Guerrillas in El Salvador broadcast 'uprising' call

January 9, 1981

Leftist guerrillas stormed a San Salvador radio station and broadcast coded messages believed to be the signals for an anticipated "general offensive" against the ruling US-backed junta, authorities said.

Meanwhile, rightists appeared to consolidate their hold over the civilian- military junta with the appointment as Army chief of staff of an associate of deposed right-wing President Carlos Humberto Romero. The military in El Salvador and Honduras plan to launch a joint campaign next week against guerrilla strongholds along their common border, a group supporting the Salvadoran left said.