"DOS CABLES SECRETOS SOBRE EL ACCIONAR TERRORISTA EN ARGENTINA"...FIRMENICH...Secuestro del cónsul de Estados Unidos. John Patrick Egan fue secuestrado por Montoneros...

UNO
MONTONEROS DECLARE WAR

Date:
1974 September 9, 14:55 (Monday)
Canonical ID:
1974BUENOS06741_b

Original Classification:
CONFIDENTIAL
Current Classification:
UNCLASSIFIED

Handling Restrictions:
-- N/A or Blank --
Character Count:
4823

Executive Order:
GS
Locator:
TEXT ON MICROFILM,TEXT ONLINE


Enclosure:
-- N/A or Blank --
Type:
TE

Office Origin:
-- N/A or Blank --

Office Action:
ACTION ARA
Archive Status:
Electronic Telegrams

From:
Argentina Buenos Aires
Markings:
Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 30 JUN 2005

To:
Commander in Chief Southern Command | DIA DOD | Department of State | Secretary of State



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1. SUMMARY. WITHIN HOURS AFTER THE GOA CLOSED THE PUBLICATION "LA CAUSA PERONISTA", MARIO FIRMENICH, THE LEADER OF THE MONTONEROS, HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THAT HIS ORGANIZATION HAD RETURNED TO ARMED STRUGGLE AND WOULD RESUME USE OF THE GUERRILLA TACTICS THEY HAD USED AGAINST THE MILITARY GOVERNMENTS. END SUMMARY. 2. THE MAGAZINE "LA CAUSA PERONISTA" HAS BECOME THE EIGHT PUBLICATIONCLOSED BY THE GOA SINCE THE PERONISTS RETURNED TO POWER. THE GOA DECREE CLOSING THE PUBLICATION WAS ISSUED ON SEP 6 AND WAS A REACTION TO THE PROVOCATION AND CONTROVERSY CAUSED BY RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLE ON THE MURDER OF FORMER PRESIDENT ARAMBURU (SEE REFTEL). THE DECREE ALSO INSTRUCTED THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE TO BEGIN LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 BUENOS 06741 091540Z EDITORS AND OTHERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUBLICATION. 3. WITHIN HOURS OF THE CLOSURE, MARIO FIRMENICH CALLED A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THAT HIS ORGANIZATION, THE MONTONEROS, WAS GOING UNDERGROUND AND WOULD RETURN TO ARMED STRUGGLE. THE "NEW STAGE OF RESISTANCE", HE AVERRED, WILL BE USED UNTIL REPRESSION IS ELIMINATED, UNION DEMOCRACY EXISTS, THE SOCIAL PACT IS SCRAPPED, POLITICAL PRISONERS ARE FREED AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION RESTORED. FIRMENICH ADMITTED THAT THE MONTONEROS HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO ONCE AGAIN USE GUERRILLA TACTICS, INCLUDING THE RECENT MURDER OF TWO POLICEMEN, A KID- NAPPING AND SEVERAL BOMBINGS. 4. AT FIRMENICH'S SIDE DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE WERE THE LEADERS OF THE OTHER GROUPS WHICH COMPOSE THE SO CALLED "REVOLUTIONARY TENDENCY"--JUAN CARLOS DANTE GULLO OF THE PERONIST YOUTH REGION I (JP), PABLO VENTURA OF THE PERONIST UNIVERSITY YOUTH (JUP), ENRIQUE JUAREZ OF THE PERONIST WORKER YOUTH (JTP) AND ADRIANA LESGART OF THE EVITA GROUP. THESE GROUPS, ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENT