... '

,,~ .......

' . ' ..'

.~.

.'

.: -.l J.

'~'.

'-'i'~

, ". .

,,1/.' . . . . ~• • .

Current Ciass: ~::;:t:SB!~~L
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 1986LIMA07275

--

--

.,..

-

..'

".

-~

'.

07275

01 OF 02

232141Z

INR-10
COPY-Ol ADS-OO
AID-OO
SS-OO
L-03
ARA-OO
NSAE-OO COME-OO SSO-OO
A-02
PA-Ol
INRE-OO CA-02
CCO-OO
DSE-OO
FAIM-Ol DS-Ol
FBIE-OO OC-02
~:·_-----------------122703
232240Z /61
o 232126Z JUN 86
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2649
INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
AMEMBASSY QUITO
USAFSO HOWARD AFB PM
USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PM
DIA WASHDC
INFO

LOG-DO
NSCE-OO
PM-I0
USIE-OO

CIAE-OO
TRSE-OO
USSS-OO
/035 W

/E:::£::]t P ¥ 11 4S liT Y I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 07275

DIA FOR IR BRANCH
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: !:iTER, PGOV/ PHUM, PREL, PE
SUBJECT: GOP ORDERS INVESTIGATIONS OF PRISON DEATHS
REFS;

(A) LIMA 7185/

(B) LIMA 7217

1.
(C) SUMMARY:
GOP HANDLING OF LAST WEEK / S PRISON
RIOTS IS UNDER INCREASING SCRUTINY BY SOCIALIST
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, FOREIGN MEDIA, AND DOMESTIC
OPPOSITION. GOP HAS ISSUED COMMUNIQUE STATING ITS
PRESUMPTION THAT EXCESSES OCCURRED AND PLEDGING
IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS BY GOP/
MILITARY, AND CONGRESS. SI CONFERENCE ISSUED STRONG
DECLARATION JUNE 22 THAT RE-AFFIRMED SUPPORT FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS AND CALLED UPON GARCIA TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON

~~L
\11

PAGE 02

...

LIMA

07275

01 OF 02

232141Z

INVESTIGATIONS. VICE PRESIDENT SANCHEZ REACTED
ANGRILY T0 CRITICAL NEW YORK TIME'S EDITORIAL.

Cl\JNi¥~i; sTltE§t)EP~ATE

Page: 1

REVIEW AUTHORITY: SAM A. MOSKOWITZ
DATE/CASE ID: 9 AUG 1999 199902275

UNCLASSIFIED

. ..
_

REL~~£J.IN¥ULL

««.»»

LIMA

.

Page: 1

;g;;ra liHm~JAL
PAGE 01
ACTION SCT-02

....

'.

"

.•.

':.

i . .

.

I,...

..

Current CLass: CONFIDENTIAL
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 1986LIMA07275

. . . . ,.
.'.'
Page: ~
~.

Channel: n/a

CRITICISM WITHIN PERU HAS COME NOT ONLY FROM THE UNITED
LEFT, BUT ALSO FROM NOTED CONSERVATIVE AUTHOR
MARIO VARGAS LLOSA. ALTHOUGH PROMISE OF INVESTIGATION
WILL HELP GARCIA DEFEND HIS IMAGE AB~OAD, IT WILL ALSO
SERVE TO KEEP ISSUE ALIVE AND MAINTAIN POTENTIAL
FOR CONFLICT BETWEEN GARCIA AND MILITARY. END SUMMARY.
2.
(U) GOP HAS ALREADY COME UNDER PRESSURE FROM
DELEGATES AT THE ONGOING SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL (SI)
CONFERENCE, FOREIGN PRESS, AND SOME DOMESTIC POLITICAL
FIGURES, TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED GOP ABUSES DURING
LAST WEEK'S OPERATIONS TO RETAKE PRISONS IN WHICH AT
LEAST 240 TERRORISTS/PRISONERS DIED (REF A). ON JUNE 21
THE GOP ISSUED A COMMUNIQUE IN WHICH IT ACKNOWLEDGED
THAT THE HIGH DEATH TOLL IN LURIGANCHO PRISON (WHERE
APPARENTLY NO TERRORISTS/PRISONERS SURVIVED) "LEAD IT TO
PRESUME" THAT EXCESSES WERE COMMITTED BY SECURITY
FORCES. IN RESPONSE, THE GOP HAS ORDERED THE ARMED
FORCES TO CARRY OUT AN INVESTIGATION THROUGH THE
MILITARY JUDICIAL SYSTEM. THE GOP ALSO REQUESTED THAT
THE PERUVIAN CONGRESS NAME AN INVESTIGATIVE COM:MISSION
AND ALSO ASKED THE FISCAL (ATTORNEY GENERAL) TO
INVESTIGATE. THE GOP PROMISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD
PUNISH ANY EXCESSES THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED. THE
COMMUNIQUE CONCLUDED BY PRAISING THE "DECISIVE ACTION"
OF THE ARMED FORCES IN RE-ESTABLISHING ORDER.
3.
(C) WE UNDERSTAND THAT ABOVE COMMUNIQUE RESPONDED
TO STRONG PRESSURE FROM SI CONFERENCE DELEGATES WHO
WERE SHOCKED BY LAST WEEK'S DEATH TOLL, AND· ,BY
ALLEGATIONS OF EXCESSIVE FORCE. INSIDERS TELL US THAT
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03

