Information on the Executive Anti-Narcotics Unit (Unidad Ejecutiva Antinarcoticos) and its activities, particularly involvement in human rights abuses, 1991-93 [SLV27061.E]

Please find attached some articles that refer to the Executive Anti-Narcotics Unit (UEA) of the now-defunct National Police of El Salvador, including descriptions of the organization and of some of its activities.

The creation of the UEA was one of the first actions of the Anti-Narcotics Commission (COAN), established by then-president Cristiani in January 1990 (International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 1 Mar. 1991). The UEA was "led by a select group of El Salvador Armed Forces (EFAS) and National Police officers"; its personnel were "carefully selected and its members receive[d] salaries above those of other police units," thus enabling the UEA "to recruit quality manpower from other security forces" (ibid.). The Attorney General's office assigned, during the unit's first year, "two assistants to work with case officers when arrests were made" (ibid.).

Created under a new, comprehensive anti-drugs law, the UEA received from the Ministry of Finance "significant resources to cover salaries, construction of the unit's new headquarters and vehicles" (ibid.). The unit also received vehicles, communications equipment and computers from the United States government (ibid.; GAO Reports 2 Aug. 1994). In 1994 the United States government stated that the UEA had proved "to be effective despite its small size," and pointed out that the unit had to rely "on the military for air and maritime capability" (ibid.).

In September 1993 the UEA was incorporated into the new National Civilian Police (PNC) force, and "granted wider investigative authority than was previously authorized" (ibid.). At the time, the unit's weapons consisted mainly of T-65 rifles (Jane's Intelligence Review 1 July 1994). Although it is not clear from the consulted sources what other weapons the UEA counted with, one report states that the UEA and the Criminal Acts Investigation Commission (Comision de Investigaciones de Hechos Delictivos, CIHD), at the time they became part of the PNC, had been "allocated some US$2 million worth of communications equipment, US$3million of computerised systems, as well as 135 vehicles, mainly Nissan and Toyota police cruisers, jeeps and pick ups" (ibid.). The PNC's inventory at the time included ".30 M1/M2 carbines, 5.56 mm T-65s, and a few 7.62 mm. G-3 rifles," and it received "all the U.S.-made Beretta and Browning 9 mm. pistols from the army" (ibid.).

Since late 1993 "a marked drop in PNC cooperation with ONUSAL" (the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador) was reported, with some analysts attributing this to "the influence of PNC deputy director Oscar Peña Duran," a former army captain and ex-chief of the UEA (Notisur 10 June 1994). Peña Duran resigned in May 1994, but he reportedly "had a marked influence on the formation and deployment of the PNC," having "successfully placed many ex-UEA agents throughout the ranks of the PNC, in violation of an agreement by the government that personnel from the UEA would be limited to the PNC's anti-narcotics division" (ibid.).

One source states that, according to PNC officers, "former UEA agents often took over interrogations which were being handled by PNC officers who graduated from the ANSP" (the Academia Nacional de Seguridad Publica, or National Academy of Public Secutiry) (ibid.). The same report states that "observers expressed concern that the UEA's notorious methods of secrecy and disregard for civil liberties could become the modus operandi for the PNC," and adds that according to an ANSP instructor, "the PNC is adapting itself to the reality of the UEA, rather than the reverse" (ibid.).

In the dismantling of the National Police, the Salvadorean government insisted on incorporating the existing anti-narcotics and special investigations units into the PNC (The Washington Post 15 Mar. 1995). According to one report, "diplomats and monitors said both units, before incorporating, allowed hundreds of members of the old security forces to sign up," and "then, the bloated units were incorporated" (ibid.).

Another source reports that the National Police "drug fighting unit was transferred, nearly intact, from the old force to the new" (The Christian Science Monitor 3 Feb. 1995). ONUSAL reported in July 1994, after a two-month investigation, "some worrisome results about the anti-narcotics unit," pointing out that "the members failed to honour promises made when joining the civilian police force and overextended their jurisdiction" (ibid.).

After the government promised that the unit would take a course on the rule of law, which normally lasts six months, the members took a five-day course with no attendance control or exams that was described by the head of ONUSAL as "bogus" (ibid.). ONUSAL "concluded that the unit 'functioned with an excessive level of autonomy,' answering only to its own leaders and failing to recognize the authority of the regional police chiefs" (ibid.). The observer mission also "found that 71 people were improperly added [to] the drug-fighting unit" (ibid.). Upon ONUSAL's recommendation, the government fired the improperly hired personnel, triggering a strike by them and other police agents (ibid.). Please consult the attached February 1995 articles referring to this strike for additional information.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References


The Christian Science Monitor [Boston]. 3 February 1995. Gene Palumbo. "Strike by Police Unit in El Salvador Shakes Foundation of Peace." (NEXIS)

GAO Reports [Washington, DC]. 2 August 1994. "Efforts to Control Drug Trafficking Through Central America." (NEXIS)

International Narcotics Control Strategy Report [Washington, DC]. 1 March 1991. "Country Analysis by Regions—Mexico and Central America: El Salvador." (NEXIS)

Jane's Intelligence Review [London]. 1 July 1994. Julio Montes. "El Salvador: Combat Arms Update." (NEXIS)

NotiSur—Latin American Political Affairs [Albuquerque, N. Mex.]. 10 June 1994. "El Salvador: ONUSAL Denounces Human Rights Violations by New National Civil Police (PNC)." (NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 15 March 1995. Final Edition. Douglas Farah. "Salvadorans Complain Postwar Crime Defeating Rebuilt Police Force." (NEXIS)

Attachments


The Christian Science Monitor [Boston]. 3 February 1995. Gene Palumbo. "Strike by Police Unit in El Salvador Shakes Foundation of Peace." (NEXIS)

International Narcotics Control Strategy Report [Washington, DC]. 1 March 1991. "Country Analysis by Regions—Mexico and Central America: El Salvador." (NEXIS)

NotiSur—Latin American Political Affairs [Albuquerque, N. Mex.]. 10 June 1994. "El Salvador: ONUSAL Denounces Human Rights Violations by New National Civil Police (PNC)." (NEXIS)

Radio YSKL [San Salvador]. 8 February 1993. "El Salvador: Cristiani on Cooperation Against Drug Trafficking; Use of Army Against Crime." (BBC Summary 11 Feb. 1993/NEXIS)

Reuters. 12 June 1993. AM Cycle. "Smugglers Caught in Salvador Linked to Major Cartels." (NEXIS)

The United Press International (UPI). 2 February 1995. BC Cycle. "Salvadoran Police Protest Turns Violent." (NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 15 March 1995. Final Edition. Douglas Farah. "Salvadorans Complain Postwar Crime Defeating Rebuilt Police Force." (NEXIS)