El Salvador whistling in dark?

December 10, 1980

flew to neighboring Honduras Dec. 9 to sign a piece accord officially ending the 1969 "soccer war" between the two nations. Monitor Latin America Correspondent James Nelson Goodsell writes that the joint civilian-military junta, by going to the Honrudas capital, tegucigalpa, is displaying its determination to be as firmly in charge of events as possible -- despite the tremendous pressures from both left and right extremists.

Moreover, Col. Adolfo Armando Majano, the ousted junta member, is reportedly among those attending the ceremonies, and some confusion now surrounds his ouster. Although the top military command voted dec. 7 to remove hiim, and he declared he was being forced out, other junta members spoke of him Dec. 8 as though he were still a member.

Rumors of an imminent right-wing military coup were widespread, but the fact that the junta decided to go to Tegucigalpa suggested officials were less than convinced that there was much substance to the rumors.

Meanwhile, the special United States fact-finding mission sent to El Salvador to investigate the murders of four US women was returning to Washington Dec. 9 to report to President Carter on its findings.