STAFFDEL MURRAY VISITS THE RESISTANCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M00005R001000080013-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: November 1, 1988
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/11: CIA-RDP90M00005R001000080013-4
25X1
IMMEDIATE
FRP: 2 3 4
88 0806235 SSO
PAGE 001
TOR: 011202Z NOV 88
NC 0806235
TEGUCI 18445
00 RUEAIIB
ZNY SSSSS ZOC STATE ZZH
RPI8670
00 RUEHC
DE RUEHTG #8445 3052158
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
0 312158Z OCT 88
FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6105
BT
---S-E-L-lt-E--T--T.EGUCIGALPA 18445
EXDIS CONTRA
S/S - FOR EXDIS CONTRA DISTRIBUTION
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: OREP, PREL, NU, HO--
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL MURRAY VISITS THE RESISTANCE ,
1. (S - ENTIRE TEXT.)
2. SUMMARY:. MARK MURRAY, HOUSE SUB-COMMITTEE ON
FOREIGN OPERATIONS STAFFER VISITED HONDURAS.- AFTER
VISITING RESISTANCE PERSONNEL ALONG THE BORDER AND IN
TEGUCIGALPA, MURRAY EXPRESSED TO ERN AND MISSION
OFFICERS SUPPORT FOR THE CASH-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM CURRENTLY
BEING ADMINISTERED BY TFHA/H. END SUMMARY.
3. ON OCTOBER 25, 1988, MR. MURRAY TRAVELLED BY TFHA
HELICOPTER TO RESISTANCE FIELD LOCATIONS AT YAMALES,
BOCAY AND BANCO GRANDE. MURRAY WAS ACCOMPANIED BY ERN/N
CHIEF-OF-STAFF QUICHE, A TFHA OFFICER AND AN EMBASSY SLO
TFFICER. AT YAMALES, THE GROUP VISITED AN ERN/N MEDICAL
FACILITY AND THE ERN/N GENERAL STAFF HEADQUARTERS.
4. AT SAN ANDRES DE BOCAY, MURRAY WAS SHOWN RESISTANCE
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. AT BANCO GRANDE ON THE COCO RIVER.
MURRAY MET WITH TWO GROUPS OF ERN/N COMBATANTS WHO WERE
PREPARING TO CROSS INTO NICARAGUAN TERRITORY. BOTH
GROUPS WERE CARRYING CORDOBAS TO RESISTANCE COMBATANTS
INSIDE NICARAGUA.R
5. IN TEGUCIGALPA, MURRAY MET WITH ENRIQUE BERMUDEZ AND
A GROUP OF RESISTANCE COMMANDERS. CONVERSATION FOCUSED
ON THE CORDOBAS/CASH-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM. MURRAY TOLD THE
GROUP THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE ERN/N DESIRE TO MAINTAIN A
PRESENCE IN NICARAGUA. HE SAID THAT HE RECOGNIZED THE
VITAL ROLE OF THE CASH-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM IN FULFILLING
THIS DESIRE. HE SAID AID'S ADMINISTRATION OF THE
PROGRAM HAD BEEN ADMIRABLE. AFTER VISITING WITH TFHA
OFFICIALS, HE WAS SATISFIED THAT THE PROGRAM WAS WELL
AUDITTED AND RUNNING WELL."
6. RESISTANCE COMMANDERS SPOKE OF SHORTCOMINGS IN THE
PROGRAM. THEY EXPRESSED FAMILIAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR
INABILITY TO PAY OLD ERN/N DEBTS. THEY ALSO MENTIOFED
ADMINISTRATIVE DELIVERY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAY
IN WHICH TFHA IS FORCED TO SUPPLY CORDOBAS TO THE
OCA
INCOMING
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/11: CIA-RDP90M00005R001000080013-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/11: CIA-RDP90M00005R001000080013-4
SECRET
88 0806235 SSO
PAGE 002 NC 0806235
TOR: 011202Z NOV 88 TEGUCI 18445
RESISTANCE (30-DAY LIMIT). MURRAY PLEDGED TO WORK ON
THE HILL TO SEE IF SOMETHING COULD BE DONE TO ALLEVIATE
THESE PROBLEMS.
7. ALL MEETINGS WERE FRANK BUT CORDIAL. RESISTANCE
PERSONNEL SEEMED TO BE PLEASED WITH MURRAY'S CANDOR.
MURRAY CLOSED HIS MEETING WITH BERMUDEZ BY EXPRESSING
SKEPTICISM ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RENEWED LETHAL AID,
BUT HE SAID THAT IN HIS VIEW THE THINKING IN WASHINGTON
WAS THAT THE U.S. COULD NOT "ABANDON THE RESISTANCE":
HUMANITARIAN AID (AT LEAST) WOULD PROBABLY CONTINUE.
8. MURRAY DEPARTED POST PRIOR TO PREPARATION OF THIS
MESSAGE.
BRIGGS
END OF MESSAGE SECRET
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/01/11: CIA-RDP90M00005R001000080013-4