THE END OF THE COMMUNIST REGIME IN GUATEMALA (OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND P

Created: 7/9/1954

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

CO

MplCAL REVIEW PROGRAM

94

FOR] CHIEFS, ALLHIEFS

End of tbe Communist Regime in Guatemala

(Operational Recommendations and Propaganda Guidance)

Memorandum,U, aubject "Recent

Developments in Guatemala";

, subject "Addi-

tional Guidance on recent Developmenta in Guatemala";

datedubject "Back-

ground Materiel on Guatemalan Situation";

dated, Bubject "Support

Materiel on Guatemala (Soviet Communism in Guatemala".

1. The overthrow of the communist-manipulated regime of President Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala and lte replacement by an enti-comBuniet,military government headed by colonels Castillo ArmaB and Enrique Monton have brought eventa in that email, but focal. Central Amoricen republiclimax. World-wide reaction thue far baa been predominantly unfavorable end even sharply hostile to the United States. Such reaction was not only engendered by the internationalovement (whichropaganda campaign of virtually unprecedented acope and intensityspecially considering the comparative size and remote location of the countryut also by non-communist and anti-communist eources, such ee the British and SwedlshLabor Parties, vocal sections of public opinion in India and other Asian countrlea.

S, Counteracting unfavorable world reactionatter of highest priority end it ia therefore neceaesry to undertake vith ell meane at ourorld-wide campaign preaenting tbe true facte ee quickly and effectively as possible, Attached heretotatement of objectives for this campaign end propaganda guidance with background information on tbe real aituation in Guatemala. Support material on Guatemalan events has been and will continue to be carried in the Daily Neva Highlights.

Acting Chief

and Paramilitary

As notedStaff

Distribution for FT Memorandum eomc date

cee-17

cfe-16

cnea-24

CSE-10

csr-6

cvh-24

b/C 7 ^

p/sa-1

p/pbo/td-i

ec-l

pp/press-l

p/EcW-1

qm/ois 3

tab Lib.-2

Trn.4Devl.-l

RI-1

Attachment to: PP memorandumuly

I. OBJECTIVES:

1* To present the true fscts shout Guatemala shoving that It vas the beachhead of international consunlsm In the Western Hemisphere.

2. To describe tha overthrow of the communist governmentajor setback for Moscow thereby encouraging antl-communlst realatance everywhere.

o expose tbe global character of Soviet-communist imperialism as illustrated by tbe case ofountry far rsmoved from the Soviet orbit, in order to combat neutralism and complacency everywhere.

II. THEMES AMD BACKGROUND FACTS:

that the overthrew of the Arbenz regime waspatriotic Guatemalans and waa tbe result of civil war not invasion.

Background facts; Many newspaper correspondents referred to the fighting between the insurgent forces led by Castillo Armas and the Arbent regime as an "invasion" wall* it actually was civil war brought about by the armed return of Guatemalan exiles who had been forced by communist persecution to flee their homeland. Castilloolitical refugee returning to free his people from the communist yoke, is as little an

invader" sb wes Lenin who returned from exile in Switzerland to Russia to assume leadership af the Bolshevik revolution,

the communist character of the Arbenz regime bythe support given It by tba Soviet orbit and by pointing out thatsctloo* In every sphere enhanced the objectives of the Kremlin.

Backgriund Facts; Both Communiata and non-csmmunists who have charged the United Statea with "intervention' in Guatemala assert that neither Arbenz nor the membera of hie cabinet ware communists. Thiscsn be refuted by the following facts: Aebenx' most trusted political edviaor and Ideological mentor was Jose Manuol Fortuny, Secretary General of the Guatemalan Communist Party. All key government agencies, including tbe President's Executive Office, tho Police, the Security Service, the Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions abroad, the Department of Agriculture snd the Propaganda Secretariat wereby communists in key poata. The other three political partiestha Arbenz regime were combined with the CPRationalFront" dominated by the Communists. Labor unions, peasantand virtually all other mass organizations were under complete cemmuniat control. Government rsdlo, newspapers and other information media, at home and abroad, faithfully followed the Moscow party line even to using atandard communiat slogans and phraseology. Government funds financed many communist activities, paid for the communist press (through "institutional" sdvertlsing by government agencies) snd for

visits of communist leaders to Moscow, Prague and Peiplng. More recently the Kremlin connectiona of the Arbens regime had been demonstrated by these facte* It had been fortifiedlUion vorth of modern eras received from the Soviet orbit only two montbs ago, vaa aidedoviet veto in the United Nations Security Council, was supportedorld-wide communiet propoganda campaignncluding mobilization of allcommunist fronts from the HPTU down, and establishment of special organizations of "Friends of Guatemala" inew countriesand_epecial plea to the Soviet Unionune that it take further action in the Security Council,

3- Point out that the atrocities and illegalities perpetrated by tho Arbenz regime followed the pattern established by the Soviet Union in the USSR and elsewhere for subjugating people to communlat domination.

Background Facts; Arbenz vas elected president only after hie stronger rival, Col. Arana, had been assassinated by Major Alfonao. Arbenz subsequently appointed the assassin, Martinez, to be Chief of tha Department of Agriculture, The entire aystem waa based on police terror and complete disregard forguarantees. For moreolitical prisoners were held without trial,umber of these prisoners ware mistreated and some of them were murdered immediately before Arbenz resigned, policeof anti-regime suspects was regularly accompanied by intricate torturea, Murdere for political reasons wore commited by the police. ew days before hla resignation, Arbenz ordered that ten anti-communiatB be shot for every bomb dropped on Guatemala City, Isauance of weapons to bands of communist-lad peasants also caused numerous caeee ofeoeossinotion,

li, Communiat charges. hostility toward the Arbenz regime stemmed from the fact that the latter, in the course of its agrarianhad expropriated vast territories belonging to the United Fruit Company can be aubBtantiolly deflated by bringing out the factew days ago the united States Justice Department Initiated an anti-trust euit against the United Fruit company. In this connection recall also that tha united States hasumber of countries with their agrarian reform efforts within the franc work of the Marshall Plan, Point FourJw, etc,

5. Expose the agrarian reform carried out under Arbenz es nothing moreommunist political instrument designed to lure the people into Accepting communist control and to deatroy the power of theclass.

Background Facta; Pennants who wanted to benefit from the reform program first had to Join communiot-controlled organizations, notably the Peasants Federation (CNCG). Recipients of lands received neither the training nor the equipment to develop into independent farmers.

6. Highlight the fact that Quote main, like all communist countries

bent every effort toward subverting the stability of neighboring countries and toward fostering the international communist movement beyond its borders.

Background Focts: The Ouateaalan economist Party used itsof tho Arbenz Government for extensive external activities. propegondo media, especially radio, spread oommunlet versions of local end international affolrs throughout Central America. Guatemalan diplomatic miiaicns smuggled communist propaganda material into countries where the CP ia outlawed, financed local communist activities, and assisted the escapes of communiat fugitives from justice. The protrocted strikes In BonduroB, tbe distributionlandestine newspaper of the outlawed Bonduran CP, participationlot to assassinate President Somozo of Hlcarogua are butfew recent examples. Several Guatemalan diplomats in different countries had been declared persons non grata because of such activities. On the other hand, Guatemala hadofe haven for communist fugitives from all over Latin America who organized political plots with the active support of tbe Arbenz regime. Some of these fugitives hod been organized Into the paramilitary "Caribbean Legion."

Original document.

---

---