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20
ACTION ARA-10
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 EB-07 INR-07 LAB-04
NSAE-00 SIL-01 PA-01 PRS-01 USIA-06 /038 W
--------------------- 052393
R 152155Z DEC 75
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO
INFO SECSTATE WASHDC 6628
AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SAO PAULO 2684
RIO FOR SHEA
E.O. 11652: GDS
TAGS: ELAB, PINT, PINS, BR
SUBJECT: DURING U.S. VISIT, SAO PAULO METALWORKERS' LEADER
CAUTIONS UAW AGAINST PUBLICLY PROTESTING OCTOBER SAO PAULO
LABOR ARRESTS
1. LABOFF SPOKE WITH SAO PAULO METALWORKER'S FEDERATION
PRESIDENT ARGEU EGYDIO DOS SANTOS ON DECEMBER 12 FOLLOWING
LATTER'S RETURN TO BRAZIL AFTER MONTH-LONG DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR SPONSORED SEMINAR IN WASHINGTON AND OTHER U.S.
CITIES. WHILE IN WASHINGTON, ARGEU SAID HE HAD SPOKEN WITH
ESTEBAN TORRES, UAW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS, CONCERNING THE EARLY OCTOBER ARRESTS OF SEVERAL SAO
PAULO LABOR LEADERS INCLUDING MANOEL CONSTANTINO AND JOSE
FERREIRA DA SILVA, RESPECTIVELY PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
OF THE SAO CAETANO METALWORKERS' UNION, FOR THEIR ALLEGED
COMMUNIST TIES. (COMMENT: CONSTANTINO HAS SINCE BEEN
RELEASED PENDING TRIAL BUT DA SILVA REMAINS IN PRISON.)
2. ACCORDING TO ARGEU, TORRES, WHOM HE FOUND WELL BRIEFED
ON ARRESTS, ASKED IF PUBLIC STATEMENT BY THE UAW PROTESTING
THE ARRESTS WOULD BE HELPFUL. ARGEU SAID HE RESPONDED THAT
NEITHER THE UAW NOR THE METALWORKERS ITS, FOR THAT MATTER,
SHOULD ATTEMPT ANY PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE PRISONERS.
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SUCH A GESTURE, HE TOLD TORRES, WOULD DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
TO SPEED THE RELEASE OF THOSE DETAINED. MOREOVER, THE BRAZILIAN
GOVERNMENT WOULD INEVITABLY LINK HIS TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES
WITH ANY SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC PRONOUNCEMENT BY THE UAW, A
DEDUCTION THAT WOULD GUARANTEE PROBLEMS FOR HIM WITH THE
AUTHORITIES UPON HIS RETURN TO BRAZIL. ARGEU SAID HE BELIEVED
THAT HIS PLEA PERSUADED TORRES AND THE UAW TO
SHELVE ANY PLANS THEY MAY HAVE HAD PUBLICLY TO CRITICIZE
THE ARRESTS.
3. ARGEU OBSERVED THAT HIS MONTH'S ABSENCE IN THE
UNITED STATES WAS FORTUITOUS SINCE HE WAS SPARED OF HAVING TO
BECOME DEEPLY ENMESHED IN THE THORNY, INTERNAL FEDERATION
PRESSURES PROVOKED BY THE ARRESTS. HE EXPLAINED THAT HIS
OPPORTUNE AMERICAN SOJOURN ENABLED HIM TO AVOID HAVING TO
SAY NO TO THOSE IN THE FEDERATION'S MORE MILITANT AFFILIATES
IN SAO PAULO'S INDUSTRIAL SUBURBS (WHICH HAVE LONG OPPOSED
HIS LEADERSHIP ANYWAY) WHO WANTED THE METALWORKERS'
FEDERATION TO TAKE A STRONGER STAND AGAINST THE ARRESTS.
ARGEU WENT ON TO REPEAT HIS EARLIER ALLEGATION TO LABOFF
THAT THOSE DETAINED, INCLUDING CONSTANTINO, DID HAVE SOME TIES,
"VINCULACOES" WITH THE COMMUNIST PARTY, AND, THEREFORE,
THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON WEAK GROUND IN PROTESTING THEIR
ARRESTS IN ANY EVENT.
4. ARGEU SAID HE DID NOT SPEAK SUBSTANTIVELY ABOUT THE
ARRESTS WITH EITHER AIFLD OR AFL-CIO OFFICIALS WHILE IN
WASHINGTON.
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