SEC. LAIRD ON LATIN REVOLTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01601R001200840001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 6, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 9, 1971
• Content Type: NSPR

STATINTL
Approved For Release 2001/03/04: CIA-RDP8
SAIL FRANCISCO, CAI,.
CHRONICLE.
5 L P
I:9 X480 p 233
9 1971
?'r 9 4.
j ~'~')I itl ~i.r.ra.nnrFP .r
1-9
Acac rni ~, -" a rnl:agon lieut.cr-
ant-general finding himself in charge of a tr_chnolog-
ical training course for a Latin American colonel,
doesn't prod the colonel to overt hro\v his own un-
?rateful .goveenmcllt, though he may not be disinter-
1-steel if the colonel does just that..
The real catch in our time is the Cent cal Iotelli- ~(
Bence" Agency. This octopus espionage system no-
6Jhere. employs its tentacles more assiduously than
rul 1l '( () r, 4 in Latin American capitals. It is a known fad that in
c venal Central American governments facing re
/At, the CIA has often been a. controlling factor. It
Fakes
es SUSS may bungle, and ma\' not get \\ 'hat it..
I warits, but it just goes back to the drawing hoard.
4 The CIA is not in Mr. l..aird's jurisdiction, hilt
AM D ,,,, . E-. ? `.? advice and influence illerr e with Pentagon ntti-:
A..fkl]) l).,`~I ,S U.S. Stirs ]+atin Revolts, says to)d,s, and it can create situations which can back
~' the h
d ti
]
i
h
adli
ne r
e
ne an
Pn
al my
ear a mcasuir
, t:i"z Penta;oa into a corner.
of truth, but it needs examining. The Defense Srcrr- It congressmen had the wit to ask W. Lai?r?d
tart' was I cstifyii g before the IJousr Approln'i=itic,i!,
1), .,,,,,,;a+ -.t?, .: AA--I, -1111. L....".. .._.."...._ ab~ll.,t, t.t., he nii#:ht chsclailll hIs ilil',sdiction. but
to keep it under wraps for a few
six months seems another exam-
plc of the Washington secrecy oh-
session. But. that's an aside.
A;rr. Laird said: "I think it is
important to bear in mind that
the military is. the only cohcsit'r
group in many countries in Lain
America ... We ha\e cle:ir pi'rf-
ercnce for free processes, hut. we
cleat l[',lh governments
arc.
{ ,.~^.+. tt +.'- c.. , l . 11. 111)17111 /1{' 1111 f,?1 t'~II lj , Irl~{. Il\IIi L
\vCr.la, but
a(nl+~ 1~;.~x it \vcliid be released to I he people very soon.
True- eliougli, 1)1,11 it %-\L11 h;:l?ril\' sat.i v ni"!
critics who maintain the n wed Stilt s has for \?r;11':'
been pi'eclpltair,,in ?'rcoen /.a,g I . i n Americann (li,?-
Iatol?s v.-h n rwc c: tr.'t, is}lcc li!:.? pewee' in ;t coup.
Laird thh'ks ii \\a, a mist tk' -1.hat (,cftn ;l'r'
l'i'mited the fell:+,gen nil salt` of at'li;s 1cf Latin Anlr,'-
ii (now Si".if! tin" on ii ak! hi, 1n1'tst, husilc' fi,'it-
lsh.and F"re n cli 1t'11?5 ill?:; fen merely flil the Cacti .?
Mill.
;.AY 111, V, beside Ih ??poin1. since the United.,
States can h 'cIt J1r; \cht_snlali nations from ar-
quiring European -irnns, elthPr ~rnlll;?"ic'cl or leg; lly
purchased, only because it. \t'oltld prefer They buy our
Arms.
But. this: r-ntr;'s the` domain of international rth-
ic:s. and we have been arguin the ethics of our vela-
tions with Latin American disturbances for a Mrltu-
ry, and with the hest of motives we have been burned
manly times, Cuba a sharp rec:ent example.
F 1
li ni >it'IWE ti OF the question Has in the overt
acts of the American mititary in Latin American
upheavals,. and the for cgoin ; headline reflects the
problem in a Laird denial.
Ile said: "No part of the U.S. training given Lat-
in- American officers is in any way related to the
o\'erthrow of Latin American governments
Septerilhcr 9, 1.9.1 .l
Approved For Release 2001/03/04: CIA-RDP80-01601 R001200840001-9
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 THE Sm"i FRANCISCO CNRON1:CLE
Approved For Release 2001/6/h' G?A RDP80-01601 R
By Thayer Waldo
'Chronicle Foreign Service
Mexico City
The violent toppling of
still another. Bolivian re-
gime is seen by knowledge-
able sources here as part
of a far-reaching move-
ment, backed by the U.S.
Central Intelligence Agen-
cy (CIA), to seize power in
a total of six South Ameri-
? can republics.
