MARCH ELECTIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04864A000100010005-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 16, 1998
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: May 7, 1998
• Content Type: IR

Approved For Release 2007/07/25: CIA-RDP78-04864A000100010005-3
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP
",VT Ll:ENCE REPORT
OUN t RV : Colombia
,BjF-Ci, March Elections
ORIGIN : Washington
EVALLW T ON OF SOURCE : Documentary
CA.%4NOT BE
RF_L1AeLE, -ELY1 USUALLY I FAIRLY NOT
RELIABLE _ __[RELIABLE RELIABLE LLY I NOT REUA8LE I U iOEU
DI STRI VUT ION
~ ~ 8 1 Y WAR NAVY JUSTICE R & E I c & D
SOURCE Within CIG
MSN~
PAGES
17 April 1 1
EVPLUATEON OF CONTENT : r)o^uimentartl
CONFIRMED PROBABLY POSSIBLY DOUSIEUL PRQ AOIY A,I;OT '+
OTHER SOUR TRUE TRUE jF .6! IV H -
1. Electoral Laws and Regulations:
. telegraphic circular was sent to ^aovernors, Intendants, Coaauatissioner4 an
Mayors on January 18 by the : i;axiste;r of the Interior, Dr. Roberto Urda itaa
rbelaez, requesting compliance wit! the Electoral Law of 1946 which r
Minister of war annour.==ced can Larch 12 that soldiers would be st::-tit rr id
daily reports from local electoral .furies and from inspectors of r egi$i :r atiaii
Irregularities reported would. he corrected by duly constituted authortt .i.:s:a
(Bogota in Spanish to Co].ornbia. Jan, 18, 1947).
On the eve of political rallies in i.Hedellin and other cities of the, D ii Artmei
=.af Antioquia Governor Dr. Jose Mazin Bernal prohibited indefinitely pos it?ica .
meetings of all types. (edel: in in Spanish to Colombians A= road, Jan,
President Qspina Perez' preelection proclamation of March 8 addressed to
Governors, Intendants., and Corsui-csioners appeals for orderly electiona and
specifics that the Armed Forceb, in cooperation with the police, will
g uarantee free balloting and a respect for the decisions of the citizen c ,
(Bogota in Spanish to Colombia. March 8.: 1947).
inforcements" had been sent to tote where political distrubances ie, * w
throughout the nation to keep .,soars during the elections, an'~ that aza it.,.
EDER"TI AL
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T IHL
a~' iJsrev, a, ...
be expected." (Bogota in Spanish to North and South America, ;.:arch 12,
1-uurther regulations for election da,-, banned political gatherings near ,r.
7)
polling places, all spoken or written propaganda, the carrying of Liretrms
or other weapons, and the sale of a..tcoholic drinks. ",`omen and childre. wouIi
not be allowed near the polling places. (Bogota in Spanish to South p,w erica,;
Larch 12, 1947).
Commissions of "Conciliation and Guarantee" were set up by decree on ,.,.,ICE et-
in the capitals of each province to protect citizens exercising their =itlt
of franchise. The Conservatives, the Liberals, and the Liberal Marty oi' the
People were requested to desiEnate representatives to these three-m-an corm-
fissions. (Bogota in Spanish to Colombia, 2.,arch 12, 1947).
Party Principles and vain Imes:
The Conservative I;arty: Dr. Laureano Gomez, leader of the party, returr.od
from an extensive speaking toter of the country on January 15 and led bat
apparently was an active canipa:ign. No po r itical speeches were monitor ed,
however. Disunity of the Liberal Party was one of the main themer- of the
Conservative press.
The Administration: President Ospina Perez, member of the Conservative 'any
repeatedly stressed that the Government would maintain complete neutruLity
in the campaign; that it was "indifferent" to the final results of the on;e.t,
in keeping with the inalterable po~_icy of national unity.
The Liberal Parma: Dr..a;duardo Santos, leader of the party, together rith
Dr. Dario Lchan(tia, launched the campaign early in January. in. a keYrote
address Santos pointed out that "the only danger to the Liberal Party is
not the Conservative Party, but tht_ disunity" of the Liberals. Throw;hvut
the following campaign period Santistas made conciliatory overtures u) ctie
Gaitanist faction.
The Liberal Pa of the P'eog.k.~: A 52-point program drawn up at the C :it".i. _,
Liberal Convention included the following principles: ";omen must be a?-Lowed
to vote and hold office, democracy must be upheld, popular elections nu.sst o
held for Departmental Governors and certe.lr classes of mayors, the iWai ' . L in
of technicians must be organized, the land laws must be changed, hev.1.t:. ar-a
sanitation measures must be provided, and diplomnaLic careers must be
u'! 1DbNTIAL
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vlr o
established.
In the international field the program approved the Good Neignbor policy,
and proclaimed the necessity of Lairtaini.ng good relations i, th the Uni t.ed
States of Ai.;erica.
(postelection press dispatches reveal anothdr Gaitanist policy; collab(ratiur
with the present Government).
(Bogota in Spanish forse to the a,nerieas, Jan. 21, 1947).
Governnent Jisr?.issalst Liberalo of both factions were united in
opposing; the replc.cement of Liberal public service personnel ~.itn
Conse:rvrtiv::s at the boginning of the year. For a time it ;as bu--.evcd
that the unanimous disapproval of ;:arty loaders and the combined
Liberal press :;ou1 l_:ad to a rsco-::c nation.
_l~ etion :tesults: Official results announced by the United Frees x.
3.
Larch 27 are: Liberals, _16V,2,56, of vhom 442,480 were or the r'G:.f ~,Ln1.si
candidates and 346,776 for the official party; Cons ervL.,Tives, 64 , ?5j
postelection Developr:ents:
Pending the announcement on ;.:larch 23 of official election returns, vi.ciury
was conceded to the Liberals ?.ith r'.: majority of the vote of the Gaitar i.at
faction of the party. The (Aistx tution of seats in the Senate and Chit i )er
was esti .ated; Senate - Liberals, a5, Conservatives, 28; Chamber - r l es:'a