- INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State g f r ir NNNNGZCZCESA098EXX836LZA099i RR RUEHC RUEPJS DE RUESLZ 007A I 1121349 ZNY CCCCC DECLASSIFIED 1967APR 22 R 2 2 I3 I9 Z APR 67 E O 12356 Sec 3 4 FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ TO RUENC SECSTATE WASHDC nij 9 1 -3 0 RUESAS AM EMBASSY ASUNCION NARA Date Id id J 022736 RUESBA ANEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES RUESLM AMEMBASSY L IN A RUESDO AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO RUKSUA AMEMBASSY R IO DE JANEIRO RUESNA AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO RUEPJS DOO INFO ZEN AMCONSUL COCHABAMBA STATE GRNC BT -e-fr N F l P E N T l A t SECTION I OF AM10 39 _HAMiLTCM _JESSUP __JOHNSON __I0KDAN _KEENY _KOM ER MOVERS _TAY10R _WRIGGINS 2 LA PAZ 2697 SUBJECTt GUERRILLA SITU A TIO N • B O L IV IA asa PAGE 9 RUESLZ 007A 1 - O O N P 1 U L M T 1 A t — TELEGRAM TO GENERAL PORTER USC IN rS O I BELIEVE IT AM EXCELLENT D ES C R IP TIA ITO F BOLIVIA S INTERNAL SECURITY S ITU A TIO N t QTE WEDNESDAY MORNING APRIL 18 AMB HENDERSON RAMOS AND MYSELF HAD A THREE-HOUR BREAKFAST MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BARRIENTOS ALSO PRESENT WERE THE M INISTER OF FINANCE THE M INISTER OF ECONOMY AND M INISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO D IEZ DE MEDINA THE LATTER THREE WERE APPARENTLY SELECTED BY BARRIENTOS TO BE PRESENT BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE ADVISORY ROLE THEY P LA Y THE MEETING WAS CORDIAL BUT HOST FRANK AND OPEN WITH NO PUNCHES PULLED BY EITHER S ID E I 3 QTE BARRIENTOS STARTED THE DISCUSSION WITH A SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT GUERRILLA S ITU A TIO N THE ONt POINT HE BROUGHT UP WHICH WAS NEW TO US WAS H IS PRESENT VERSION OF HOW IT ALL STARTED HE STATEO THAT ON GOUriDBNTIAfc----- COPY LBJ LIBRARY CUNFIUENITSL -2- SECTION ONE OF TWO LA PAZ 2697 APRIL 22 MARCH' 18 SOME IN D IA N S ilTcH U Q U ISA C A DEPT INFORMED HIM PAGE 3 RIJESLZ 007A 1 C fl- r f I f K N T I A I APPARENTLY WHILE ON A V I S I T THAT THEY HAD SEEN A GROUP OF BEARDED ARMED HEN IN THE AREA ON MARCH 13 SOME IN DIANS IN ANOTHER LOCATION GAVE HIM A SIM ILAR REPORT ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT THINK THESE GROUPS WERE ORGANIZED GUERRILLAS BARRIENTOS ORDERED THE ARMY TO IN V E S T IG A TE THE ESTADO MAYOR APPARENTLY WAS SO SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE REPORTS AND THE NEED FOR ANY A C TIO N A VIEW WHICH WAS ALSO SHARED BY THE LOCAL COMMANDER IT WAS IN T H IS CONTEXT THAT PATROLS WERE CONDUCTED EXTENDING TO FIND AT HOST A BAND OF SMUGGLERS 4 q t e B a r r i e n t o s now d e s c r i b e s t h e g u e r r i l l a s a w e l l o r g a n iz e d HiQHty TR AINED and w e l l s u p p l i e d g r o u p w h ic h i s e q u ip p e d w it h m odern a u t o m a t ic w e a p o n s EXCELLENT MEDICAL K IT S AND OTHER MODERNACCESSORIES GUERRILLAS HAVE APPARENTLY BEEN ALSO PROVIDED WITH SU