SPLIT IN MOVIMIENTO NACIONALISTA REVOLUCIONARI RANKS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002200040009-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 18, 1998
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: November 30, 1948
• Content Type: IR

CLASSIFICATIO
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INFORMA
COUNTRY Balivia/P.ru
SUBJECT Split in Novimiento Nacicnalia+s Revolucionari
Ranks
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RACE
ACQUIRE
DATE OF I
DATE DISTR. 3 Tan 1949
NO. OF PAGES 2
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1. Although it was previously reported that the alleged split in the Movimiento
NacionallstAffiows, o (MNR) was invented by the Party to mislead the
25X1 A2g Goverwent a well-placed source now states that the UNR has
indeed split into two parts. One group includes the younger military element
and some members of the Logia Badepa. This group is being inspired and aided
in its activities by ex-Major Alberto Taborga, General Pena y Lilla, General
Bezmdino Bilbao Rioja, and Colonel Felix Tavera. The other faction includes
the laborers, miners, and factory unions, and is being aided by Juan Lechin,
Noe Mariaca, and Florentino Quires,
2, The reason for the split in the Party (according to source) is that lechin's
followers are opposed to, and fear, any military control of Bolivia. They
feel that the working class of the country would receive no benefits from
such a regime. They are also extremely bitter because they feel that
Taborga and his followers have betrayed the MRNR.
3e Taborga is now staying on a farm in the town of Unduani, close to La Paz.
It is believed tht ht dtid
ae was noeane during the recent roundups of MNR
leaders because he hag been used by the police as an agent. The faction op-
posing Taborga believes that it was through Taborgaga aid that the police were
able to thwart recent PANE revolutionary plans. He supplied information about
the Party's plans, including projects for an alliance between the Partido
Isquierda Eevolucionario (PIR) and theiMNR in a joint attempt to bring about
a general strike in the country. This information which Taborga allegedly
submitted to the police was, in great part, responsible for, the declaration
of the state of siege and the resultant detention of MN'R leaders. Taborgags
motive for betraying his party was reputedly to gain all the Government favor
possible and to attempt to whitewash his reputation. Moreover, he was paid a
monthly fee for his services by the Bolivian National Police,
Taborga, moved by consideration of the recent anti-Government military suc-
cesses in Peru and Venezuela, has now deserted the Government.. He is also
in communication with Edmundo Nogales, ex-Colonel in the Bolivian Arvy and
PANE member, who has been in exile in Arequipa since 1946. Nogales is now in
Lima, where he is - reported to . be in contact with Colonel Alfonso L1osa.
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Rosa has allegedly promised aid to Nogales in any attempt by the military
to overthrow the Hertzog Government. Taborga has now decided to throw his
forces in with those of Nogales. I1osa, Nogales, and Taborga are reported
to have been very close friends during the Villarroel regime, when Liosa
was Military Attache to Bolivia. Taborga is at present planning to go to
thna, where he will confer with Nogales and Llosa. He may then continue to
Buenos Aires with Nogales for conferences with Pag Eatenssoro. These leaders
are expected to attempt to formulate a plan which will be attractive to the
younger element.
A secondsource confirms this split, and states that Taborga has expressed
bitter feelings toward the labor faction of the MR. He claims the labor
group has tried to undermine his position ever since his arrival in Bolivia
from Chile in 19L7. He has also been heard to admit openly his sympathetic
feelings toward any military coup which would rid Bolivia of the Hertzog
Government. The command of the MNR has tried in every way possible to smooth
out the difference between the labor and military factions of the Party. The
schism still exists at present, however.
Comment. The suspicion that Taborga was an agent for the police has
arisen before., inasmuch as it has been noted that he has never been'detained
when the police have arrested other MNR leaders. Taborga is well known for
his traitorous character and his fanatic desire for personal gain. It was
Taborga who in 19t3 used the National Police to overthrow the Government of
President Enrique Penaranda and, as a result of this revolution, was named
Minister of Government by the Junta Government. Soon after his appointment,
however, it was discovered that he was involved in counter-revolutionary
plans against the Junta Government, and he was exiled to Chile, where he re-
mained until early 1947. In September 1947 he was believed to have been or-
ganizing a revolutionary committee among certain exiled MNR and A T1V person-
nel with the hope of staging a revolution in the near future.)
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