Handcuffed in a maximum security prison north of Porto Alegre, and received the prisoner REPUBLIC Ronald Uruguayan Mario Neira Barreiro. Uruguayan former agent told the Brazilian Republic that there was a "Base Arenal" where he was cremated Elena Quinteros.
Preso en una cárcel de máxima seguridad en Porto Alegre, Mario Barreiro Neira, ex miembro de la superbanda, afirma que participó en la Operación Escorpión en la que murió João Goulart. Acusa a un forense de la muerte de la esposa de Heber. Revela un plan para asesinar a Gavazzo. Mario Ronald Barreiro Neira, un uruguayo detenido en una prisión de Brasil, se confesó integrante de un "servicio" uruguayo durante la dictadura, donde lo conocían como el "Teniente Tamús". Dice haber participado de múltiples "operaciones", entre las que se incluye el asesinato de João Goulart y la cremación del cuerpo de Elena Quinteros.
Recluido en una cárcel de maximum security to 60 miles north of Porto Alegre, Neira Barreiro (48 years) agreed to talk with the Republic, with the condition he not be questioned about the crimes for which he is imprisoned in Brazil (possession of weapons and theft), or its link with the "supergroup", which has an extradition request from the Justice Uruguay (see box).
The "Lieutenant Tamus" says that he played in the Uruguayan Youth Pie (JUP) and worked for the Agency for International Development (AID). Then joined a paramilitary group called Talon 33 and finally joined this "secret agency" called Gamma Group, where he performed before and after the regime military.
points to a coroner responsible for the murder of the wife of Heber Mario indicates that there was a "Base Arenal" - whose location he refused to provide - where there was a furnace where it was cremated, among others, the body of the teacher Elena Quinteros. He claims also that tracks the Gavazzo Colonel Jose Nino, who planned to kill. Neira Barreiro
headlines Brazilian press when asked to testify before the parliamentary committee studying Brazilian death of former President João Goulart, denounced the Brazilian Civil Police for his relationship with a network of criminals and sent a note to the governor of Chui, Mohammad Kassem Jomaa, warning about possible attacks against the Arab community.
An "agent" was born of the JUP
(Neira Barreiro expecting a visit in a special room of the prison, which is accessed after spending two guards and four bars. Sitting on a bank of student , with his right arm on the posatextos, trying to hide the wide metal handcuffs. seemed about to take a test before he sat down in front of karmic desktop. is surprised by the presence of a Uruguayan journalist. just hoping to colleague Humberto Trezzi of Zero Hora, who had run to the prison authorities encounter with the Republic.)
- How to be presented to the Uruguayan readers?
- Eu am a Uruguai who participated in a dark time nostro muito country. Eu pra was chosen to be part two secret services ... (starts in a locked portuñol and interrupts). prefer to speak in Castilian, but you have not talked with anyone in my language.
- No problem, on the contrary.
- Let's say I was for a long time serving the state. Only those services were not fully known for being secretive. I took knowledge of innumerable things that do not fit with the procedures that the State should undertake. (Speak in a tone doctoral, forcing the translation of words commonly used in Portuguese.)
- Those services were police or military?
- Well, the secret agent role of an intelligence agency is a state function and it may be natural individuals of the army, police and ordinary civilians who have some kind of knowledge that provides utility service . The Secret Service is composed of a heterogeneous group of people who are elected by their characteristics.
- Why did you was "elected"?
- I was then studying second year at the Lyceum Bauza, started acting with some organizations and was named to participate in the Gamma Group for the year 1972.
- What organizations that joined before Gamma Group?
- For luck or misfortune, was a member of the Uruguayan Youth Pie. I joined the JUP because I had a few classmates and I saw a black shirt had given me, thought I was part of them. I was asked to join and I joined. Then, the JUP was strengthened in working with the Alliance for Progress and sent me to do searches on people's political opinion. There making good money and had a legal job doing surveys. (At times it leaves the Castilian Neira Barreiro to keep talking in Portuguese and not come back to speak English when he interrupted with questions.)
The Claw 33 of Campos Hermida
- His family had political tradition ?
- There was no influence of my family. None was far right. My father, even, was a supporter of the Communist Party. I had no political definitions. I joined that organization as a student who enrolls in or Peñarol Nacional. Then a high school buddy named Petrópulos, who had a relative who worked at the Embassy (referring to the U.S.) told me if I wanted to earn some money y. .. Clear that he wanted! My family was not rich. So I started doing political work for the AID.
- Do you only to opinion polls?
