Outside Influence in Surinam Coup d’État

F-1988-00163

  1. (C) — Entire Text.
  2. We see no evidence of Cuban, Soviet, or other outside influence in coup.
    Circumstances and ideologies of coup leader themselves argue against the coup being fomented or encouraged by anyone outside the country. On the other hand, we have no doubt Cubans or others will quickly try to “fish in the muddy waters” here. They have already gotten a man down here, and might receive encouragement from at least one person close to the coup leaders.
  3. Soviet ambassador accredited here but resident in Bogota was not reportedly here Feb. 18–22, as reported (REF TEL). A Soviet embassy first secretary (name can be obtained if required) did visit briefly on a swing through the area to encourage Moscow Olympic participation, talked with Surinamese Olympic Committee officials, and left a note at FNOFF, but did not talk with anyone else. Last visit by Soviet ambassador was in November 1979 to discuss Surinamese 200-mile zone fishing.
  4. Brief report out of Caracas (REF B) indicates Grenada Prime Minister Bishop landed Curacao Feb. 27 on a Cuban airliner returning to Grenada, offering local speculation this may have been in connection with the Surinamese coup. This seems unlikely to us, if only since Surinam–Grenada routing via Curacao seems unusually circuitous. Civil aviation authorities here deny knowledge of any such flight; these authorities have proven extremely cooperative, especially in past week, and we feel sure that if a Cuban (or for that matter Guyanese) plane had arrived here 24th or 25th, we would have been one of the first to hear.
  5. As might be expected, however, Prensa Latina correspondent V. Luna, a Cuban, arrived here quickly from Georgetown. He hit Paramaribo February 29. We do not know all of these with whom he may have spoken but were told by one source he tried to arrange an informal meeting with coup leaders early on and was rebuffed.
  6. [CENSORED]
  7. COMMENT: Prensa Latina man’s presence is natural but troubling.
    [CENSORED]
    Some members of the military council might be susceptible to Cuban blandishments; others seem rigidly set against leftist or any non-Surinamese influence in their revolution.

OSTRANDER

Source:

C09000024

Link:

Internal Link:

https://surinamepress.com/wp-content/uploads/1980/03/Outside-Influence-in-Surinam-Coup-dEtat-March-1980-C09000024.pdf

Date:
March 3, 1980
Categories:
Desi Bouterse
Tags:
Boxes:
F-1988-00163
Years:
1980
Persons:
Bishop, Oostrander, V. Luna
Download PDF
META DATA

Department of State

CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 01 PARAMARIBO 00399 0414287
ACTION ARA-1E

AN: D800112-0018
INFO: OCT-04 EUR-12 10-14 ADS-00 SMS-1 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-05 H-01 INR-10 L-0 NSAE-00 PA-01 SP-02 SS-15 TPSE-00 OMB-01 A-02 OC-06 CCO-00 ACDA-12 NSCE-00 SSO-00 ICAE-00 INRE-00

051827 041435Z /44
O P 020452: MAR 80

FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE

AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
AMCONSUL CURACAO PRIORITY
AMCONSUL MARTINIQUE PRIORITY
USSOUTHCOM QUARRY HEIGHTS PANAMA PRIORITY

E.O. 12065: GDS 5/2/86 (OSTRANDER, NANCY) OR-M
TAGS: PINT, PINR, NS
SUBJECT: Outside Influence in Surinam Coup d’État
REF: (A) STATE 52943, (B) CARACAS 1976, (C) GEORGETOWN (NOTAL)

    Scroll to Top