SITUATION IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (REPORT #189 - SUMMARY OF SITUATION FROM 9:00 PM - 5:00 AM EDT)

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79T00472A001400030039-9
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RIPPUB
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S
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4
Document Creation Date: 
December 20, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 16, 2006
Sequence Number: 
39
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Publication Date: 
May 8, 1965
Content Type: 
IM
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Approved For Ruse 2007/03/OS IgP79T00472A'1400030039-9 OCI No. 1653/65 DIA review(s) completed. State Dept. review completed CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Office of Current Intelligence 8 May 1965 Situation in the Dominican Republic (Report #189 Summary of Situation from 9:00 pm - 5:00 AM EDT) 1. In an effort to regain the political initia- tive, loyalist forces yesterday established a five- man "Council of National Reconstruction" government headed by Antonio Imbert Barrera. The US Embassy be- lieves that the Council, which also includes former junta leader Colonel Benoit and three respected civilians, is about the best available group at the moment and presents a reasonably good political balance. The Council lacks, however, a representative of former President Joaquin Balaguer, who remains a major force in Dominican politics. Although an earlier report indicated that a rebel delegation had visited m er and accepted the arrangement, rebel Radio Santo Domingo has since termed the Council as a "shady deal" against the interests of the Dominican people. 2. The Embassy has received reports that rebels are moving into the countryside in an effort to stir up unrest and rally support for Caamano. An uncon- firmed report indicates that these purported rebel movements are aimed at attempting to take over as many provincial and municipal administrations as pos- sible in an effort to weaken the anti-rebel forces' argument that the rebels do not control the country- side. 3. US officials in Santo Domingo have been told by the Argentine Ambassador that Colonel Francisco Ca:amano's wife and two children are still in asylum in the Argentine Embassy. According to the Salvadoran Charge, Mrs. Caamano sought asylum on April 25 at ap- proximately the same time as Colonel Caamano first took asylum. The Argentine Ambassador further stated Approved For Releas Approved For F 'ase 2007/03/ (;R P79T00472A*01400030039-9 -that- Colonel Caamano has been in secret and frequent contact with his wife and has advised her, as late as 5 May, to remain where she was. The Argentine be- lieves few if any on the rebel side are aware of Mrs. Caamano's asylum, although news may soon get out. Caamano's tactics in safeguarding his family may re- flect the uncertainty-and fear shared by many on both sides in this dangerous situation which could easily take any direction. 4. The French news agency Agence France Press says that Juan Bosch told a Cana -d ian reporter in Puerto Rico that he is "a virtual prisoner of the Americans" there. Bosch also is reported to have said that the US action in the Dominican Republic was comparable to the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. He further stated that the Dominican revolution, from the first day on, was a revolution of the middle classes, the people, and the younger officers against. the corruption, tyranny, and oppression of the Trujillo era; the US had intervened to show clearly to Latin America how nationalist revolutions will be treated in the future. 5. A local correspondent told the US Embassy in Paris yesterday that he had heard anot'.er French offi- cial say that according to French Foreign Minister Couve de Murville, the French position on recognizing the Caamano regime had been erroneously reported. The real position, Couve is alleged to have said, is that formal French recognition of the new government is not involved at all, since "France recognizes countries, not regimes." Therefore, according to this report, France was planning to take no action at all. The correspondent added, however, that other l'renc:ri gov- ernment sources were less positive about France taking no action. These sources had told him that De Gaulle had just received a letter from Caamano's "foreign minister," and he was planning to answer it. The re- sponse, while it would contain no formal or implied act of recognition, would in effect constitute de facto recognition. 