Guardia Nacional,
District of Somoto,
Somoto, Nicaragua,
17 May 1932.

From:     District Commander.
To:       The Area Commander, Northern Area.

Subject:  Intelligence information obtained from Ambrosia

          Lopez Alfaro, woman of Segundo Alfaro.

1. Ambrosia Lopez Alfaro, woman of Segundo Alfaro minor bandit jefe operating generally in the area north of Somoto, was arrested on May 15th and confined at this station. Ambrosia has lived with Alfaro in various camps occupied by his group, but following the Guardia concentration against Alfaro and Umanzor, and the destruction of their camp in September 1931 near San Diego (167-363), she fled to Honduras. Recently she returned to Somoto and was employed by one Felix Corrales, who has long been suspected of having bandit connections. During the past week Ambrosia is known to have met Alfaro on the property of Sebastin Corrales, brother of Felix Corrales, located north of Somoto and to have spent the day in the camp of Alfaro and Umanzor, located at that time near 166-359, and during the visit to have had several arguments with Alfaro due to the fact that he has recently been living with one Emelia Diaz of San Juan (174-360). During several hours questioning, during which time she was apparently very much alarmed to learn that the Guardia was aware of her visit to the bandit camp last week, the fact that she had send food out to the camp on two occasions, and was having difficulties with Alfaro, she furnished the following information:

(a) This information pertains to the period August-September 1931 when Alfaro and Umanzor were camped near San Diego (167-363). A drive was made against this camp by several patrols resulting in two contacts by Lt. Hancocks patrol and one contact by Lt. Trospers patrol on September 25th with total known casualties at that time of three killed.

(1) States that the group was camped at San Diego for about one month, and that she was in the camp with Alfaro the entire period.

(2) States that in the three contacts mentioned above the following named bandits were killed:

Eugenio Baldonada. Francisco Pastrana.
Juan Gomez. Pedro Pastrana.
Jose Maria Ruiz. Juan Pastrana.

[p. 2]

(3) States that shortly after the arrival of the group at San Diego, that Luis Jiminez, manador of hacienda San Luis (164-361), property of Pastor Lovo of Ocotal, personally visited the camp and informed Umanzor that he had received instructions from Don Pastor to advise Umanzor that the supplies at San Luis, cheese, mantiquilla, salt and cattle were at his (Umanzors) orders.

(4) That the group obtained a cow about every other day from San Luis sending Juan and Francisco Olivas of Telpaneca to the hacienda to obtain same from Jiminez.

(5) That Pedro Jiminez of Mesa Alcajan (located north west of San Luis), was sent to Ocotal by Umanzor with notes to Pastor Lovo, Ramon Lovo, Manuel Montilla, Manuel Ignacio Montilla and others.

(6) That on about six different occasions ammunition was brought out by Pedro Jiminez [Jiménez] from Ocotal, from forty to sixty rounds of revolver and rifle ammunition each trip. That sometimes the ammunition was brought out hidden in sacks of food and other times carried by Jiminez in a belt which he wore under his shirt. Segundo told her the ammunition was furnished by the Lovos, that they obtained the revolver ammunition from Honduras and the rifle ammunition was bought from an enlisted Guardia in Ocotal.

(7) That among other things the following supplies were sent out from Ocotal: bread, tortillas, about twelve arrobas of rice, about thirty suits of clothing, twenty dollars in money from Pastor Lovo, and a sum of money amount unknown to her from the Montillas.

(8) States that a note was sent to the Lovos to the effect that if the supplies and ammunition were not furnished the group would burn the hacienda San Luis.

(9) That one Santos Zuniga was sent by Umanzor with messages to Chinandega and to Sandino, and on his return trip from Sandino brought back a supply of dynamite. (Zuniga is now believed to be in Honduras recuperating from an attack of malaria.)

(10) That Antonio Vilchez, Nicho Lopez, Federico Lopez and Ignacio Davila acted as agents between Umanzor and sympathizers in Somoto.

