Classification • "" S&CRET·

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