COMMENTS BY A (DELETED) GUATEMALAN (DELETED) THAT INSURGENT LEADER EFRAIN BAMAC

Created: 10/28/1994

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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CC, OA WASHINGTON DC. CKO WASHINGTON DC, CMC WASHINGTON DC. CSAF VASHINCTON CC, TREASURY DEPT. WHITE MOUSE SITUATION ROOM, OSCIHCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM.

COMMENTSfiBB GUATEMALAN mtMMBBg) THAT INSURGENT LEADER EFRAIN BAHACA OIEO OFHDS SHORTLY AFTER HIS CAPTURE IN MARCH2

SOURCE:

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51TMMAA!: HOKE.

I. BBOTaaVR GUATEMALA1'

COKKEHTcD THAT THE2 CAPTUREHE GUATEMALAN ARMEO FORCES OFVELASQUEZ. AXA

-COMANDAHTE EVERARIO" OF THE RSVOLUTIOHART ORGANIZATIOH OF PEOPLE

IN ARMSAS VIEWEDREAT SUCCESS BT THE GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT BECAUSE AT THAT TIME BAHACA WAS THE ONLT IMPORTANT

INDIGEHOUS GUERRILLA LEADER, ALL THE REST BEING "LADIHO" OR OF HIZEO SPANISH-IN01CEWOUS DESCENT. SAIO FOR THIS REASON, THE ARMED FORCES BELIEVEDAPTUREEVERE BLOW TO THE HO RALE OF THE GUATEMALAN NATIONAL REVOLUTIONARY UNION (URNC).

2. SUSTAINED SERIOUS WOUNDS DURING THE flREFIGHTSOLDIERS THAT RESULTED IN HIS HARCH2 CAPTURE.THAT TO THE BEST Of HIS KNQWLEOCE. BAHACA DIEO OF HIS

3. THEMfc^mc^ THE

GUATEMALAN COVERNKENT FIRST REALIZEO BAKACA'S CAPTURE AHO OEATH

STSLgET

COMMENT: fJBiVHiJVAS HOT ASSICKcD TO StH HSRCOS OEPARTKENT AT THE TIKE Of BAMACA'S CAPTURE. HIS INFORMATION OH THE CASE IS DERIVED FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER GUATEMALAN iOFFICIALS.)

HOULDOLITICAL PS0PACAK3A ISSUE FOR IKE URKC UHEH TV. ESCAPED GUATEMALAN GUERRILLAS APPEARED IK FEBRUARY3HE UNITEO NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUHAN RICHTS IK GENEVA AND CLAIMED TO HAVE SEEM BAHACA ALIVELANDESTINE PRISON IKStDE GUATEMALA.SAID AT THAT TIME. SEVERAL PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORS RECOMMENDED TO PRESIDENT SERRANO THAT THE GOVERNMENT WORK TO PREVENT THE BAHACA CASE FROMOSTENTIOUS ISSUEG ON THE OFFENSIVE AND MAKING PUBLIC 0ETAIL5 Of NUMEROUS CREDIBLE REPORTS OF THE PRESENCE OF FOREICM ADVISORS, INCLUDING AHESICANS. WITH CUER3ILLA COMBAT ANO POLITICAL FRONT CROUPS OF THE URNG. XSIUENT SERRANO REFUSED. IN HINDSIGHT, THE ^OPJ^SUCCESTi'O, SUCH AN OFFENSIVE MAT HATE FORESTALLED SUBSEQUENT POLITICAL PROPAGANDA EFFORTS TO HAKE AN ISSUE OUT OF THE BAHACA CASE BY PERSONS SUCH AS BAMACA'S ALLEGED. CITIZENHARBURT)).

dU. COMMENT: KARBURT HAS BEEN COWDUCTIHC. a. HUNGER STRIKE SINCE IIN FRONT OF THE GUATEMALAN PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN GUATEMALA CITY IN AN EFFORT TO FORCE THE GUATEMALAN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE BAHACA, WO SHE BELIEVES IS STILL HELO CAPTIVE Bt THE ARMYLANDESTINE PRISON.)

Original document.

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