U.S. HISPANICS URGED TO BACK LATIN POLICY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390134-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2010
• Sequence Number: 134
• Publication Date: April 18, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/09: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390134-3
AJTICLE 13PF.&P.E.
... PAGE i2 .
WASHINGTON POST
18 April 1984
J.S. Hispanics Urged
To Back Latin Policy
By Juan Williams
Washington Post Staff Writer
President Reagan appealed to
Hispanic-American leaders to
support his Central American
policies yesterday, warning that
the Soviet Union is trying to
turn the region into a string of
dictatorships that threaten all of
the Americas.
The president also took some
strong swipes at Congress for its
refusal to approve additional
military aid the administration
has requested for Central Amer-
ica and for votes in both houses
condemning the CIA for laving
mines in Nicaraguan waters.
"America does not exist in a
vacuum' he told 150 members
of the National Hispanic Lead-
ership" Conference. "Today a far-
away totalitarian power is com-
mitting enormous resources to
change the strategic balance of
the world by turning Central
America into * a string of anti-
American, Soviet-style dictator-
ships. -
"And when I use the term
anti-American, I'm not using it
as anti-United States because
we're all Americans-from
Tierra del Fuego in the south to
the North Pole. And it is all of
America that this assault is
aimed at."
Reagan said Congress must
have the political courage to
counter the Soviets and not"
apologize for. decisive action.
"We've made an ambitious
economic effort in that region
... , " he said, "but economic
assistance, as much as some peo-
ple on Capitol Hill would like to
think otherwise, will not over-
come the military. threat."
He said events in Central
America could be particularly
damaging to U.S. border states,
home to many Hispanic-
Americans, if a new wave of im-
migrants flee increasing numbers
of communist dictatorships.
"There's still time to defend
freedom," he said, "but to do so
we can't stand as a house divided
against itself. We must recognize
our common values. We must
take a no-nonsense approach to
protecting our vital interests."
Reagan also told the His-
panics that he remains com-
mitted to bilingual education as
well as to strong enforcement-
provisions for any immigration
legislation.
Hispanics have expressed con-
cern over enforcement provisions
of one bill approved by the
House. Judiciary Committee be-
cause they fear that penalties for
hiring illegal. aliens might dis-
courage employers from hiring
all Hispanics.
At yesterday's luncheon, the
president did not back off from
his call for employer sanctions.
Instead, without directly men-
tioning that' controversial provi-
sion of the immigration bill, he
said: "I will insist that any im-
migration legislation passed by
the Congress provides for fair
and effective enforcement."
One woman wore a large "Wo-
men for Mondale" button at the
luncheon. But afterward Olga
Mendez, a New York state sen-
ator, said' Reagan was-"charm-
ingn
"I'm a Democrat, but after
hearing his words I can visualize
how Hispanics and other minor-
ities can go with him;" she said.
"We have to be stoic and sepa-
rate his policies from the man."
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/09: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505390134-3