- No. Also I joined a paramilitary group which was recently, because I thought one thing and another I found. Garra was 33, a right-wing armed group, very small, which I had been told was to fight the guerrillas. I found that instead of fighting the guerrillas, what they did was to attack workers in conflict, spanking, making attacks and other things. I wanted to combat the guerrillas who wanted to take over the country to death, face to face, and do not do that. Why you believe you have not and they can deny, that it is alien or mad, but I know many things have been on what I was.
- I hear it.
- The Claw 33 prepared staff. There were military instructors offered courses.
- military or police?
- were from the police.
- people do Castiglioni, Intelligence?
- De Campos Hermida people ... (Neira regrets naming and makes a gesture to the recorder do not ask for more names "on the record.") The group's goal was to throw a shot or attack facades private homes or hitting a worker. I disagreed with it. I was told that this was a process in which I examined. I did not go there and then called me to come Secret Service. (Given the looks of disbelief, Neira says.) I also said what is that the Secret Service, he knew only from the movies. They said it was the government's intelligence and that from there he could fight the guerrillas.
- That was before the coup?
"Yes, in the preambles. There I began to make different types of training. Study in Chile as well. Me about this I have written a book of 635 pages would not be easy to sum up in an interview. (Neira is on the desk copies of a manuscript covers with an outline of the cover of a book that reads: "Interview avec un REU Confesso - All on or assesinato as resposta do João Goulart." Flip through the text, but we do not delivery.)
Gamma Group and Arenal
Base - Well, let them buy their book. Did you participate in an operation that involved a death or forced disappearance?
- No one, in innumerable.
- What cases?
- (Smiles wryly, refusing to respond.) Unfortunately these things occurred and may someday have to answer for them. Not pull the trigger, I did not poison, I did nothing personally, but I was aware of the facts, because that was installed radio equipment, telephones intervened, pulling pictures, did follow progressive.
- Against the Communist Party in particular?
- (He smiles.) When the book will have a long list of bombings, kidnappings, conspiracies, etc., which were subject on the left. I did not become common now. I was not before or what I am today. I was never against the army or against the military, nor am I now against them or the police. They are the ones that tomorrow will defend my country against an enemy. I am against those who used their authority and power. I'm not sorry for what I did. I did it thinking it was something worthy. Today I am disappointed. (At times, the speech seems rehearsed Neira. It is then that speaks Portuguese and seeks to partner the colleague of Zero Hour.)
- not clear to me that the range of state secret group of which you speak. Did you have military or police control?
- Explain that each military force has its intelligence service. So does the police. Ours was separate. The government had a secret service itself.
- Bordaberry's government?
- The military government. An intelligence service is not a secret service. The Gamma group that was heterogeneous, was formed by people coming from all sectors. (Want gesture, but it prevents the handcuffs.)
- Did you have a base of operations?
- I had a site named Base Arenal, which was secret. I think so far nobody had been appointed. That was where everything was cooked. (Neira stop recording calls and explains in "off the record" that is not prepared to disclose data and facts that could compromise court because, given their civilian status, do not know if it is covered by the amnesty law.)
's murderer Heber's wife
- So we can say that you join a group Gamma, which could be considered paramilitary or vigilante, but where you are aware that there was a direct dependency on government authorities.
- I was in the secret service of Uruguay since 1972, when he was 17 years, and I turned away from him until after the restoration of democracy. Even in democracy continue for some years, because the work is increased. The activity increased after the transition.
- Did you have a rank in command structure?
- There was not a traditional command structure. There were important people, some are alive and others dead. They put me as a nom de guerre "Lieutenant Tamus, and to that extent they kept calling me later, although he had no military or the police hierarchy. I was a special agent. There could be a boss or a manager, who was also agent. He was in command but he was my superior. That does not work in these organizations.
- You speak in conceptual terms, but gives no specific information that can confirm that there Gamma Group. There were many suspects at the time. For example: what do you know the case of poisoned wine that killed the wife of Heber Mario?
- This was an operation in which I participated, which involved was Dr. CM (Neira name it, this time without hesitation), the medical examiner they called "Captain Adonis", which was my boss at a time. In that case, the idea was one and there was a disgrace.
- That was part of Operation Condor?
- No. Operation Condor did not work as is now known until after 1975. Even then it was known by that name. When did Operation Scorpion, which died João Goulart, the thought was a natural extension of Operation Jakarta with the Brazilians planned to eliminate its dissidents. They had taken the name of what happened in Indonesia when he swept a million people. Leaning between secret services is part of the natural partnership between two states that had common enemies.
The "Scorpion" that killed
Goulart - Have you participated in the Operation Scorpion, he says, killed Goulart?
