INFORMATION OBTAINED REGARDING A DISCUSSION BETWEEN A LEADING COMMUNIST PARTY, USA, FUNCTIONARY AND A HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF ARGENTINA (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001000020025-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 29, 2007
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: December 4, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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T O P S E C R E T
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL. BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
In Reply, Please Refer to
File No.
December 4, 1959
INFORMATION OBTAINED REGARDING A DISCUSSION
BETWEEN A LEADING COMMUNIST PARTY, USA,
FUNCTIONARY AND A HIGH-RANTING OFFICIAL OF THE
COMMUNIST PARTY OF ARGENTINA IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA
.Complete4ion with his recent visit to the
Soviet Union and Red China, a leading functionary of the
Communist Party, USA, had the occasion to converse at length
with Yictorio Codovilla, the founder of the Communist PartV
of Argentina and a member of the Presidium and Central
Committee of the Communist Party of Argentina. Codovilla
was the head of a delegation from the Communist Party of
Argentina to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the
founding of the People vs Republic of China held in Peking,
China, in September and October, 1959.
While in Moscow, Russia, this Communist Party, USA,
functionary discussed with Codovilla and other Latin Ameri^an
communists the question of aid to the Communist Party, USAF
in its international campaign for "legal rights.'" Codovilla
pledged the support of the Communist Party of Argentina and
added that the League of Struggle for the Rights of Man will
be asked to assist the Communist Party, USA, in its international
campaign. He described this organization as a group of lawyers
which the Communist Party of Argentina has used to fight against
reactionary laws in Argentina. He noted that this lawyers'
group publishes a newspaper with the assistance of a united
front composed of social democrats and progressives. Codovilla
stated that the Communist Party of Argentina hopes to turn
this publication into an organ of the national democratic front.
He said that the Communist Party of Argentina has illegal
newspapers with a total circulation of 150, 000 which he inferred
could be used to assist the Communist Party, USA.
Concerning the Communist Party of Argentina,
Codovilla related that up to a few months ago, it had 125, 000
members. However, since the Party went into the underground
it has dropped some members and today has a membership of
about 80, 000. He noted that there are an additional 28, 000
members in the Communist Party of Argentina's youth group
known as the Young Communist League. He claimed that the
T_-5 / ;# 3 :,"
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TOP S E C R E T
Communist Party of Argentina continues to strengthen itself
and wields great influence in the labor movement and among
the peasants in some provinces. The Communist Party, he
claimed, is leading strikes and is growing.
Codovilla related that while the Communist Party of
Argentina is not yet formally illegal, it is now de facto
illegal. He stated that although there is a mass movement
in Argentina to prevent legislation designed to outlaw the
Communist Party, the situation is grave. He noted, for
example, that during recent months there have been 143
arrests of Communist Party members in Argentina and it
was necessary to hold the last congress of the Communist
Party of Argentina in an underground status. that country isCcharacteri edebyicompleteveconomictand pol this
instability. He said that President Arturo Frondiail it icctl
came into power in Argentina with the help of the Communist
Party, the Peronista Party, labor, the peasantry and Frondiai' a
own party, the left radicals. Frondizi's promises to carry
through an antifeudal ist and anti-imperialist program and to
revise the foreign concessions agreement have failed to
materialize. In addition, he has failed to carry out his
pledges for agrarian reform, liberal labor laws and peaceful
relations with all countries.
Codovilla related that at the outset, Frondiai
gave freedom to all parties including the Communist Party csnd
falsely pretended to improve relations with the socialist
countries by signing an agreement for $100,000,000 in trade
with the Soviet Union. However, very soon Frondiai submitted
himself under the heel of the monopolies and the army. Frondizz
decided to make concessions to the imperialists. This resulted
in strikes to defend Argentina's oil resources row
monopolies and partial and general strike J? foreign
industries. Codovilla claimed that Frondizinusedythehe
reactionary forces of the army to suppress the people's movement
but despite the repressions, the masses continued to push
forward, The peasants began to seize the land. The workers
and students were united under the Communist Party on a masa
scale culminating in a 48-hour strike in which 4, 000, 000 people
participated.
T O P S E C R E T
7^S / 7.2 )
44- 1
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T ?P S E C R E T
Codovilla continued that with this mass struggle, the
Communist Party, the youth moueme4t and other mass organizations
increased in numbers to the point where Frondizi had to either
succumb to the people's pressure or resort to the methods of a
dictatorship. Frondizi chose the methods of a dictatorship.
He placed the blame on the Communist Party and now wants to
formally declare it illegal. Codovilla stated that while the
army is now demanding a complete dictatorship, there are manLi
opportunities to check this dictatorship inasmuch as all of
the political parties in Argentina fear that the dictatorship
will be used not only against the Communist Party but against
them as well. He emphasized that for this reason all
political parties have voiced opposition to declaring the
Communist Party illegal and are insisting upon more demo cracr1i.
Codovilla remarked that the Communist Party of
Argentina now advocates a national democratic front. In this
regard, he stated that the Communist Party has entered into
a pact with the Peronists and with the trade-unions. He claimei
that the Peronists are made up of large sections of the
working class and that the Peronists are preparing to
overthrow the Argentinian Government. He alleged that the
Communist Party of Argentina is against a coup d ' etat even
if it is led by the Peronists. Codovilla continued that in
the event of such a situation, the policy of the Communist
Party of Argentina will be to mobilize the masses for a general
strike and to demand a coalition government. He stated that
at, the present time, reaction is on the offensive but the
militancy of the masses as well as the roots of the Communist
Party among; the masses and its influence guarantee the
Communist Party's victory. He added that the main enemy of
Argentina is United States imperiaVsm and claimed if
it were not for the interference of the United States, the
Communist Party would have done away with the oligarchy.
During the period they, were in Peking, China, the
Latin American Communist Party delegates decided to hold a
Peoplers Congress of Latin America. They planned to have this
congress called by outstanding liberals and mentioned in this
regard former President Lazaro Cardenas of Mexico, Jorge
Alessandri, president of While, and Fidel Castro of Cuba.
Concerning this congress, Codouilla stated that details
are being discussed and worked out in Havana, Cuba.
He claimed that certain government officials may be in
attendance at the congress although they will speak as
individuals and not in behalf of their governments. He said
that the congress would include delegates from North American
countries if they are against United States imperialism.
T 0 P S'E C R E T / 7.2---1'y f /
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QFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR T 0 V 1' L; 11 Z 1
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
WASHINGTON 85, D. C.
December 4, 1959
BY COURIER SERVICE
Mr. Allen W. Dulles
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Administration Building
2430 E Street, N.
W.
Washington 25, D.
Dear Allen:
C.
I thought you would be interested in the
information contained in the enclosed memorandum.
This information was obtained as a result of our
over-all coverage of the Communist Party, USA, and
pertains to a recent discussion in Moscow, Russia,
between a leading functionary of the Communist
Party, USA, and a high-ranking official of the
Communist Party of Argentina.
In view of the extremely sensitive nature
of certain of the sources of our information, it is
requested that the contents of this communication
be afforded the most careful security and its use
restricted to a need-to-know basis.
Sincerely,
T 0 P 5 E C R E T /7.255
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1.I oEC 1
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ea W. Dulles
Di rector
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FORM NO. 10 REPLA ES FORM 10.101
1 AUG 54 WHICH MAY BE USED.
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