FFIC IE N T FUNDS WHICH FOR EXAMPLE ALLOW THEM TO PAY THE LOCAL FARMERS EXHORBITANT PRICES FOR CHICK ttS AND OTHER ITEMS THEY PURCHASE GUERRILLAS OPERATE A GOOD COMMUNICATIONS NET AND ARE AT PAGE 4 RUESLZ flflTA l C -O N F t P E N T I- A b— PRESENT M AINTAINING CONTACT WITH SALTA ARGENTINA UENEZUELAI AND EVEN CU8A ACCORDING TO BARRIENTOS THE GUERRILLA CADRE IN FILTR ATED INTO THE AREy ACROSS THE ARGENTINE AND PARAGUAYAN BORDERS INCLUDED W ITH IN THE GUERRILLA RANKS ARE SOME DISSAFFECTED ORURO MINERS BAND KNOWS THE AREA WELL AND IS CAPABLE OF SH IFTIN G PO SITIO N S RAPIDLY THESE ARE ALL DATA GATHERED FROM INTERROGATIONS BUT WITH L IT T L E INDEPENDENT INFORMATION COUNTRY TEAM CAN ONLY SAY FACTS SEEN TO BE GENERALLY AS S T A T E D 5 QTE BARRIENTOS AND H IS MINISTERS REPEATED'SEVERAL T IN E S THEIR STRONG CONCERN OVER THE P O LITIC A L AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INPACT OF RECENT ARMY REVERSES ON THE REST OF THE COUNTRY PARTICULARLY ON OTHER D ISSID EN T GROUPS WHO THEY FEEL ARE JUST WAITING TO STR IK E AS A RESULT OF T H IS OVERRIDING CONCERN THEY FEEL THE ARMY MUST CONE UP WITH SOME KIND OF A QUICK SUCCESS AND THEREFORE THEIR ATTENTION IS DEVOTED ALMOST COMPLETELY TO IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS ‘ COPY LBJ LIBRARY CONFIDENTIAL--- - rv w g T n cM T T A T -3- SECTION ONE OF TWO LA PAZ 2697 APRIL 22 PAGE 5 RUESLZ g07A € -Q II f 1 D E H I U UNFORTUNATELY ALL OF TH EIR QUICK FIXE S ARE UNSOUND WOULD WASTE PRECIOUS RESOURCES AND PROBABLY GET THEM IN WORSE TROUBLE THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE SINCE WE HAVE NOT YET FIGURED OUT HOW TO PULL A RABBIT OUT OF THE HAT FOR THEM E IT H E R THEY ARE VERY D I F F I CULT TO D IVER T FROM TH IS LIN E OF T H IN K IN G 6 QTE THEY STRESSED THAT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED THREAT P O TEN TIA L ELSEWHERE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO HOVE E X IS TIN G BETTER TRAINED AND EQUIPPED UNITS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY SO FAR WE TE N TA TIVE LY AGREE WITH THEM ON T H IS THEY HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 100 NCO S FROM THE NCO SCHOOL AND THE THIRD YEAR CADETS FROM THE M ILITA R Y ACADEMY AND SENT THEM TO THE AREA ' IT WAS UNCLEAR AS TO HOW THEY WERE TO BE UTILIZED# WHEN QUERIED ABOUT THE USE OF IN D IVID U A LS WHO HAVE RECEIVED COUNTERUISURGENCY TR A IN IN G FROM US IN THE PAST BARRIENTOS STATED THEY HAD ALREADY ID E N T IF IE D SOME AND SENT THEM TO THE AREA WE ASKED HIM ABOUT RECALLING R E S E R V IS TS H IS RESPONSE WAS THAT EXCEPT FOR PAB8E3LZ 007A I O O N f t P E N T I A L-----A FEW THAT HAD GONE BACK INTO AGRICULTURE MOST OF THEM WERE DISCONTENTED ANO HAD JOINED D ISSID EN T GROUPS MAKING THEN UNRELIABLE FROM IS TONE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS F U TILE TO TRY TO PURSUE THAT SUBJECT FURTHER 7 QTE AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED ALL THE PROPOSED B