Secret anti-communist army

The civil war in Guatemala has been going on since 1960 , the civil war in El Salvador since 1979 . Right-wing governments fought against the FAR and EGP in Guatemala and the FNFM in El Salvador. Governments mobilized not only army and police forces, but also paramilitary civilian units - “ death squads ”.

One of these structures was the Secret Anti-Communist Army - Ejercito Secreto Anticomunista . Its distinguishing feature was actions in both countries. The ESA originally originated in Guatemala, the first references to the summer of 1977 . The president of Guatemala was then General Eugenio Laucherud , vice president Mario Sandoval Alarcon , leader of the ultra-right National Liberation Movement , closely associated with the anti-communist militants Mano Blanca .

From 1978 to 1989, the ESA carried out a series of attacks against the left forces of Guatemala and El Salvador. In some cases, the involvement of the organization is considered to be established for certain ^[1] . The exact number of people killed is unknown, numbers are given in the range from several tens to several thousand. The social position and political position of the slain were very different - from students and intellectuals to peasants and priests, from Christian democrats to communists, from partisans to public politicians. The unifying signs of all the victims were leftist views and oppositional activity (both automatically led to admission to the Communists).

ESA actions were carried out in strict secrecy. The figures of leaders and activists remained classified. The name of the Guatemalan far-right Manuel Sagastume Asurdia is known , who signed ballots on behalf of the ESA, including with threats of murder ^[2] . The organization was closely associated with the military and police authorities. It is assumed that the curator of the ESA was the director of the National Police, Herman Chupina Baraona ^[3] . According to The New York Times , the ESA reported to Guatemalan Interior Minister Donaldo Alvarez Ruiz . Amnesty International claimed that far-right terrorist organizations were personally subordinate to President Romeo Lucas Garcia ^[4] .

In El Salvador, the ESA was led by the former commander of the National Guard, General José Alberto Medrano ; the leader of the ARENA party , the commander of the death squads, the founder of the Union of White Warriors, Major Roberto d'Aubusson ; Chief Executive of ARENA, FAR Founder Hector Antonio Regalado . The organization was curated by Lt. Col. Rene Emilio Ponce ^[5] . In the program settings of the Salvadoran branch of the ESA, it was said about the destruction of not only communists and left partisans, but also “thieves, prostitutes and homosexuals” ^[6] .

ESA activity in Guatemala declined after the 1982 military coup and the rise to power of Efrain Rios Montt . The new regime did not rely on urban "squadrons", but on mass peasant civil self-defense patrols ^[7] . In particular, he was withdrawn from the politics of Chupin Baraon. In 1984 , negotiations began in El Salvador and the intensity of the confrontation gradually decreased.

The last ESA shares in El Salvador were recorded in 1983 , in Guatemala - in 1989 .