- Yes, but I do not know included in this operation because he spoke good Portuguese or if it was because my knowledge of electronics. (The theme calls attention to Trezzi, who continues the interview in Portuguese. It is the opportunity to take pictures - "always with the back wall," warned the prison warden.)
- Did you realize Goulart eavesdropping?
- Well, I took a first time to record conversations and track João Goulart progressive. Was that transcribe the conversation. But Operation Scorpion was one of the longest and lasted longer before reaching their final. Because it was an operation that began before I belonged to the Gamma and ended in December 1976. Lasted many years. I think in principle it was not thought death Goulart. Only looking for preventive monitoring of a person who was considered dangerous. The operation was not against Goulart, Brazilian but against several dissidents, including that he was important.
- What Brazilians were monitored?
- Leonel Brizola was the most important in his apartment in Atlantis. It was the most courageous. He was against the established and was transformed into a target that eventually could be eliminated.
- Why João Goulart was changed to?
- Do not know if I really changed. Brizola had shown its strength in the failed coup of 61. Brizola was the victor. In 1964 he was different. We could talk at length about this whole process, but do not have much time. (Neira let you know how much time per visit. A security guard who at first looked out a window every now and then control is now fixed on it and follow the conversation.)
- But Goulart was the target of an operation that was initially for Brizola?
- There were differences between Brizola and Goulart. There was a meeting soon time they arrived exiles. They are fighting then. It was "the briga two brothers." There was also a meeting of exiles which diverged most. It was on 24 September 1967 that made this meeting in the street Legend country. But I was not then. I joined years later.
- Of that group, João Goulart, Carlos Lacerda and Juscelino Kubitschek died within a few months, in a suspicious manner, to the point of parliamentary investigative commissions were established on his alleged murder, "Brizola was saved?
- Brizola disagreed with part of that political alliance and was separated from the group of dissidents, was also out of that investigation. Operation Scorpion began when Goulart came to the airport. In addition, Goulart was always in the middle of events.
was a leader for his people, yet got into issues of self Uruguay.
(The phrase muted flash. Neira, who did not like the pictures - " I'm messy," I could go to a tie ? "Argued - it returns the focus of the interview to the Uruguayan interest.)
Jango and the fate of Elena Quinteros
- What kind of internal Goulart Uruguay participated?
- In the case of "teacher" Elena Quinteros. You can think what would I see Goulart with that? But the truth is that when Quinn was abducted from the Embassy of Venezuela, Goulart ended by diplomatic negotiations. Jango, as I said, no longer lived in the Park of the Allies and returned to the house at Cannes, where he also lived Frank Becerra, who was the ambassador of Venezuela. Goulart ended by negotiations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the entire world to return to the "teacher" and would not break diplomatic relations.
- Gamma group was related to the abduction of Elena Quinteros?
- We did not have to do. It was another group of intelligence. We saw what he did Goulart. But after Quinn was recaptured from the Embassy of Venezuela, no one wanted her in his base because it was burning. Carcelaje nobody wanted in a woman who gave birth to an international diplomatic conflict. 6 Intelligence Department did not know what to do with it: there is that the Secret Service intervened.
- Where is supposed to take?
- She was at the Base Arenal.
- was transferred to No 13 Infantry Battalion, the "300 Carlos"?
- No. Do not know where out such data.
- is data that gave prisoners who saw ...
- Quinteros was arrested and cremated in the Base Arenal.
--... and also would have given the Commission for Peace.
- Well, after the events happen, everyone can say what you want. She was taken from one side to the other, until he's misfortune came to die. Then we had to cremate the body and that was done. That the secret service was active, because it was the only one who had a cremation oven.
- Where was the oven and the base Arenal?
- That's in the book. I will not say in this interview. Yes I say that my knowledge of engineering was that the furnace was installed there. After oven to do likewise in the street Base Marta Amado Nervo, but failed, as did the group of policemen who wanted to create an institutional Gamma. The government wanted to legalize the group, because they said they made and unmade. Elected 14 members of intelligence services and was given a structure. It was a mistake. A Secret Service can not be made public. They made a base, like Orletti Automotive. Achieved an abandoned coffee factory was owned by a colonel, and install the Base Marta. They wanted to put the house in order. That was for 80 or 81. Called the captain (Richard) Medina Blanco and put in charge of that team
- but insist Why not say where I was going to Arenal base?
- No. (Neira plays with her secrets. It does not have everything you know. It's what makes him a special prison, with a connotation of "policy" that perhaps could use when you deal with the request Uruguayan extradition.)
- Did you know a base near the zoo Valparaiso Villa Dolores?
