5 MELAS SEE LND Reet he Na Ne Authority Ay 9 C404) | By QPNARA TG LRA f-00 Pot 23-9 Mer Department of State TELEGRAM i CONFIDENTIAL 949 PAGE 1 MEXICO @2882 2701442 92 ACTION ARA-20 anni INFO OCT-01 CIAE-@@ DODE-90 PM-05 H-a2 INR-98 Lee AISRES A NSC-10 P-@3 RSC-O1 PRS-01 Ss-29 UstA-12 Nic-w1 /Kon=0) 7089 # Se ase 160824 R 2701032 MAY 71 FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO TO SECSTATE WASHOC 7539 RIF ~—p CONFIDENTIAL MEXICO 2882 SUBJECT: DEFENSE SECRETARY DENIES EXISTENCE OF GUERRILLAS IN MEXICO H BEGIN UNCLASSIFIED at wb 1+ FOLLOWING MEETING WITH PRES ECHEVERRIA MAY 25 it DEFENSE SECRETARY HERMENEGILDO CUENCA DIAZ STATED» APPARENTLY IN RESPONSE TO QUESTION FROM PRESS CORPS: = "NEITHER IN THE STATE OF GUERRERO NOR IN ANY PART OF I THE REPUBLIC ARE THERE GUERRILLAS": "IF THEY WERE TO APPEAR WE WOULD HAVE TO COMBAT THEM RAPIDLY"; PERSONS WHO ROB AND KILL ARE NOT GUERRILLAS? THEY ARE BANDIT 2+ CUENCA OLAZ DEVOTED MOST OF INTERVIEw TO LISTING OF CIVIC ACTION FUNCTIONS OF ARMY? MEDICAL ASSISTANCE» ALPHABETIZATIONs ANTI@ORUG EFFORTS, PROVIDING WATER TO DESERT REGIONS, ETC* HE NOTED THAT GUERRERO WAS A PRIMARY AREA FOR THESE ACTIVITIES AND CLAIMED THAT RESIDENTS OF THE GUERRERO SIERRA» WHO USED To DISTRUST THE ARMY AND RUN TO HIDEs NOW WELCOME ITs END UNCLASSIFIED BEGIN CONFIDENTIAL 3+ ATTORNEY GENERAL SANCHEZ VARGAS RECENTLY TOOK SIMILAR LINE WITH DCM ASCRIBING GUERRERO'S LONG- CONFIDENTIALOe ee ea nel eam a UECLADDIEIED epraducad at the National A Department of State TELEGRAN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 MEXICO 92882 2701442 STANDING UNREST AND VIOLENCE To ITs WOLD AND REMOTE Pe ertiNs WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO REFCA THE POPULATION AND CONTROL IT. plore MENT! HAVING GIVEN WIDE PUBLICITY To THE MAR PhOTs OF WHICH 25 MEMBERS ARE PRESEUMABLY STILL AT DORN THE Ey GoM NOW APPARENTLY SEES SOME NeEo TO PLay DOWN THE GUERRILLA ISSUE~ SINCE THE HAR EVENTS THERE AVE BEEN A KIONAP-MURDER IN GUERRERO BY An AEeO ACE ROUP LACNR} AND FOR LUCTO CABANAS WHO Is ALSO ACTIVE IN THE COASTAL MGUTAINS OF THAT STATE. CABANAS 1S A COMMUNIST ANO HIS MOVEMENT To DEFINITELY GUERRILLAS* (SEE DAO 9348 DTG 2seeeul MaY 71) GP=3 ENO CONFIDENTIAL MCBRIDE CONF LOENT IAL