NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DAILY SATURDAY 19 JULY 1980

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005523517
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: June 24, 2015
• Document Release Date: October 26, 2010
• Case Number: F-2010-00004
• Publication Date: July 19, 1980

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 Bolivia: Military Consolidating Takeover . 7
 BOLIVIA: Military Consolidating Takeover
Arm, Commander Garcia Mesa is consolidating his hold on the
goverment and is moving to eliminate any resistance.
The coup on Thursday was carefully planned by the
most senior generals and carried out in stages. Civil-
ian resistance has been spotty thus far, largely
because the military had rounded up opposition leaders
before the takeover. Had resistance been heavy in any
city, the was prepared to abandon the coup
attempt.
Socialist Party leader Marcelo Quiroga reportedly
was killed during a shootout and labor leader Juan Lechin
was badly beaten. This unprovoked violence may provide
the catalyst for a civilian reaction. The powerful miners'
union, a Lechin stronghold, is the most likely to oppose
the military takeover with force. The generals plan next
to exile President Gueiler and her cabinet, outlaw all
leftist parties, and suspend labor union activity.
General Garcia Meza is boasting privately of finan-
cial support from Brazil, Argentina, and unidentified
Arab sources to offset the loss of US aid. Argentine
officials reportedly have been advising the Bolivian
military and security agencies since the start of the
coup, but there qurrent-lv fa no evidence of
outside support.