UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. M-2015-14753 Doc No.

C06093991 Date: 09/19/2016

RELEASE IN
PART B1
REVIEW AUTHORITY: Paul Hilburn, Senior Reviewer

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ACTION SS-25

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INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 SSO-00 /026 W

097857 241814Z /42
0 2416132 AUG 78
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0269

Project (#S199900030)
ent of S
U.S.
De
S E
SANTIAGO
Deny__
Release
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DECAPTIONED

FOR ARA, D, P AND L ONLY

E.O. 11652: XGDS-1
TAGS: CI PGOV SHUM
SUBJECT: LETELIER/MOFFITT ASSASSINATION CASE: MANUEL CONTRERAS
1. MANUEL CONTRERAS PHONED
NIGHT OF
t O DISCUSS URGENIATTER. AFTER
AUGUST 23 AND SAID HE_,HAD
CHECKING WITH CHARGE L7
SAID HE WOULD NOT GO SEE CONTRERAS
BUT THAT HE WOULD RECEIVE A CONFIDANT AT HIS HOME. ALVARO PUGA
ARRIVED A SHORT TIME LATER. HE SAID THAT CONTRERAS' LAWYERS,
SERGIO,MIRANDA CARRINGTON AND HUMBERTO OLAVARRIA WILL ARRIVE IN
WASHINGTON AUGUST 28, AND PLAN TO REQUEST APPOINTMENTS,
AUGUST 29, WITH SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT AND CIA IN ORDER TO "NEGOTIATE" A SETTLEMENT OF THE
LETELIER CASE THAT WOULD SATISFY ALL PARTIES. PUGA
INDICATED THAT ALL THREE ORGANIZATIONS WOULD HAVE VESTED .
INTEREST IN WHAT THE LAWYERS HAD TO SAY, BUT HE NOT SURE
WHETHER JOINT OR SEPARATE MEETINGS DESIRED.
2. PUGA PROFESSED NOT TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF THE LAWYERS'
PROPOSAL, BUT A BLACKMAIL HINT EMERGED WHEN HE SAID THAT
CONTRERAS IS CONFIDENT THAT THERE IS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
&Beitfff"
SECRET
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AGAINST HIM TO EITHER EXTRADITE HIWOR TO CONVICT HIM IN

CHILEAN COURT.HOWEVER, IN DEFENDING HIMSELF, HE WOULD
HAVE TO REVEAL DETAILS
:IT WOULD NOT BE IN HIS, CHILE'S,
LOUNTRIES' INTEREST TO HAVE THIS
INFORMATION BECOME PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, BUT HE REGRETFULLY
WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE (I.E., MORE IN SORROW THAN IN ANGER).
THEREFORE, HOPEFULLY A DEAL CAN BE WORKED OUT IN WASHINGTON THAT WOULD OBVIATE THE NEED FOR EXTRADITION REQUESTS
AND THE SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC HEARING.
Uh

UlkihR

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UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. M-2015-14753 Doc No. C06093991 Date: 09/19/2016

UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. M-2015-14753 Doc No. C06093991 Date: 09/19/2016
PUGA ALSO CLAIMED THAT THE CASE IS FAR MORE COMPLICATED THAN.MEETS THE EYE, AND LIKENED IT TO KENNEDY AND
KING ASSASSINATIONS IN THAT SENSE; E.G., SUAREZ, ONE OF
THE. CUBANS IMPLICATED, HAS ALWAYS BEEN UNDER FIDEL
CASTRO'S CONTROL, HE ASSERTED. HE ALSO ATTACKED MICHAEL
TOWNLEY'S CREDIBILITY, EXPRESSING DOUBT THAT TOWNLEY HAS
EVER PLACED ANY BOMBS ANYWHERE, AND HE DISMISSED TOWNLEY'S
STORY THAT THE BOMB WAS UNDER LETELIER'S AUTO FOR THREE
DAYS BEFORE BEING DETONATED AS PURE FANTASY, SINCE IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN SET OFF ACCIDENTALLY BY TAXI RADIOS OR
SOME SUCH LONG BEFORE. INTERESTINGLY, PUGA DID NOT ALLEGE
ANY CIA PARTICIPATION IN THE CRIME. IN FACT, HE SAID HE
KNEW TOWNLEY DURING THE ALLENDE PERIOD WHEN THEY WERE
BOTH ENGAGED IN ANTI-ALLENDE PROPAGANDA ACTIVITIES,. AND
TOWNLEY WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE TYPE CIA WOULD EVER UTILIZE.
HE DESCRIBED TOWNLEY'S WIFE AS A COMMUNIST WHO IS INTELLIGENT AND COLD-BLOODED.
4. PUGA SAID MIRANDA ALSO PLANNED TO ENGAGE A US ATTORNEY FOR CONTRERAS WHILE IN WASHINGTON.

SMeR-B1127

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,

rLISTENED TO THE FOREGOING WITH LITTLE COMMENT,

/
? g
6. COMMENT: WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MIRANDA'S OFFICE
THAT A VISA WILL BE REQUESTED FOR VALENTIN ROBLES
LETELIER, DESCRIBED AS A LAWYER WORKING WITH MIRANDA.
WE DO NOT KNOW IF HE IS IN ADDITION TO HUMBERTO OLAVARRIA.
GROVER

S.

NOTE BY OC/T: CAUTION: THIS MESSAGE APPEARS TO CONTAIN

SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION.
SECRET

NNN

*** Current Handling Restrictions *** ONLY, sTnnrs

*** Current Classification ***
4iple,Rtrr

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UNCLASSIFIED U.S. Department of State Case No. M-2015-14753 Doc No. C06093991 Date: 09/19/2016

B1