(11) That Nicho Lopez brought a quantity of revolver ammunition to the camp from Somoto – claims she does not know the name of the person supplying the ammunition.

(12) That Sebastin Corrales (prominent local citizen, owner of considerable property north of Somoto, and long under suspicion of aiding the bandits) visited the camp and talked with Alfaro and Umanzor. (Note: According to information obtained from the caretaker of Corrales property, Corrales last week visited the camp of Umanzor and Alfaro located at 166-359).

[p. 3]

(13) That various sympathizers in Somoto and San Juan (174-360) furnished the group with food. One Nicolas Diaz of San Juan acted as messenger between that place and the camp.

(14) That among others, the following citizens of Somoto sent supplies to the camp:

Arturo Garmendia (prominent local merchant) About 5 suits clothing.

Joacquin Rios (brother in law of Senator Lopez Irias – owner of property north of Somoto) About 2 suits clothing.

Antolin Talavera (brother of District Judge of Ocotal – owner of property north of Somoto) About 2 suits clothing.

Dr. Huerte (prominent local merchant – owner of property north of Somoto) About 4 suits clothing. About 1 blanket.

Teodoro Fuentes (shoemaker – an old friend of Alfaro and Jose Leon Diaz) About 3 pairs shoes.

Francisco Jiminez (cantina owner) About 1 pair shoes.

(b) The following miscellaneous information does not apply to the period noted under “a”:

(1) States that the group which killed Tomas Armijo, ex-Alcalde of Somoto, on March 13, 1931, near Melonar (156-356) was composed of the following men:

Justo Blanco.
Antonio Blanco.
Anselmo Miranda.
Casimiro Mejia.
Gollo Correa.
Augustin Pastrana.

That Segundo Alfaro and one Manuel Rivera, members of the same group planned to participate in the killing but were very drunk at the time and unable to walk. That Armijo while he was Alcalde had been hiding the group on his property and regularly contributing money, that the group had a disagreement with Armijo and decided to kill him before he informed the Guardia of their whereabouts.

(2) That Alfaro has been in the Department of Chinandega for the past two months with Diaz, Parades and Umanzor, and returned with the latter to this vicinity about May 1st.

(3) That Jose Leon Diaz has two women living in Caucali (162-359) – one Catalina Rodriguez, daughter of Prudencio Rodriguez of Somoto, and one Mariana Salinas, daughter of Ismael Vilchez of Somoto (relatives of Vilchez family of Ocotal).

[p. 4]

(4) That Alfaro told her Francisco Jiminez of Somoto, who was captured by Umanzor and Alfaro north of Somoto on May 1st, had been released on his promise to send the following the group: Fifteen dollars in cash, twelve blankets and several suits of clothing.

(5) That Alfaro told her that he, Umanzor and Parades had orders to remain in the vicinity of Somoto awaiting the arrival of Salgado, Colindres and another jefe whose name she did not remember; and that when the groups joined they intended to attack Totogalpa and Ocotal the same night.

       /s/  G A Williams

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TPC-hwb. 1st Endorsement. 23 May, 1932.
HEADQUARTERS, NORTHERN AREA, GUARDIA NACIONAL, OCOTAL, NICARAGUA.

From: The Area Commander.
To:   The Jefe Director.

1. Forwarded.

2. The residents of Ocotal mentioned in the foregoing report as having aided bandits have been under suspicion by this office for some time.

3. During the past two months Don Pastor Lovo, who is one of the most prominent citizens of Ocotal, has furnishing this office with information concerning bandit activities which in practically all cases has proved to be reliable. He furnished information that a large group of bandits had prepared an ambush at LAS PUERTAS prior to the date on which Lieut. Covington’s patrol was ambushed at that point.

4. It is believed that if he has aided bandits in the past, it has been done to protect his property from destruction by bandit groups. Present indications are that he has ceased to aid bandits.

                        /s/   THOS. P. CHEATHAM.

M32.05.17

Transcribed by Pleet Initiative-funded Lebanon Valley College student-researcher Nicholas J. Quadrini.