Although it has been offi-
cially denied, CIA money,
A
Wows
Analysis
C
' minded over-
training a n d
advice was
liberally giv-
en to the reb-
el strategists
-w h o master-
crop tip in at least three of
CIA collaboration was I theother target republics. It
sought by Peru's exyis regarded as most probable
president, F e r n a n d o Be- in Argentina, where the plan-
launde Terry, with the con Hers hope to put ex-president
sent of his colleagues in the: Arturo Frondizi back in of-
movement. Although it re- fiee and keep former dictator
mains to be clarified whether Juan Peron out.
President Nixon was consult- Uruguay a n d Colombia,
ed personally, there can be iow-ever, represent the
no doubt that CIA Directo greatest risks, for prime reli-
Richard Helms got the green ante in both countries. is to
light at top administration be placed on the electoral
level. process.
PARTIES ELECTION
The plotters seek to estab- The Uruguayan constitu-
lish center-left, non- tion forbids two consecutive
Communist regimes within presidential terms, but sup-
the respective countries,, porters of President Jorge
relying chiefly on the leaders
and programs of Social Dem-
ocrat or Christian Democrat
parties.
HoweVer, since they must
also count on the aid of-mili-
tary men whd are in many
cases extreme political right-
ists, personally ambitious,
or both, success in attaining
those ends is at best uncer-
tain.
The Bolivian developments
offer a clear case in point.
Former president Victor Paz
Estenssoro of that landlocked
-Andean republic, a moderate
Socialist, is a "brain trust"
member; the main purpose
of the revolt there was to let
him return from seven years'
exile in Lima and take over
the presidency again. .
FALANGE
But Colonel Hugo Banzer,
They believe that another
for an amendment which year anu a nau vi tIuenuv 5
would let him run again in socialization program w i 11
November - with the court- have alienated enought Chile-
try's present "state of emer- and to make his ouster from
gency" measures maintained office both practical and pop-
throw o f Bolivia's leftist
President Juan Jose Torres.
Similar action is reportedly
planned over the next 18
months in Peru, Argentina
and Chile, probably in that
order. In Uruguay and Col-
ombia, it is felt that attempts
will be made to achieve the
.goal through the ballot box,
with' force reserved as a last
resort.
Because the Bolivian politi-
cal-situation has been chroni-
cally chaotic throughout its
history - the latest coup was
number 187 In 146 years of
independence - that repub-
lic was given top priority on
the international planners'
timetable.
EX-PRESIDENTS
The "!brain trust" of this
sweeping Latin American
scheme includes four.former
presidents of the -countries
involved - all -but one also
ousted from office - promi-
nent Catholic church leaders
.and conservative officers in
the armed services' com-
mands of each nation.
Their common aim is to
prevent spread of Soviet and
Communist Chinese penetra-
tion in that area, following a
s h a r p decline . of United
States influencAp irEoved
the past several years. . .
during the balloting.
They reason that tradition-
a 11 y conservative farmers
and cattlemen will join the
business community in vot-
ing for Pacheco against Lib-
er Sergegni, the fiery ex-
general who.wants to nation-
backed by the fascist-
oriented Bolivian Falange,
had himself sworn in as chief
executive before Paz could
set foot on home soil.
During Paz's two periods
in office, his Nationalist Rev-
olutionary Movement (1NR)
and the Falange were bitter
foes. Although they joined
forces to help topple Torres,
a voluntary surrender of-pow-
er by one to the other is now
considered most unlikely.
Observers believe that sim-
ilar frustrations are apt to
in office, Rojas won a su-
For Release 2001/03/O4e~'IRA-"1Ug18001200840001-9
ning comeback, almost win-
alize industry and banking.
And police power under the
emergency decree is expect-
I/
Allende's -immediate prede-
cessor, Christian Democrat
ning the presidency last
year.
The CIA view is that the
ex-dictator must be defeated
at all costs, and the CIA
picked Lopez because he:'
would let himself be put in
office via a coup, if neces-
sary, while Lleras would not.
Last but by no means least'
is Chile. The Marxist govern-
ment of President Salvador,
Allende was voted into pow
er, whereas the Bolivian, Pe- i
ruvian and Argentine re-
gimes are all de facto. For
that reason, Chile is last on
the plotters schedule.
-Eduardo Frei, would be the
replacement. He, too, be-
longs to the international
movement's "brain trust."
Well informed sources re-
that the CIA has com-
port
mitted a $14 million fund to
this six-nation project, with
ed to keep leftist dentonstra- i close to a. million' of it al-
tors off the streets. ready spent in helping to fi-
The gamble will be even nance the Bolivian rebels.
greater in Colombia, where a
16-year "co-existence" pact
between the republic's two
major political parties runs
out in 1974.
There the CIA has taken
the initiative, insisting on
support for independent left-
ist Alfonso Lopez Michelsen
over the objections of many
who wanted to back respect-
ed former president Alberto
Lleras Camargo.
ROJAS
But the man to beat, every-
one admits, is aging General
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, who
ruled Colombia with an iron
fist for 41,z years during the
1950s. Exiled, then* tried and
condemned for malfeasance i
 THE SAIL 1ICISCO CrFttONi IC
Approved For Release 200 110'3! : 1 -RDP80-01601 RO
rff,q
The CIA in Laos
THE SENATE HAS WRUNG from the Cen-
tral Intelligence Agency a public admission that
this cloak-and-dagger agency is sustaining a force.
of 30,000 irregulars in the secret war waged in
Laos for so long. While the full extent of the role
,of the CIA is still unrevealed, such specific infor-
mation that has now been put on the record is ap-
palling.
