LaRoche Obtains Documents from New Grenadian Government

U.S. diplomat secures files from revolutionary regime days after leftist coup ousts Gairy.

Date: March 19, 1979 (or shortly before)

LaRoche Obtains Documents from New Grenadian Government

Details: Following the March 13, 1979 coup in Grenada that ousted Eric Gairy, "EMBASSY OFFICER LAROCHE, JUST RETURNED FROM GRENADA, BROUGH COPIES OF THOSE FILES GIVEN HIM BY MEMBERS OF NEW GOVERNMENT." These files were presented by Maurice Bishop as "documentary evidence" of large-scale weapons purchases planned by the Gairy regime with US and British firms.

Significance: (Inferred) Places LaRoche (presumably Richard LaRoche of US Embassy Bridgetown, which covered Grenada) on the ground in Grenada immediately after the leftist New Jewel Movement coup. He was actively engaging with the new revolutionary government and involved in intelligence gathering (obtaining sensitive documents). This demonstrates early experience in a volatile post-coup environment in the Caribbean.

Source:

Cable from AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN, BRIDGE 01016, March 19, 1979

Link:

Internal Link:

Date:
March 19, 1979
Categories:
Foiled Coups & Plots, Greneda Invasion, Log, Matthew Smith, Military & Intel, Research, The Suriname Archive
Tags:
Cable, Coup Detat, Diplomatic Activity, Foia, Grenada Coup 1979, Intelligence Gathering
Boxes:
MW Zotero
Years:
1979
Persons:
Eric Gairy, Maurice Bishop, Richard Laroche
META DATA
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