84. Two summaries of police activity that appeared in the Historical Archive of the National Police recorded that “essentially, [the] well-known purpose of the promoters of [the GAM] was to cause problems for the Government and the security forces,” and that “it [provided] the ideal facade […] for implementing programs to destabilize and debilitate the Military Government in particular, and the security forces in general, on their own ground.” 112 The final observations of one of the summaries concluded that “[i]t is evident that the promoters and intellectual leaders of the Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo are truly enemies of the Military Government and its security forces in general. Therefore, acting in legitimate defense, it is necessary to act against them, to neutralize or eliminate them.” 113 85. Similarly, the Inter-American Commission reported in the 1985 Third Report on the Human Rights Situation in Guatemala that: On March 14, 1985, during an official act held at the military base of the Department of Jutiapa that was televised, the [then] Head of State […] made certain declarations according to which the “GAM” was being manipulated by the subversion and by an international group and that, in this context, negotiating the appearance alive of those who had disappeared was a subversive act; that measures would be taken to counter it, and that, henceforth, demonstrations would not be tolerated. 114 86. The members of the GAM were subjected to fierce attacks and threats, as well as to a smear campaign to discredit them. According to the CEH, in 1985, this situation led to “the murder of two GAM activists” and two family members of one of these. The bodies were found with “signs of torture.” 115 Mrs. Montenegro explained that “the tongue had been ripped out [of one of the bodies] and it was left [almost] in front [of the GAM] so that [they] would know what would happen to them if they continued acting in that way.” 116 The CEH also reported that, between 1989 and 1993, situations occurred such as: the abduction of two activists, the kidnapping and murder of another five members, the forced disappearance of an activist, and also two raids and the explosion of a bomb in the organization’s offices, among other attacks against the GAM. 117 87. In this context, Mrs. Montenegro received death threats and was under surveillance. 118 In this regard, Mrs. Montenegro stated that, on several occasions, shots were fired at her house and she “nearly lost [her] life many times”; she therefore sought II, folios 803); CEH, supra, volume VI, p. 150, and video entitled “Aún guardamos la esperanza” dated February 2009, supra, part 2. 112 Cf. Documents handed over during the public hearing by Velia Muralles Bautista, “Summary of police activities. For the period from June 18 to 24, 1984” and “Summary of police activities. For the period from October 8 to 14, 1984” (merits file, tome II, folios 888 and 896). 113 Cf. Documents handed over during the public hearing by Velia Muralles Bautista, “Summary of police activities. For the period from October 8 to 14, 1984” (merits file, tome II, folio 900). Similarly, see, CEH, supra, volume VI, p. 151. 114 Cf. IACHR, Third Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Guatemala, 1985, chapter II, para. 92, annex 1 of the Merits Report. Available at: http://www.IACHR.org/countryrep/Guatemala85sp/indice.htm. 115 CEH, supra, volume VI, p. 236, paras. 4528 to 4530. 116 Testimony given by Nineth Varenca Montenegro Cottom before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing in this case. 117 Cf. CEH, supra, volume IV, pp. 99 and 237, paras. 4122 and 4532. 118 Cf. CEH, supra, volume IV, p. 237, para. 4532; testimony given by Nineth Varenca Montenegro Cottom before the Inter-American Court during the public hearing in this case, and affidavit prepared by Alejandra García Montenegro on April 20, 2012 (merits file, tome II, folio 805). 31