GIVEN, "WILL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THIS STAGE OF THE POPULAR RESISTANCE AND WILL CLOSE ALL THEIR LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICES". LEADERS OF THESE GROUPS LATER POINTED OUT THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING UNDERGROUND. WHILE THEY RESPECT THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MONTONEROS, IT IS A MILITARY ORGANIZATION WHILE THEY ARE POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS. 5. IN A RELATED INCIDENT ON SEP 7 THE APARTMENT OF RAUL LAGUZZI, THE LEFTIST PERONIST WHO IS INTERIM RECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BUENOS AIRES, WAS BOMBED. HIS FOUR MONTH OLD SON WAS KILLED AS A RESULT OF THE EXPLOSION (SEE SEPTEL). 6. THE GOA HAS BEEN HOLDING HIGH LEVEL MEETINGS OVER THE WEEKEND BUT HAS NOT YET REACTED TO MONTONEROS' STATEMENT. 7. COMMENT. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE MONTONEROS WANTED AN EXCUSE TO ANNOUNCE THEIR CHANGE OF TACTICS. THEY HAD PROBABLY HOPED THE GOVT WOULD DECLARE THEM ILLEGAL. IT IS SOMEWHAT IRONIC THAT THE GUERRILLA GROUP THAT USED VIOLENCE TO PRESSURE THE MILITARY TO ALLOW PERON TO RETURN FROM EXILE IS USING THE SAME TACTIC AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF HIS WIFE. FIRMENICH WARNED THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO STAY IN THE MIDDLE SHOULD CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 BUENOS 06741 091540Z STEP TO THE SIDE WHEN THE WAR STARTS. THE EXTREMISTS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE OFTEN DEMONSTRATED THEY ARE NOT VERY DISCRIMINATING WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING TARGETS. NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE DEATH OF LAGUZZI'S SON. THE VIRTUAL DECLARATION OF WAR ON THE PART OF THE MONTONEROS PROBABLY SIGNALS A NEW STAGE IN ARGENTINA'S PAROXYSM OF VIOLENCE, FOR THE MONTONEROS, UNLIKE THE ERP, DO HAVE SOME POPULAR SUPPORT--ALBEIT LIMITED. THEIR ARMED OPPOSITION TO THE GOVERNMENT, THEN, ADDS A NEW DIMENSION TO THE PROBLEM. 8. THE INCREASED TEMPO OF TERRORISM AND THE BELLICOSE POSTURE OF THE MONTONEROS COME AS NO SURPRISE. MOST OBSERVERS HAD PREDICTED THIS WOULD FOLLOW IN THE WAKE OF PERON'S DEATH. NOW THAT IT IS UPON US, IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE PARALLEL PREDICTION THAT DESPITE THE VIOLENCE, THE CENTRIST FORCES (MOST PERONISTS, THE UCR AND MOST OTHER PARTIES, THE MILITARY, THE LABOR UNIONS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY) CAN WEATHER THE STORM IF THEY CAN STICK TOGETHER. WHETHER THEY CAN OR NOT IS OPEN TO QUESTION. CERTAINLY IT WILL NOT BE EASY, AS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT WILL DO THEIR BEST TO RIP THE CENTER CONSENSUS APART. CLEARLY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OBJECTIVE OF THE EXTREME LEFT IS TO GOAD THE GOVERNMENT TO OVERREACT AND THUS ALIENATE THE PUBLIC. HILL CONFIDENTIAL NNN

