[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 657 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The State Department FOIA release of 1981 made several deletions in this cable. Most of the information – other than Joyce Park’s name – was disclosed in the RYMUR version of this cable and is denoted below in red type.]
0 302017Z NOV 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE 2098
INFO SECSTATE WASHDC 8281
FBI WASH DC
BT
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4034
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, GY (PEOPLE’S TEMPLE)
SUBJECT: MEDICAL TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF PEOPLES TEMPLE IN CARACAS
1. SURVIVORS OF JONESTOWN DISASTER STATE THAT PEOPLE’S TEMPLE OCCASIONALLY SENT ILL MEMBERS TO CARACAS FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LEARN THE NAME OF THE MEDICAL INSTITUTION THEY WERE SENT TO. HOWEVER, SURVIVORS STATE THAT THE FACILITY WAS SAID TO BE THE BEST CANCER CENTER IN VENEZUELA, AND SOME THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE CONNECTED TO A UNIVERSITY. ONE SURVIVOR ALSO STATED THAT THE MEDICAL CENTER HANDLED THE CASES OF MANY POOR PEOPLE.
2. SURVIVORS IDENTIFIED JOYCE PARKS OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (NO FURTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE) AS A PERSON WHO WOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARACAS. SHE REPORTEDLY FLED FROM CARACAS TO CALIFORNIA AFTER SHE LEARNED OF THE DEATHS OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS.
3. POST REQUESTS ANY INFORMATION ACTION OR INFO ADDRESSES HAVE ON MEDICAL RECORDS OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS TREATED IN CARACAS.
BURKE [John Burke, American ambassador to Guyana]
BT
#4034