O LIVIA N PANACEAS TO THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM CENTERED AROUND EQUIPMENT THE F I R j r SUBJECT BROUGHT UP WAS THE NCBD FOR TWO HILLER TURBO PORTER AIRCRAFT THE ARGUMENT CENTERED ON THE NEED FOR A QUICK REACTION A IR SUPPORT C AP A B ILITY IN THE FORWARD AREA ANO THE LACK OF ANY AIR FIELD S SUITA8LE FOR EVEN A CESSNA 185 HOW T H IS QUICK REACTION C A P A B ILITY WOULD BE EMPLOYED WAS UNCLEAR HENDERSON BT - COPY LBJ LIBRARY C O N F ID E K F f r t t INCOMING TELEGRAM Department of State 87 Action ARA Mo SS GIN SP SG L H EUR P USIA NSC INR CIA NSA IGA AID PC MC GDP RSR VZCZCESB646EXX851LZA097 022773 RR RUEHC R U E P J S ny lnB „ DE RUESLZ 0 37A 2 112140 1967 APR 22 AM It 54 ZNY CCCCC R 22 13 15Z APR 67 FM AMEMBASSY L A PAZ TO RUEHC SECSTATE WASWJC RUESAS AMEMOPSSY A S UNCION 'RUESBA AMEMBASSY 3 U E N 0 S AIRES RUE SLM AMEMBASSY LIMA RUESD0 AMEM3ASSY MO N T E V I D E O RUESUA AMEMSASSY RIO DE JANEIRO R UE SN A A ME MB AS S Y SANTIAGO RUEPJSWLDOD INFO ZEN AMCONSU COCHA3AM3A STATE GRNC BT e 0- H - f 1 D i K f 1 A L S E C T I O N 2 OF 2 LA PAZ 2 697 SUBJECT GUERRILLA SITUATION - BOLIVIA t 3TE THE NEXT MAJOR POINT W HICH WAS BROUGHT UP REPEATEOLY WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF OLD NON-FUNCTIINING ' MAUSER'S WITH QTE AUTOMATIC MEAPONS UNQTE THIS WOULD ENHANCE THE MORALE AND' CONFIDENCE OF THE SOLDIERS AND SHOW THE C OUNTRY THAT POSITIVE STEPS WERE BEING TAKI « THE HOI IONS THAT ACCOMPANIED THE TERM AUTOMATIC WEAPONS INDICATED THAT THE CONCEPT WAS TO FILL THE AIR W I T H LEAD IN ANY SUSPECTED AREAS 9 3TE THE SASIC INITIAL POINT WHICH I MADE TO THE BOLIVIANS WA S THAT EFFECT IVE MILITARY EFFORT WAS DEPENDENT ON MANY INTERRELATED FACTORS ALL OF WHICH HAD TO 3E C O N SI D ER ED TOGETHER THIS REQUIRED A COORDINATED EFFORT ON E V E R Y O N E ’S PART TO INSURE THAT EVERY KEY ELtMENT WAS COVERED FAILURE TO PROVIDE ANY O Mc ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT VHET HER IT d£ TRAINING EQUIPMENT RAT IONS COMMUNICATIONS M A I N TENANCE POL ETC WOULD dRING -pAlLURE TO THE ENTIRE EFFORT R EG AR D L E S S OF HOW W E L L WE TOOK CARE OF OTHER ELEMENTS THE PITCH WA S THAT A MODERN WE A P O N W A S OF NO U 5 r IN THE HANDS OF AN UNTRAINED SOLDIER EQUIPMENT WA S USELESS WITHOUT MAINTENANCE ETC ALL NODDED VI GO R OU S AGREEMENT W I T H THIS LITTLE COPY LBJ LIBRARY c o w P H m n L i -2- LAPAZ 2697 APRIL 22 SECTION 2 OF 2 S P E E C H B U T S U B S E Q U E N T 0 I S C U S S I O N F R Q N ”THE S U B J E C T S THE B R O U G H T UP I N D I C A T E D E I T H E R A C O M P L E T E L A C K OF U N D E R S T A N D I N G O F T H I S P R I N C I P L E 0» A L A C K OF D E S I R E TO F O L L O W IT O R B O T H I S U S P E C T T HE L A T T E R IS TRUE AT T H I S P O I N T I K E E L T H I S lb OUR M A J O R STUIWlLlNG B L O C K T O P R O G R E S S AND B E F O R E WE A R E F IN Ibh- D MAY R E Q U I R E S O M E V E R Y f i f a A P P R O A C H E S U S I N G ALL THE L E V E R A