GENERAL-KUGOWN - PBSUCCESS - SPECIFIC-CHARACTER ASSASSINATION OF ROGELIO CRUZ W

Created: 3/24/1954

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Tho moat startling development on tho Guatemalan political front haa Just boon reporUd by an unlspeachable source. According to thia soiree, Jaime DIAZ Rotzotto, Secretary General of the Presidency and Secretary General ofW, ie currently engagingeries of secret conferences with Rogelio CRUZ Wer, Chief of the Guardia Civil. DIAZ Rosaotto, after sounding out CRUZ Wer, drew from theirect proposaloint coup d'etat against the ARBENZ regime. According to the Jolntpplana developed by them, DIAZ Roisotto is to become the political ohlef and CRUZ fear the military chief ot the rebellion. Por this purpose, DIAZ Roisotto Is secretly to mobilize the supportumber of influential membere of the Guatemalan Congress, whereas CRUZ Wer will provide the military strength through hia Influence In the Guardia Civil and through Conminist-trained partisan forces.

Each party to the conspiracy pledged tha other to alienee. But the Information on their plans, according to our source, leaked out through the first supporters that they attempted to gain. It ia known that, aa of the date of this publication, President ARPltfZ la not informed of these plana.

This Is the first concrete evidence of the Communlat plans fcr an outright coup in Guatemele. Rumorseliberate Coamunist coup have frequently been circulated but have never so clearly come to light aa they have through the DIAZ Rozsotto-CRUZ Wer talks. DIAZ Rotsotto Is

been influential in amaking ths PRN completely amenable to Communist dictates. CRUZ War, whose POT membership card ls reproduced below, isonfirmed Conmnist and principal organiser of the underground Communist armed forces which are to be directed against the official Guatemalan army. Our source indicates that Jose Manuel FORTUKT and Victor Manuel GUTIERREZ, the leading avowed Communist figures ln Ouatemala, have apparently preferred to let the nominaland military leadership go to DIAZ Rottotto and CRUZ War rather than assuming lt themselves. However, according to our information these Coismanist coup plans, scheduled for fulfillment before the end of this year, may still undergo drastic revision.

While DIAZ Roiaottonown figure on the Guatemalan Communist scene, the rise of power of CRUZ Wer in the PGT has been better concealed and is still largely shrouded in mystery. Sources familiar vith his career believe that the roots of his Communistmay have been foundarped and unhappy childhood. However, he was an Intelligent student at school and his superiors in the Eeetula Politeenica readily recognised this. CRUZ Wer rose steadily through the ranks of the Guatemalan Arnyj occupying at various times the posts of Director of the Military Hospital, Chief of Section In the General Staff of the Army and Chief of the Military Zone of Zacapa. In addition to his military duties, CRUZ Wer profltted financially by selling

protection to gambling housea and by trafficking in marijuana.

It ia reported that it waa CRUZ War's desire for power that eventually made him acceptable tc the Ccenainiata. Shortly after his enrollment in the "OT, he received his promotion to be Chief of th* Guardia Civil. Hi* administration of that office has been marked by rapid Intensification of police brutality and by increasing application of Soviet-pioneered torture methods.

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Original document.

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