1. RESUMEN. DENTRO horas después de la GOA...(GOBIERNO ARGENTINO) CERRADA LA PUBLICACIÓN "LA CAUSA Peronista", MARIO FIRMENICH, el líder de los Montoneros, ofreció una conferencia de prensa para anunciar que su organización había vuelto a la lucha armada y se reanudarían USO DE LOS tácticas guerrilleras que habían usado CONTRA LA GOBIERNOS MILITARES. FIN DEL RESUMEN. 2. LA REVISTA "LA CAUSA peronista" HA CONVERTIDO EN EL OCHO POR LA PUBLICATIONCLOSED GOA DESDE el peronismo volvió al poder. DECRETO GOA CIERRE DE LA PUBLICACIÓN fue emitido el 06 de septiembre y fue una reacción a la provocación y la polémica suscitada por artículo publicado recientemente sobre el asesinato del ex presidente ARAMBURU (VER Reftel). El decreto también dio instrucciones al Ministro de Justicia para iniciar una acción legal contra el CONFIDENCIAL CONFIDENCIAL PAGINA 02 BUENOS 06741 091540Z EDITORES y otros responsables de la publicación. 3. A las pocas horas del cierre, MARIO FIRMENICH convocó a una conferencia de prensa para anunciar que su organización, los Montoneros, IBA UNDERGROUND y volvería a la lucha armada. LA "NUEVA ETAPA DE RESISTENCIA", Aseguró, se utilizará hasta REPRESIÓN se elimina, UNION LA DEMOCRACIA EXISTE, EL PACTO SOCIAL se desecha, los presos políticos son liberados y LIBERTAD DE EXPRESIÓN RESTAURADO. FIRMENICH admitió que los Montoneros ya había comenzado a utilizar NUEVAMENTE tácticas de guerrilla, entre ellos el asesinato de dos policías RECIENTE, Un secuestro y atentados VARIAS. 4. Al lado de FIRMENICH DURANTE LA CONFERENCIA DE PRENSA fueron los líderes de los otros grupos que componen la llamada "Tendencia Revolucionaria" - JUAN CARLOS DANTE Gullo DE LA REGIÓN I Juventud Peronista (JP), PABLO VENTURA DEL Juventud Universitaria Peronista (JUP), ENRIQUE JUAREZ DEL TRABAJADOR DE LA JUVENTUD PERONISTA (JTP) y Adriana Lesgart DEL GRUPO DE EVITA. Estos grupos, según el comunicado dado "SE PARTICIPE ACTIVAMENTE EN ESTA ETAPA DE LA RESISTENCIA POPULAR y cerrará todas sus oficinas públicas locales". LÍDERES DE ESTOS GRUPOS MÁS TARDE señaló que no van bajo tierra. MIENTRAS QUE RESPETAN EL LIDERAZGO DE LOS MONTONEROS, ES UNA ORGANIZACIÓN MILITAR MIENTRAS ELLOS SON ORGANIZACIONES POLÍTICAS. 5. En un incidente relacionado sobre 07 de septiembre EL APARTAMENTO DE RAUL Laguzzi, los peronistas de izquierda que ES RECTOR PROVISIONAL DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE BUENOS AIRES, fue bombardeado. SU HIJO Cuatro meses de edad fue asesinado COMO RESULTADO DE LA EXPLOSIÓN (VER SEPTEL). 6. El Gobierno de Australia ha estado sosteniendo reuniones de alto nivel este fin de semana, PERO TODAVÍA NO HA ESTADO reaccionó a Montoneros. 7. COMENTARIO. Está claro que los Montoneros WANTED UNA EXCUSA PARA ANUNCIAR SU CAMBIO DE TÁCTICA. HABÍAN esperaba probablemente el Gob declararía ilegales. No deja de ser irónico que el grupo guerrillero QUE UTILIZA LA VIOLENCIA A LA PRESIÓN MILITAR PARA PERMITIR PERON regresar del exilio está utilizando la misma táctica CONTRA EL GOBIERNO DE SU ESPOSA. FIRMENICH advirtió que quienes quieren permanecer en el centro debería PÁGINA CONFIDENCIAL CONFIDENCIAL 03 BUENOS 06741 091540Z PASO A LA CARA CUANDO LA GUERRA COMIENZA. Los extremistas de ambas partes han demostrado a menudo no son muy DISCRIMINACIÓN CUANDO SE TRATA DE QUE ESCOGE LAS METAS. No hay mejor ejemplo de esto es la muerte del hijo de Laguzzi. LA DECLARACIÓN DE GUERRA VIRTUAL POR PARTE DE LOS MONTONEROS SEÑALES PROBABLEMENTE UNA NUEVA ETAPA EN LA ARGENTINA paroxismo de violencia, PARA Montoneros, a diferencia de la ERP, tienen algún apoyo popular - aunque de forma limitada. Su oposición armada al gobierno, entonces, añade una nueva dimensión al problema. 8. EL TEMPO INCREMENTO DEL TERRORISMO Y LA POSTURA belicosos del MONTONEROS ser ninguna sorpresa. Mayoría de los observadores habían pronosticado ESTO SIGA EN EL DESPERTAR DE LA MUERTE DE PERON. AHORA QUE ES EN EE.UU., es importante no perder de vista de la predicción PARALELO QUE A PESAR DE LA VIOLENCIA, LAS FUERZAS centrista (peronistas mayoría, la UCR y la mayoría de otros partidos, los militares, los sindicatos y la comunidad empresarial) pueden capear el STORM si pueden permanecer juntos. Si pueden o no es discutible. Ciertamente no será fácil, ya que ambos canales izquierdo y derecho lo posible para RIP Centro del Consenso de APART. CLARAMENTE, POR EJEMPLO, EL OBJETIVO DE LA EXTREMA IZQUIERDA para incitar EL GOBIERNO reacción exagerada aíslan así PÚBLICO. COLINA CONFIDENCIAL NNN

