__ - PAGE 01 - LJ C Vl'I l KVLLC LJ Ul lLLf l ljjlJ MEXICO 10138 RELEASED IN FUL 041409Z fJ 42 ACTION ARA-10 INFO OCT-01 IS0-00 CIAE-00 NSAE-00 NSC-05' USIA-06 SCCT-01 PA-01 DODE-00 RSC-01 USSS-00 PM-03 PRS-01 SY-04 H-01 SP-02 INR-05 L-02 SS-15 058 W 076206 R 040051Z DEC 74 FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5065 MEXICO 10138 E O 11652 N A TAGS PINR MX SUBJ DEATH OF LUCIO CABANAS BARRIENTOS REF MEXICO 5563 1 SECRETARIAT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE ANNOUNCED DEC 2 THAT TROOPS OF THE 27TH MILITARY ZONE EARLIER THAT DAY HAD ENGAGED GUERRILLA GROUPS OF LUCIO CABANAS NEAR TECPAN DE GALEANA GUERRERO CABANAS AND TEN FOLLOWERS WERE KILLED ON NOVEMBER 30 CABANAS HAD LOST SEVENTEEN MEN AND A CACHE OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION IN A CONFRONTATION WITH THE ARMY 2 CABANAS LEADER OF A GUERRILLA BAND SINCE 1967 IS CREDITED WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEATHS OF 150 SOLDIERS AND THIRTY KIDNAPPINGS THE MOST SPECTACULAR OF WHICH WAS THE JUNE 1974 ABDUCTION OF GUERRERO SENATOR ELECTED GOVERNOR DEC 1 RUBEN FIGUEROA WHO WAS RESCUED BY THE MEXICAN ARMY SEPT 8 3 CABANAS'$ BODY HAS BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED BY THREE PERSONS ONE A FELLOW EXTREMIST REPORTEDLY THE SOURCE OF INFORMATION LEADING THE ARMY TO CABANAS AUTHENTICITY OF CABANAS'S DEATH DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE IN DOUBT 4 COMMENT ALTHOUGH SIZE OF CABANAS GROUP MAY HAVE VARIED PAGE 02 MEXICO 10138 041409Z CERTAINLY ESTIMATES OF IT DID THE MORE THAN 40 GUERRILLAS KILLED SINCE SEPT PLUS THE DEATH OF CABANAS HAS SURELY DECIMATED THE RANKS AND LEADERSHIP OF THE GUERRILLAS IN THE STATE OF UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT QF STAIE R 0 AEVTEIE CW A 8 UTHORITY SAM A MOSK -'Hlltlt'EPj A EID 27 JAN 1999 199800894 Date Printed 11 25 1998 DEC T efW SIFI e L Page- n a 88 - ···· BbCON lkbttbb ONCLX§§fflbb GUERRERO AND WE BE IEVE THE GOM WILL ENJOY A RESPITE AT LEAST IN THAT AREA ARMY WILL OF COURSE RECEIVE MERITED ACCOLADES FOR HAVING FINALLY ELIMINATED THE ONLY TERRORIST KNOWN BY NAME TO THE MEXICAN PUBLIC IT SHOULD BE RECALLED HOWEVER THAT CABANAS'S ACTIVITY WAS GEOGRAPHICALLY RESTRICTED TO EXTENT THAT TERRORIST ACTIVITY IN MEXICOREPRESENTS THREAT TO POLITICAL STABILITY AND WE BELIEVE IT MINIMAL THE ANONYMOUS VIOLENCE OF URBAN TERRORIST GROUPS IS CAUSE FOR GREATER CONCERN THAN CABANAS EVER WAS BRANDIN NNN Current Handling Restrictions n a Current Classification iill JSLLL 2£112 Date Printed 11 25 1998 DEC IJ W SIFI€ L n a 88