PARAGUAY: CONTROVERSY OVER OPERATION CONDOR RISES

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000828

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AINF PHUM PGOV PREL PTER PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: CONTROVERSY OVER OPERATION CONDOR RISES
AGAIN


1. On 8/4, PolOff, representing the Ambassador, attended a
presentation by Professor Marcial Riquelme, a Professor of
Sociology at Kansas State University, held at the Committee
of Churches for Emergency Assistance (CIPAE) but organized by
the Truth and Justice Commission. Riquelme's presentation
was entitled "The Fight for the Declassification of Operation
Condor Documents from the U.S. National Archives." Many of
the participants were members/employees of the Truth and
Justice Commission, CIPAE, or descendents of victims of the
Stroessner regime. (NOTE: Operation Condor was a jointly
conducted intelligence operation by Argentina, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay in the mid-1970's to
deter communist influence in the region as well as control
dissenters against the governments of those countries. End
Note.)


2. Riquelme began his presentation by outlining the process
to acquire documents from the USG. For about 30 minutes he
discussed the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) focusing on
the exemptions therein (particularly exemptions related to
the CIA) and the court system. For the ensuing 1 1/2 hours,
Riquelme attacked the USG for not releasing more information.
While he conceded that the USG had released more than 20,000
documents related to Condor, he insinuated that the
information provided was insufficient to get to the truth and
suggested that the USG was responsible for organizing and
participating in violations of human rights.


3. In speaking to the underlying premises for Operation
Condor, Riquelme stated that the USG had wanted Latin America
free of communism and terrorism and had provided assistance
to those governments involved in Operation Condor. He also
suggested these same premises are the basis for the current
U.S. policy toward Paraguay, particularly in view of U.S.
claims that the Tri-border Area (Argentina, Brazil and
Paraguay) is a center for terrorist sympathizers, financiers
and international criminals.


4. COMMENT: Riquelme used innuendos to make sweeping
conclusions with little attention to facts. Many of the
participants appeared sympathetic to his charges with little
attention directed towards the culpability of Paraguayan
leaders at the time. One participant said that the group
should consider consulting USAID to see if it would provide
funding to establish an archive for Paraguay. (NOTE: Post
appreciates background information provided by Department and
will be following up with the Truth and Justice Commission to
set the facts straight on U.S. cooperation to date in sharing
information related to Operation Condor. End Note.)
CASON