DOS
Secuestro del cónsul de Estados Unidos. John Patrick Egan fue secuestrado por Montoneros. Un cable del 28 de febrero de 1975, muestra la desesperación estadounidense y reproduce las respuestas que recibían de las autoridades argentinas. Cuenta que dos ministros del gobierno de Isabel Perón, en presencia del embajador de Estados Unidos llamaron al interventor en Córdoba, brigadier Lacabanne, para asegurarse que la Policía cordobesa estaba haciendo todo lo posible por localizar al cónsul, quien finalmente fue asesinado.

En medio de la búsqueda desesperada del cónsul, los oficiales estadounidenses parecen pillar a Lacabanne en una mentira: pese a que le había dicho al canciller argentino Alberto Vignes que no descansaría hasta hallar al cónsul, avisó que tenía que hacer una breve visita oficial a San Francisco, pero olvidando que antes le había contado al cónsul general de Estados Unidos que en realidad viajaba en plan familiar, a visitar una hija...
.

KIDNAPPING OF US OFFICIAL: SITREP NO. 20

Date:
1975 February 28, 22:15 (Friday)
Canonical ID:
1975BUENOS01409_b

Original Classification:
SECRET
Current Classification:
UNCLASSIFIED

Handling Restrictions:
LIMDIS
Character Count:
3451

Executive Order:
GS
Locator:
TEXT ON MICROFILM,TEXT ONLINE


Enclosure:
-- N/A or Blank --
Type:
TE

Office Origin:
-- N/A or Blank --

Office Action:
ACTION SCCT
Archive Status:
Electronic Telegrams

From:
Argentina Buenos Aires
Markings:
Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 05 JUL 2006

To:
Commander in Chief Southern Command | DA (TPMG) DAPM-CPA |Defense Intelligence Agency |Department of Defense | Department of State | Secretary of State



