EL SALVADOR: D'AUBUISSON'S TERRORIST ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 15816706
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 17, 2020
• Case Number: F-2019-00695
• Publication Date: March 2, 1984

Approved for Release: 2020/08/17 C05349895
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington. D. C. 20505
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
2 March 1984
EL SALVADOR: D'AUBUISSON'S TERRORIST ACTIVITIES
Introduction
D'Aubuisson's involvement in rightwing
has been alleged in a variety of open
since the late 1970s. Some reports have had
or allegation,
Little corroboration on
to D'Aubuisson has been available.
year, however, several reports
have alleged D'Aubuisson's complicity with
elements in the military and the civilian ARENA party.
moreover, have added credibility to
on D'Aubuisson's involvement in the assassination of
unsubstantiated rumor
activities attributable
the past
terrorist activities
sources
the characteristic of
terrorist
specific
Over
Archbishop Romero.
This memorandum was requested by Vice-President Bush. It was prepared by
ALA, and was coordinated with the National Intelligence Officer
and the Directorate of Operations. It contains information available as of 2
March 1984. Questions and comments are welcome and should be addressed to
Chief, Middle America-Caribbean Division, ALA,
ALA�M-84-10025
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D'Aubuisson's Military Contacts
Before leaving the armed forces in the wake of the October
1979 military coup, Major D'Aubuisson had served much of his
career as an intelligence officer with the National Guard. He
and several colleagues--graduates from the academy classes of
1963, 1964, and 1966--worked directly under or in cooperation
with National Guard Director Medrano, a notorious and powerful
figure in military and rightwing civilian circles. Medrano had
his proteges focus on counterintelligence and rural security;
during the 1960s and 1970s, D'Aubuisson and his colleagues helped
develop civilian intelligence networks and vigilante
organizations controlled by the National Guard. They also
reportedly engaged in illegal detentions, torture, and the
killing of prisoners--habits which reporting suggests stayed with
some of them after the 1979 reformist coup.
Some of D'Aubuisson's most notorious past associates in the
military were Lieutenant Colonels Staben, Zacapa, Zepeda, Cruz,
Ochoa, Ponce, and Moran. These and other middle-grade officers
were in turn the mentors of a new generation of junior officers
to have been involved in death squad and
other illegal activities. The murder of two US labor advisors at
the Sheraton Hotel in San Salvador in January 1981, for example,
was authorized by two young officers known for their criminal
activities and close association with D'Aubuisson and other
extremist officers.
D'Aubuisson's Political Organization
In May 1980, D'Aubuisson was jailed and then exiled for coup
plotting. He left for Guatemala and formed the Broad National
Front (FAN), a semi-clandestine political organization bent on
overthrowing the reformist regime in San Salvador. Reporting
indicates that FAN received significant funding from wealthy
Salvadoran exiles living abroad, and some sources have suggested
FAN links with US politicians and businessmen. The FAN used
black market contacts to arm a small para-military organization
in El Salvador that included both civilians and military
personnel, some of whom probably belonged to existing death
squads loyal to D'Aubuisson.
By the fall of 1981, D'Aubuisson had reorganized the FAN
into a bonafide political party known as the Nationalist
Republican Alliance (ARENA). He convinced businessmen and other
professionals to join the party and support candidates in the
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March 1982 Constituent Assembly elections. During this period,
rightwing gunmen reported to be allied with ARENA killed several
Christian Democratic party members, civil servants, and labor
figures.
ARENA has become the second largest political party in El
Salvador and probably is the best funded and organized going into
this month's presidential election. Within the party, however,
D'Aubuisson is to maintain a team that engages
in political intimidation, including abduction, torture, and
murder. Until the beginning of this year, the head of this team
was Dr. Hector Regalado,
the chief of security for the Assembly. He and several
subordinates belonging to ARENA reportedly utilized members of
the Secret Anti-Communist Army and the Maximiliano Hernandez
Martinez Brigade--two death squads founded several years ago by
D'Aubuisson--to carry out murder and sabotage against ARENA's
real or perceived enemies. Reports show that Reqalado's group
was considering targeting US Embassy officials in response to
press stories about rightwing terrorism. Following the visit of
Vice President Bush and the resignation of D'Aubuisson from the
Assembly to run for president, Regalado and two associates also
left their public posts.
Since that time, there has been no information on the status
of the ARENA-sponsored terrorist groups. Killings in January and
February of this year thought to be the work of rightwing
extremists cannot be pinned specifically to D'Aubuisson or to any
of several other death squads--military or civilian--known to
exist.
Assassination of Archbishop Romero
A variety of sources have accused D'Aubuisson
in the murder of Romero in March 1980. Although
is credible, there is nothing that could be construed
as hard proof.
of complicity
While any of a number of rightwing death squads could have
planned and carried out what was a relatively simple execution in
a neighborhood chapel in San Salvador, there probably were few so
fanatical and daring as D'Aubuisson to do it. Several
the Romero assassination claim that D'Aubuisson and his
colleagues held meetings in early 1980 to plan the killing.
those in attendance were asked to
lots to determine who would carry out the act.
draw
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indicate that military personnel comprised the hit squad and that
a former National Guard enlisted man fired the fatal shot.
differ as to the logistics of the killing.
NOTE:
the death squad issue.
are working fram the
being drafted in preparation
death squads.
have been at variance in interpreting
launched an effort to assure that
same data base. Collection requirements are also
for an intelligence community assessment of the
This typescript is classified
gnill-r-sLais-i-suz in its entirety.
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SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: D'AUBUISSON'S TERRORIST ACTIVITIES
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