- spoke by radio to a base with that name, but he understood that was near the train station by Valparaiso Street. I knew the base had Zulu Lima Campos (Hermida) by Lezica, the "300 Carlos" who was in the 13, the base Rosen never saw the street in Punta Gorda Ismael ... There were many bases.
"There were plans to kill Gavazzo"
- Before Goulart's death, there were other important cases. In May 1976 were killed Zelmar Michelini and Gutiérrez Ruiz, and since June Orletti Motor starts operating as a base to capture foreigners in Argentina.
- "It was not until June that worked Orletti? (Question naive tone.)
- As you know, possibly there was a base above, but Orletti deals after signing the contract on 1 June.
- I do not know ... (It becomes enigmatic.)
- But you know the number of clandestine transfers of prisoners to Uruguay, who came by air in June and a second flight in October?
- I only knew of a flight, which was done before my birthday, which is 8 August. It was my understanding is that other group were brought later by Mercedes. But there may have been other transfers, we were not on that topic. Gavazzo do know things, because he was under our surveillance. (Back to suggest the topic.)
- Why Gavazzo guarding?
- The government was knowing what was Gavazzo. He was used and several times, listen to what I'm saying, the secret service to kill Gavazzo thought. The front was not sent to soldiers, their courage gave him an extra at your command hierarchy. Faced with a general or could put a gun to his head. That made him dangerous. (The security guard spoke with other guards. It is evident that the interview should end.)
- Is that the secret service knew what happened to the missing?
- Everybody knew what happened to the missing. That was an invention. We knew that the missing had died. Or were executed or died in interrogation or in a "pickup" shots. Were said to be escaped, but were underground.
- knew where the cemetery?
- It's difficult to make statements about it. I do not know everything, be a part.
- Do you know if there was an Operation Carrots, led by Colonel Lami who unearthed the bodies of military units to a single grave?
- I did not know it, if he was the Army Intelligence. There were wells that were made on different sides in the custody of the army, one for the cylinder, where the body of Fire.
I do not know who dug up bodies. It may have been tried to remove evidence before the return of democracy. In any criminal evidence are removed. All work avoids leaving intelligence documents, conduct has been unlettered, avoiding the written testimony. (Neira eye contact, and is silent.)
Prisoner No. 94,148
Sixty miles north of Porto Alegre, in an area surrounded by rice fields and some swamps, is the prison complex's Charqueada composed six prisons that bring together about four thousand prosecuted by the federal Justice and state of Rio Grande do Sul.
One is the Maximum Segurança penitentiary known as PARC, where they held little more than two hundred prisoners "special", who have the advantage of living in individual cells and the disadvantage that in the history of the prison only managed a leak (and was recaptured) .
The institute's director, Abelino Chaves, had no qualms over allowing the interview with a prisoner as unique as the Uruguayan Mario Neira Barreiro Ronald, to whom other journalists in Rio de Janeiro came visiting for months with the objective of making book: "Interview with an inmate confessed - All the answers about the murder of João Goulart", forthcoming.
Neira Barreiro - In Brazil put before the mother's maiden name - is being held as prisoner No. 94148, under the name of Antonio Lopes Merelles, as defined in the forged document (which earned him one of their sentences) with which it was caught in November 1999 the town of Gravataí.
Federal Police captured along with another Uruguayan Neira, Ricardo Ruiz Mendieta Anacleto (also a prisoner at PARC), in a home where they found an arsenal of weapons, ammunition, communications equipment and records of the Police radio frequencies regional.
Both were linked by the Brazilian authorities in two separate attacks on armored car company in Canoas Proforte and Sapucaia do Sul, with a botched robbery Rivera-Livramento airport and car traffic in the Mercosur.
quickly found out their in Uruguay, where related to one of the supergroup that performed in Montevideo in 1998. They correspond to the assault Montevideo Zoo, the home of Casa de Galicia, de Oca offices and Silver Card in Step Mill, the same year.
In Uruguay, Neira Barreiro Rocha could be arrested in front of the Customs of La Coronilla, where they also found stolen goods and telecommunications equipment. He managed to escape by Chuy. Caught in Brazil, serving a 24-month detention in prison of Bage.
The Uruguayan prisoner won quick fame because he confessed his status as a former military and security service agent of the Uruguayan dictatorship, when asked to testify before the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission that investigated the death of former President João Goulart.
Neira Barreiro also managed to report a relationship between the civil police and a criminal network in Brazil, and send a letter to the Prefects of Chui, the controversial Mohammad Kassem Jomaa, who has warned of possible attacks against the Arab community
area
Republic 12/22/2002
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