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1. AMBASSADOR RETURNED AT 1800 FROM ALL AFTERNOON CONVERSATIONS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER VIGNES, AMBASSADOR MOLINA SALAS AND OTHER GOA OFFICIALS, LATER IN AFTERNOON INTERIOR MINISTER ROCAMORA JOINED GROUP. CONVERSATION WAS UNSATISFACTORY IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS. AMBASSADOR HAD IMPRESSION THAT GOA OFFICIALS ARE CONVINCED THAT MONTONEROS WILL NOT ASSASSINATE EGAN TONIGHT AS THREATENED. ANSWERS, GEARED TO QUESTIONS IN REFTEL, ARE AS FOLLOWS: 2. GOA IS DOING EVERYTING POSSIBLE TO LOCATE EGAN AND TO SAVE HIS LIFE. ENTIRE POLICE FORCE IN CORDOBA IS INVOLVED IN MASSIVE DRAGNET OPERATION. GOA WILL NOT, HOWEVER, DEAL WITH TERRORISTS. IN ORDER TO STALL FOR TIME, GOA PLANS TO ISSUE STATEMENT DURING NEXT HOUR INDICATING THAT THE FOUR INDIVIDUALS NAMED IN COMMUNI- QUE ARE NOT IN GOVERNMENT CUSTODY. STATEMENT WILL ADD THAT EVEN SECRET SECRET PAGE 02 BUENOS 01409 282238Z IF THEY WERE, GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT ACCEDE TO TERRORIST DEMANDS. MINITERS NOTED THAT POLICY OF NOT NEGOTIATING WITH TERRORISTS WAS SAME AS U.S. 3. GOA DOES NOT HAVE CHANNLE THROUGH WHICH TO COMMUNICATE WITH MONTONEROS. MINISTER OF INTERIOR ADDED THAT EVEN IF THEY HAD SUCH A CHANNEL, THEY WOULD NOT USE IT, SINCE TO DO SO WOULD BE TANTAMOUNT TO OPENING DIALOGUE WITH TERRORISTS. 4. GOA WOULD NOT CONSIDER PROPOSING PRESENTATION OF OTHER PRISONERS OR TO GIVING PUBLICITY TO MONTONERO CAUSE IN EXCHANGE FOR EGAN'S FREEDOM. 5. TWO MINISTERS CALLED FEDERAL INTERVENTOR LACABANNE IN PRE- SENCE OF AMBASSADOR HILL TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT POLICE IN CORDOBA ARE SPARING NO EFFORT TO LOCATE EGAN. 6. ROCAMORA HAD ALREADY INFORMED AMBASSADOR HILL THAT FULL IN- VESTIGATION IS BEING MADE OF ABSENCE OF GUARDS FROM EGAN'S HOUSE AT TIME HE WAS KIDNAPPED. IN TELEPHONIC CONVERSATION WITH LACABANNE, ROCAMORA ASKED FLATLY WHY GUARDS WERE NOT THERE. LACABANNE'S REPLY WAS UNSATISFACTORY AND ROCAMORA INDICATED TO AMBASSADOR THAT INVESTIGATION WOULD CONTINUE. 7. VIGNES ASKED LACABANNE IF HE PLANNED TO REMAIN IN CORDOBA UNTIL MATTER OF KIDNAPPING CLEARED UP. LACABANNE REPLIED IN AFFIRMATIVE, BUT SAID HE PLANNED TO RAVEL TO SAN FRANCISCO, A SMALL CITY IN CORDOBA PROVINCE, FOR A FEW HOURS TOMORROW ON INSPECTION TOUR, BUT THAT HE WOULD BE BACK BY EARLY AFTERNOON. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN FAST THINKING ON LACABANNE'S PART SINCE HE HAD EARLIER INDICATED TO CONSUL GENERAL THAT HE PLANNED TO VISIT A DAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO (SEE SITREP #14). INSPECTION TRIP OR PERSONAL VISIT, HOWEVER, HE IS NOW COMMITTED TO BE BACK ON JOB WITHIN A FEW HOURS. 8. AS OF TIME AMBASSADOR LEFT FOREIGN MINISTRY, THERE WAS NO CONFIRMATION OF EARLIER UNCONFIRMED REPORT THAT MONTONEROS WERE SUBMITTING NEW NAMES TO REPLACE ORIGINAL FOUR. 9. MINISTER INDICATED HE WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH AMBASSADOR THROUGHTOUT EVENING. SECRET SECRET PAGE 03 BUENOS 01409 282238Z 10. MINISTER APPRECIATED RECEIVING CABLE FROM DR. KISSINGER. HILL SECRET NNN

"DOS CABLES SECRETOS SOBRE EL ACCIONAR TERRORISTA EN ARGENTINA"...FIRMENICH...Secuestro del cónsul de Estados Unidos. John Patrick Egan fue secuestrado por Montoneros...Por La Verdad Histórica...Por La Victoria Final...Comentado y publicado por Miguel...