G E W E H A V E T O F O R C R T H E M T O D O THE T H I N G S W H I C H A R E A B S O L U T E L Y N E C S SSaR Y • ' 13 QTE O N T H E SPECIFIC S U B J E C T S T H E Y MENT» NED WE T O O K T H E F O L L O W I N G P O S I T I O N S W I T H R E G A H D TO T H E M O V E M E N T OF I N D I V I D U A L S T H I S W A S U S E L E S S U N L E S S A C C O M P A N I E D B Y T H E D E V E L O P M E N T OF UNIT I N T E G R I T Y Aj UNIT T R A I N I N G ON THE H ILLE R T U R B O P O R T E R N f A l R C R A F T IT T0 E X P E N S I V E F O R T H E L I M I T E D I N C R E A S E D C A P A B I L I T Y H A S AN E N G I N E F O R V H I C H ' t HEY C O M P L E T E L Y L A C K ANY C A P A B I L I T Y TO MAINTAIN WOULD ADD A N E W T Y P E W H E N T H E Y HAD TO O M A N Y A L R E A D Y AND THEIRfiFFORT W O U L D B E M U C H M O R E P R O D U C T I V E IF QE UOTED T O I M P R O V E D M A l W E N A N C E AND U T I L I Z A T I O N fiF W H A T T H E Y NOW H A V E I P O I N T E D O U T T H A T WE ARE N O T U S I N G T H I S A i r c r a f t a n d a r e m a k i f g r e a t u s e o f c -4 7 s i n s i m i l a r S I T U A T I O N S IN V I E T - N A M AND O T H E R A R E A S ON THE IDEA OF Q U I C K L Y G I V I N G M O D E R N W E A P O N S TO T H i a C L D l E R S NOW IN T H E F I E L D ' 1 S T A T E D THA T T H I S I S U S E L E S S U N L E S S THEY W E R E T H O R O U G H L Y T R A I N E D IN THEIR USE AND M A I N T E N A N C E AN D W E R E IN U N I T S W E L L T R A I N E D IN C O U N T E R G U E R R I L L A T A C T I C S I P O I N T E D OUT THAT A F R I G H T E N E 3 U N T R A I N E D C O N S C R I P T W I L L D R O P A M O D E R N W E A P O N JUaT AS M I C K L A S HE WITflf A MAUSER 11 Q T E T H I S L A T T E S POINT I L L U S T R A T E S THE M A G N I T U D E OF OUR T A S K AT THE HIGHER LEVEt IT W A S I M P O S S I B L E fO bH A K E T H E M F R O M T H E I R C O N V I C T I O N T H A T M E R E L Y H A N D I N G T H E M A NEW W E A P O N W I T H A H I G H V O L U M E OF F I R E V O U L D MA K E T H E I R S O L D I E R S F E E T T A L L rrtOM THE M O R A L E B O O S T A L O N E 12 QTE IN S U M M A R Y T H E S P E O P L E HA V E A T R E M E N D O U S WE A R E G 0 I N G ro h a v e - g r e a t d i f f i c u l t y IN G E T T I N G T O G E T H E R O N E V E N HOW T O A P P R O A C H IT M U C H L E S S F I N D A S O L U T I O N IT IS O B V I O U S WE M U S T A C T I C A L RAGi«ATCW A P P R O A C H B U I L D I N G ON « NOW HAVE F O R C I N G I M P R O V E M E N T S T O W A R D O C T I V E S A S S I S T I N G ALL WE C A N W H E N is ’ r A 10 K EVEi riNG THE W A S T E O F E I T H E R US' OR B O L I V I A N R E S O U R C E S W H E N IT IS NOT 13 QTE H E N D E R S O N A G R E t S UN'OTE 3P--A H E N D E R S O N LIBRARY LBJL NSF Country File Latin America Box 8 Folder “Bolivia vol 4 1 66 – 12 68 1 of 3 ” This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu Read related article Che Guevara and the CIA in the Mountains of Bolivia 2020-10-09