1. ON 3 FEBRUARY, GENERAL VIDES CASANOVA, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL GUARD, ANALYZED THE POSSIBILITIES OF A COUP BY THE ARMED FORCES TO REMOVE MINISTER OF DEFENSE, GENERAL JOSE GUILLERMO ((GARCIA)), AND PRESIDENT ALVARO MAGANA.

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06629219
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 8, 2019
• Case Number: F-2017-01057
• Publication Date: February 5, 1983

Approved for Release: 2019/08/07 C06629219
Document
Subject: Subject: COMMENTS OF GENERAL VIDES CASANOVA ON COUP PLOTTINGC
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WNINTEL INTELSUBJECT: COMMENTS OF GENERAL VIDES CASANOVA ON COUP PLOTTING
1. ON 3 FEBRUARY, GENERAL VIDES CASANOVA, DIRECTOR GENERAL
OF THE NATIONAL GUARD, ANALYZED THE POSSIBILITIES OF A COUP BY
THE ARMED FORCES TO REMOVE MINISTER OF DEFENSE, GENERAL JOSE
GUILLERMO ((GARCIA)), AND PRESIDENT ALVARO MAGANA. VIDES SAID
THAT THE MAJOR POTENTIAL FOR SUCH AN ACTION LIES AMONG OFFICERS
OF THE SALVADORAN AIR FORCE (FAS) INFLUENCED BY THE NATIONALIST
REPUBLICAN ALLIANCE (ARENA). VIDES SAID THAT ARENA LEADER,
ROBERTO D'AUBUISSON IS THE MOST DANGEROUS FACTOR BECAUSE HE COULD
CONVINCE A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF AIR FORCE AND OTHER OFFICERS
THAT A COUP WAS NECESSARY. HOWEVER, VIDES SAID HE DOES NOT
BELIEVE A COUP IS IMMINENT BECAUSE MOST ARMED FORCES OFFICERS
ARE CONVINCED THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD WITHDRAW MILITARY AID
AS A RESULT.
2. VIDES SAID THAT AIR FORCE CHIEF, COL. JUAN RAFAEL
((BUSTILLO)), ONE OF THE OFFICERS WHO SUPPORTS GARCIA'S OUTSTER,
IS AN HONEST AND LOYAL OFFICER WHO OPPOSES GARCIA BASED ON HIS
OWN CONVICTIONS AND THAT EUSTILLO WILL TRY NOT TO LOSE CONTROL
OF HIS OFFICERS TO D'AUBUISSON. VIDES NOTED THAT AIR FORCE
PILOTS ARE SPREADING THEIR OPINIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
WHILE CONDUCTING FLIGHT OPERATIONS.
3. VIDES EXPLAINED THAT ARENA HAS FOR SOME TIME SEEN GARCIA
AS ITS PRINCIPAL OBSTACLE TO STOPPING THE REFORM PROGRAMS. VIDES
VIEWS THE CURRENT CRISIS AS THE CULMINATION OF A LONG CAMPAIGN
CONDUCTED BY ARENA MAINLY THROUGH THE MEDIA, WHICH THE RIGHTISTS
OWN'. ACCORDING TO VIDES, THE CONSTANT ATTACKS AGAINST GARCIA
WEAKENED HIS IMAGE THROUGH THE LATTER PART OF 1982. THIS ALLOWED
ARENA TO MAKE INROADS WITH MILITARY OFFICERS, MAINLY IN THE AIR
FORCE, BY SUPPORTING THEIR FRUSTRATIONS AND DESIRES THAT GARCIA
STEP DOWN FOR ALLEGEDLY MISMANAGING THE WAR.
4. WHEN DISCUSSING SUPPORT FOR A POSSIBLE cOUP, VIDES
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SAID THAT OFFICERS AT THE FIRST INFANTRY BRIGADE, COMMANDED BY
COLONEL ADOLFO ((BLANDON)), AND AT MILITARY DETACHMENT TWO
(THE FORMER COMMAND OF LTC. SIGIFREDO ((OCHOA)) PEREZ) WOULD
BE SYMPATHETIC TO SUCH PLANNING. HE SAID THAT OTHER OFFICERS
SYMPATHETIC TO MAJOR ((MAJANO)) WOULD JOIN THEM AS THEY ALSO
WISH TO SEE GARCIA REMOVED.
5. VIDES STATED THAT THE ARMED FORCES INVESTIGATION
COMMISSION COMPOSED OF SIX SENIOR OFFICERS, WHICH MET FOR THE
FIRST TIME ON 3 FEBRUARY, IS THE LEGAL BODY CONSTITUTED TO REVIEW
GARCIA'S PERFORMANCE AND LOOK INTO POSSIBLE INJUSTICES IN THE
ARMED FORCES. HE SAID THAT RIGHTIST ELEMENTS WANT TO PROMOTE
THE PRESSURE AGAINST GARCIA AND IF POSSIBLE HAVE HIM REPLACED
BY PRO-ARENA DEFENSE MINISTER. ARENA THEREFORE OPPOSES THE
COMMISSION, AS IT WILL PROBABLY PRODUCE A MODERATE SOLUTION,
PERHAPS ABSOLVING GARCIA OF ANY SERIOUS WRONGDOING, BUT SUGGESTING
THAT HE RESIGN AS A MEANS OF DEFLATING THE CRISIS. (WHEN VIDES
SPOKE OF THE COMMISSION'S FINAL REPORT, IT APPEARED TO THE C/O
THAT HE WAS HINTING THAT THE SOLUTION HE MENTIONED MIGHT ALREADY
BE UNDER CONSIDERATION.
7. FILE DEFER. DECL
ALL SECRET.
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