6. US Ambassador Dungan reports from Chile that Ambassador Harriman had an extremely cordial two and one-half hour meeting with President Frei and Foreign Minister Valdes on the subject of the Dominican crisis. The US participants were left with the feeling that Approved For Release 0472A001400030039-9 Approved For R ease 2007/03/0 /R P79T004721O1400030039-9 Frei was genuinely anxious to be of assistance in the Dominican situation. The Chilean president also ex- pressed understanding of the US position on the matter and fervently expressed the hope that President Johnson would understand his position as the chief executive of a smaller country with a set of problems all its own? During the meeting, Frei assured his listeners that Chile is not about to recognize the Caamano regime. He underscored his own lack of knowledge about Carib- bean affairs and specifically about Caamano and his "government." Chile's interest, he said, was simply in seeing a "reasonably" civil and "reasonably" repre- sentative provisional government take over in the Dominican Republic until free elections could be held. Meanwhile, Caamano's "special representative" arrived in the Chilean capital yesterday to seek Chile's quick recognition of the rebel regime, and the Frei government's ambassador to the Organization of American States has been asked to go to Santo Domingo to prepare an on-the-spot report of the situation for his govern- ment 7. Brazilian President Castello Branco, accord- ing to the US Embassy in Rio de Janeiro, is firmly determined to go ahead with the contribution of a 600- to 900-man Brazilian force to the inter-American Armed Force despite any possible outcry by local left- ists or ultranationalists. He does not anticipate dif- ficulty in getting the Brazilian congress to approve the project. Castello Branco's present thinking is that the Brazilian contingent will include an infantry battalion and a company of marines, The Brazilian president is also reported to have expressed to the US Army Attache his extreme irritation at the reported disapproval of French General De Gaulle to the US action in the Dominican crisis, adding that, he thought De Gaulle must be getting senile. 8. The anti-American demonstration scheduled to take place last evening near the US Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia, fizzled out--basically as the result of effective police work and some inclement weather. A mob estimated as containing some 300 persons was quickly and efficiently dispersed by police as demonstrators approached within a block of the em- bassy building. Efforts of the demonstrators to form small groups and attack the embassy simultaneously from all sides also failed, thanks to the police, Approved For Releas Approved For Rskease 2007/O CRE DP79T00472 01400030039-9 F I and this efficiency plus the cold drizzle that began falling dampened the enthusiasm of the demonstrators and they withdrew. 9. Guatemala is thinking in terms of contributing one rifle company of troops to a four-company battalion of Central American forces as the area's contingent for the Inter-American Armed Force, according to the US Embassy in Guatemala City, How this would fit in with the thinking of the other Central American gov- ernments was not yet clear at 7:50 pm EDT when the embassy cabled its report, The Rivera government in El Salvador also indicated to our embassy during the evening that despite earlier indications that it would not be able to participate, it now intends to partici- pate with a "unit"--presumably a military contingent-- being sent to the Dominican Republic. 10, Students in Mexico City reportedly are plan- ning to hold meetings this morning at the National Autonomous University and, the National Polytechnic Institute in that city. The meetings are believed to be preparatory meetings to plan and organize public demonstrations for a later date against the US policy concerning the Dominican Republic. The students, in accordance with local laws, have requested permission to hold one such public demonstration on 11 May. 11. Colonel Benoit has complained to the Organiza- tion of American States Commission about broadcasts by rebel Radio Santo Domingo and especially about taped statements by Juan Bosch. Benoit declared that the Caamano group was not observing the psychological cease- fire and warned that if the Commission did not do some- thing about the inflammatory rebel announcements, he will not be responsible for what his forces might do to stop rebel radio broadcasting. Secretary General Mora of the Organization of American States (OAS) asked Colonel Benoit whether he would be willing to allow the OAS to take over his radio facilities if the Com- mission decided to place all broadcasting under its control. Benoit replied he personally was prepared to do this but wished to consult his colleagues, The Argentine and Brazilian military advisers also expressed their con- cern that if psychological warfare conducted by Radio Santo Domingo goes unchecked, the military cease-fire will be undermined. Following the meeting Secretary Gen- eral Mora took the US liaison officer aside and asked if the US government could not do something to stop Bosch from taping inflammatory statements inciting the Domini- can people to violence, Approved For Release 2007/081q kTpRDP79T00472A001400030039-9