STATUS OF THE COMMUNIST LABOR PARTY OF COLOMBIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002200540001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 1, 1999
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 13, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION
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COUNTRY Colombia
1. The leaders of the Corrunist Labor Party of Colombia (PCO) have concluded that.
they cannot hope to reach any agreement with the Conraunist party of Colombia
(PC?:) for reuniting the two Factions. The PCO has lecided to carry out
Marxist progress and to avoid direct conflict with the PCC, if possible. The
POO believes that it will gain strength by infiltrating the Colombian labor
unions, rather than bit following the policies of the larger PCC in its efforts
to secure an advantage in the coming elections. The National Commit tee of the
PCO is also considering the advisability of accusing the PCC of being an
anti-Lenin group.
SUBJECT Status of the Communist Labor Party of Polombia NO. OF PAGES 2
PLACE 25X1A6a
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In a recent letter to Torge E. Bayona, PCO Treasurer, Au asto Duran, PCO
Cesretery General, said that a general meeting of the Magdalena River workers
and the dock workers of Barranquilla and Cartagena, which would be held in the
near future, would be of great Importance, Although no derinite date has been
set for the meeting, Duran believes that its decisions would serve as a guide
for activities on a national scale of the affiliates of the Confederation of
Colombian Jorkers (CM).
DATE OF INF SUPPLEMENT TO
25X1 X6 REPORT NO.
3. Duran identified the two most important and restless labor groups which he
believed would be open to Comm nist agitation.
a. The first group was the road workers, a majority o*' whom belong to the
Liberal Party, while the supervisors and engineers are ConservativeR. Con-
tinuous disagreement exists between the two. A further cause for dis-
content among them is the refusal of the Minister of Public :dorks to grant
the wage increa:;e and the inproved 1 ivinJ- and uor'_ing conditions which
they had demanded some time ago. The PCO would have an excellent opportunity
to agitate among the roar3 wor.cors since its o"!ices are in the cane buil ].ins
as those of the rational Road 1Jrkers' Federation.
b. The second group is the :'agdalena "ever worker:' union, Tederation N oional
de Trans-3ortes Fluvial, IM'aritimo, Portuario y Aereo (?ationa,l Feder?tion of
River, Sea, Port, an-' lir Transportation - FI DEt:AL), t:drich har been unable
to arrive at any agreement txith the Covernraent or the navigation connanias
after protracted negotiations. The problem has been aprre'.ated by the recent
withdrawal from the negotiations by Israel Escariilla, leader of FEDD AL, and
a member of the Central Executive Committee of the PCO,
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bona, a Deputy in the Cundinuaroa Dopartmental :losernbly, believes that
there are certain factors which encouri.g+e a general movement of protest against
the Concerv'.tive Government. He added that the Corn uniets would have to
defend the into-rests-of the people, since the Liberals had shown themselves
incapable of carrying out a broad social program on a popular, basis. The
follovinf*.factors in -irate the ineffectiveness of the Government, according
to Byona:
a. The electoral reform, approved on 10 Deg orth r 1943, which has cause) a
great deal of discontent anonf the Liberals. The leaders of the Liberal
Party had agreed to it, but nanny Liberal eongrassrnen opposed it and would
not attend the session at which it was passed.
b. An investigation of the preparation made for the IX Pan Unerican Conference
and the accompanying publicity, which have caused discontent among the
poorer classes, who believe that those who made the preparations enriched'
themselves at the expense of the nation.
c. The poor record of the ?resent Congress, which has been accused of doing
nothing for the working classeur while considering a bill to increase its
own salaries.
d. The increase.-7 high cost of living, which is blamed on the Price Control
Off ice.
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