Even the Senate itself cannot tell how many
millions the CIA is spending, because much of the
money is hidden in budgets of other agencies. It is
indicated, however, the CIA used about $135 mil-
lion last year to train, pay and supervise the Lao--
tian "volunteers," as well as a force of perhaps
4800 Thai recruits. .
Senator Symington, who forced the disclosure
as chairman of a Senate Foreign Relations subcom-
mittee, believes the employment of Thai soldiers
violates an antimercenary provision of the De-
fense Appropriations Act. "Not only are they
breaking the law, but they intend to break it
more," said the Senator. - -
IN 1962, THE TIMES OF LONDON first re-
ported the CIA was dabbling in internal Laotian
affairs, and since then there have been bits and
dabs of information putting the CIA in an increas-
ingly disenchanting role. The CIA admitted last
year it had 1040 men there, but this seems meager
for training and supervising an active fighting
force of upwards of 30,000 men. I
Senator Symington is intent on finding out
whether the United States can organize, finance
and help fight a war without officially acknowledg-
ing to Congress or the-people. At the very least, he
has already made a case for reining in the CIA. Its
fumbling in the U-2 episode, its blundering in the
Bay of Pigs, and now its activities in Laos, clearly
state that the CIA should be confined to gathering
and evaluating intelligence, and that it should be
withdrawn from the field of military operations.
STATINTL
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 THE C it
Approved For Release Uj, uylDy '$,-016
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of
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STATINTL
lie avers this is a violation of a omgresstonal
directive last year, prohibiting financing mercena-
riesin Laos except to. help free POWs or facilitate
American troop ..vit.hdraivals. The committee is cur-
rently, taking testimony from two aides recently in
Indochina.. The Senator said he wrote to Secretary or
State Rogers about it a month ago, and has received
nc) reply.
Then why not invite the Secretary to tell the
committee what he knows about it, which might not
be much, as there is no evidence Mr. Rogers talks to,
CIA, or vice versa.
But congressmen enjoy complaining, and don't
enjoy doing. If they enjoyed doing they would adopt
a joint resolution calling for an audit of CIA e.\pend-
itures over the past few years. The howling would be
pitiful that. this would uncover supersecret inves-
tigation abroad, and work untold harm to vital.
American "interest." Who say?.Who knows if CIA
conniving is beneficial or detrimental to vital Amer-
ican i n t c r e s.ts anywhere, since nobody has ever
yielded an inkling of what it is all about?
F RO . J1 IRSE ', , General Washington hired a
schoolteacher named Nathan Hale to spy on the
British in Manhattan. It was bad jud"linent. Hale had
no experience in espionage, as he soon proved by
being captured and hanged, to become an American
immortal.
In the Civil War the govern-
ment hired the Pinkerton outfit.
to set up an espionage system. It
was never n such good, but neither
was the Confederate.
In World War -II we set no a 1,
spy system. in Switzerland, and
t: 1
Lr ~/ :~~
after the war it v,-~?s consolidated
as Central Intelligence Agency. It
has grown every year of the 26
since, encircling the globe with its tent~,cics, becom-
ing aden .c empire defying the l're,iclent and the
Congress to comprehend or control its global activi-
ties.
Excepting its frequent blund.cers, nobody knows
or can discover what it is up to in a given time or
place. Compared with it, Hoover's FBI is an open
book.
F OR FBI AGENT i are subject ultimately to court
examination of their activities, which involve
constitutional rights. CIA agents don't deal with
those having constitutional rights, and nobody says
how or why it disburses moneys voted to it by a
generous and spellbound Congress.
Most CIA action naturally focuses on trouble
areas abf'Oad, Europe in general. Latin America, the.
Mediterranean and the Far East. Since we have been
engaged for 20 years in Asian intrigue, half of that
time in warfare with Asiatics, that is where the CIA
sleuths and provocateurs congregate and conspire in
this or that policy, which is removed from the hands
of the President and the will of Congress.
This. has become it savage and slippery maze of
blind forces at work, which no extraneous power on
earth can unravel.
T IS A PREPO STEROUS and dangerous situation
I for the Americans, and bears no rtelatloil to their
traditional integrity of purpose and responsibility.
Senator -Chase of New Jersey, a member of'the
Foreign Relations Committee, said last week he has
learned from government sources there are "4000-
6000 Thai troops in Laos, and the United States is
paying them through CIA."
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 STATINTL
7'1T 1`1 "t 'ti NO the s!trersecrcr table of
: 11
' T .e .dJ?t?GYS~.' Fwd" 2 _ 5 T ?,i i 11
,. R 1 u organi_ ation of C A, yo can see hot:r it ft nc:-
tactics, but this doesn't stay their meddling. The re-
; icxi,l;;ha.rrnful fomentation, &