LIMA

07275

01 OF 02

232141Z

DUTCH, BELGIAN AND SCANI?INAVIAN DELEGATES· SOUGHT TO
HAVE SI GO ON RECORD WITH A CONDEMNATORY STATEMENT.
WILLY BRANDT, CARLOS ANDRES PEREZ AND OTHERS REPORTEDLY
RESISTED. THE GOP COMMUNIQUE GAVE SUPPORTIVE ELEMENTS
IN SI A TOOL TO USE IN KEEPING SI REACTION MODERATE.
ON JUNE 22 THE SI CONFERENCE ISSUED A DECLARATION NOTING
ITS SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REJECTION OF TERRORISM.
THE DECLARATION STATED THAT "SERIOUS QUESTIONS" HAD
DEVELOPED ABOUT THE METHODS EMPLOYED BY GOP TO PUT
DOWN PRISON RIOTS AND THE HIGH DEATH TOLL, NOTING THAT
PRESIDENT GARCIA HIMSELF HAD CONSIDERED THE DEATH
TOLL TO BE EXCESSIVE. THE DECLARATION UNDERSCORED
Page: 2

Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL

UNCLASSIFIED"

'

.

:

.',

·.r ... ·

I".

,.,

,.'

".:

'.

...:

-

."

Current C~ass: CONFIDENTIAL
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 1986LIMA07275

.

,....

.

. .

....

Page: :;
Channel: n/a

GARCIA'S COMMITMENT TO CARRY OUT IMPARTIAL AND
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS OF EVENTS AT THE PRISONS
AS WELL AS GARCIA'S WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW FOREIGN HUMAN
RIGHTS GROUPS TO COME TO PERU.
4.
(U) AT A JUNE 21 PRESS CONFERENCE, FIRST VICE
PRESIDENT LUIS 'ALBERTO SANCHEZ REACTED TESTILY TO
REPEATED FOREIGN MEDIA QUESTIONS BASED ON JUNE 21
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL THAT CRITICIZED GOP HANDLING
OF PRISON RIOTS. SANCHEZ CLAIMED THAT NYT EDITORIAL
WAS PART OF A CAMPAIGN AGAINST PERU BECAUSE OF THE
GOP'S POSITION ON FOREIGN DEBT REPAYMENT. SANCHEZ
COUNTER-ATTACKED, CITING IMPERFECTIONS OF U.S. DEMOCRACY,
SUCH AS ITS INSISTENCE ON REPAYMENT OF FOREIGN DEBT
AND ITS AGGRESSIVE THREATS AGAINST A SMALL COUNTRY
(READ NICARAGCA). SANCHEZ REAFFIRMED THAT GOP WOULD
INVESTIGATE PRISON EVENTS. NOTHING WOULD BE HIDDEN,
HE SAID, BUT HE ALSO CLAIMED THE GOP·HAD NOTHING TO
HIDE. SANCHEZ SAID PRISONERS' BODIES WOULD BE
TURNED OVER TO THEIR RELATIVES FOR IDENTIFICATION AND
BURIAL; HOWEVER, SECURITY FORCES REPORTEDLY CARRIED
CONFIDENTIAL
NNNN

CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01
ACTION SCT-02
INFO

LIMA

07275

02 OF 02

232142Z

LOG-OO
NSCE-OO
PM-I0
USIE-OO

COPY-Ol ADS-OO
INR-IO
SS-OO
AID-OO
ARA-OO
NSAE-OO COME-OO SSO-OO
L-03
PA-01
A-02
CCO-OO
INRE-OO CA-02
FAIM-Ol DS-01
DSE-OO
FBIE-OO OC-02
------------------122720 232241Z /61
o 232126Z JUN 86
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2650
INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
AMEMBASSY QUITO
USAFSO HOWARD AFB PM
USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PM
DIA WASHDC

CIAE-OO
TRSE-OO
USSS-OO
/035 W

CON F IDE N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 LIMA 07275
Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL

~,

\

j

UNCLASSIFIED'

Page: 3

.

.

I

•

,J,'

.'

..

••

•

•

~

'I

.:

':'.:'

Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 1986LIMA07275

-

•

:

I

•

•

."

. : : .

. '

Page: 4
Channel: n/a

DIA FOR IR BRANCH
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS:
PTER, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, PE
SUBJECT: GOP ORDERS INVESTIGATIONS OF PRISON DEATHS
OUT BURIAL OF PRISONERS OVER THE WEEKEND.
5.
(U) NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE UNITED LEFT (IU) HAS
EMERGED TO DENOUNCE ALLEGED GOVERNMENT EXCESSES IN
WHAT IT TERMS THE "MASSACRE" IN THE PRISONS.
IN
ADDITION, NOBEL PRIZE WINNER AND NOVELIST MARIO VARGAS
LLOSA HAS WRITTEN AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT GARCIA
REJECTING THE GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF THE PRISON
SITUATION, LABELLING ITS RESPONSE "DISPROPORTIONATE"
AND "MORALLY AND LEGALLY UNJUSTIFIABLE.
JOINED BY
SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS, BOTH THE IU AND VARGAS LLOSA TOOK
CONFIDENTIAL
II

CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02

LIMA

07275

02 OF 02

232142Z

THE GOP TO TASK FOR THE REPORTED SEIZURE OF THE JUNE 19
EDITION OF THE MARXIST DAILY "NUEVO DIARIO" WHICH HAS
FAILED TO APPEAR SINCE.
6.
(C) COMMENT.
GARCIA IS IN AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT
SITUATION. TO DEAL WITH A POTENTIAL SHORT-TERM DISASTER
IN THE SI MEETING CONTEXT, HE ANNOUNCED INVESTIGATIONS
INTO THE HANDLING OF THE PRISON RIOTS. BUT IN SO DOING
HE MAY HAVE OPENED PANDORA'S BOX. GARCIA MAY WELL NOT
BE ABLE TO CONTROL ALL THESE INVESTIGATIONS,
PARTICULARLY THOSE CARRIED OUT BY INTERNATIONAL
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS. AS REPORTED PREVIOUSLY, WE
UNDERSTAND THAT HE PERSONALLY ISSUED THE ORDERS FOR
MILITARY ACTION AGAINST MUTINEERS IN PRISONS. FURTHERMORE, MILITARY IS UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT ANY MEASURE OF
SCAPEGOATING IN THIS AFFAIR.

7.
(C) VICE PRESIDENT SANCHEZ'S COMMENTS WERE UNCHARACTERISTICALLY HARSH.
PRESIDENT ADVISOR HUGO OTERO,
WHO WAS WITH SANCHEZ AT PRESS CONFERENCE, TOLD
POLCOUNS JUNE 22 THAT VICE PRESIDENT WAS BLINDSIDED
BY THE·QUESTION. THIS COULD EXPLAIN IN PART HIS
UNFORTUNATE AND UNJUSTIFIED COMMENT. BUT IT IS ALSO
TRUE THAT SANCHEZ PLACED US AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL
OBSERVERS ON NOTICE THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DELICATE
MATTER FOR GOP, WHICH WILL REACT SHARPLY AND IN
Page: 4

Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL

UNCLASSIFIED

oJ>• •1 I

•

Page: 5

Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 1986LIMA07275

Channel: "n/a

NATIONALISTIC TERMS TO CRITICISM REGARDING ITS HANDLING
OF IT.
JORDAN
CONFIDENTIAL
NNNN

Page: 5

Current Class: CONFIDENTIAL

II

','

",

UNCLASSIFIED