country subject
place acquired (ev souffCE)
acquireo SOURCE)
REPORT
Guatemala
"Guatemala Hews Notes'*
CIA HISTORICAL REVIEWIN FULL
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no. of pages 5
no- of encls.
5UPP. to report no.
source OfficialS company vith extensive interests In Latin America
This official compiles at frequentetter addressedhief executive of his company. These letters contain brief nevs-items compiled from the press of the country upon vhich he is reporting -
peace has fallen on Escuintla, vhere for the past fourince7 *nere had been unauthorized seizures of lands exempted from the agrarian law. The tension remains,he decision of Major Alfonsq^tartinez, head of the Rational Agrarian Department, to remain in Escu-intlaeek while investigating these excesses upon orders of President Arbenz contributed materially to bringing quiex. The newspaperEspectador claims that Mart^Jlez, investigation eo fsryenows that these excesses have been carried out by peasants spurred by the ejtfiortations of the Communist leaders. For example, the Cotnaunist newspaper Tptbunaeadlines its principal page one dispatch as follows^"National Agrarian DepartmentExpropriations before the Growing Demand for Land.' The dispatch explains:the growing demand of the/farm workers for immediate delivery of land before the sowing season, especially in the San Marcos zone, the Ceneralof Labor has urged/the Rational Agrarian Department to take intoand do something abou* these lands.1 El Espectador says theso far hasailure because of the aggressive ettitude assumed by the Communists towards MartlVez.
ccer.
'Kartfnez came face to face vith the Communist deputy Carlos Manuel'^ell
who previously had been in Escuintla for one week. On the second day of* investigation, the DAH chief and Pellecerrivate conference after Martinez heard the complaints of farm owners whose lands had been tthat was said was not divulged but apparently both men met on friendly terms. The DAM chief and his assistants, after Escuintla, were scheduled to go to San Marcos, Quazaltenrfngo^etalhuleu.SuchiteEequez, as veil as Alto and Baja Verapaz. hartine* vas quoted by Espectador as having said that he was not disposed to permit abuses under the agrarian law. He said in some cases the mandate of tac law has not been respected. Martinez said that in the partitioning of jam lands that priority would be given to thehen the 'raqZos colonos' and finally to peasants without land. He said in this way all'the problems of Escuintla vouldved.
Tho Comnunlst tactics have been to threaten the 'colonos' to Join the local agrarian covecents. Their lands would be^glven to people from other districts. Martinez asked for the cooperation of>all classes and said that those whothe lav would nave to return whatever vas seized because the DAN would not permit any violations.
"The Comnunlst activity in Escuintla has been led by Pellecer ond Gabrie^iCamey. Local agrarian cocnittee heads vho accompanied Pellecer to tho meeting vilh the fare owners and Martinez, explained the invasions so far had been carried out under the terns of, providing for tho forced renting of lands. According to El Espectador all the authorities of Escuintla department vho have anything to do with the distribution of lends are CoomuniitB or fellow-travelers from the Governor, Colonel Corleto, down, and nothing has been done to control the excesses. There were reports that Arbenz' own finca 'Le Cajcn' had been violated by the 'agrarian ristas.' Some speculation has arisen that Arbenz night welcome the expropriation of his farm. Eopectador added that tho situation ln Escuintla department is grave because the distribution of land there so far zskes it apparent that the department is being converted into aa experimental socialist Soviet since the majority of those benefited ere affiliated with the Communist Party and others vho do not hide theirsympathies. Espcctador cited the case of the fincaowned by the Melville brothers and said from that farm eight cabali*rinRotal ofreviously had been expropriated under the agrarian lav and that President Arbenz in ordering this expropriation had declared the remainder of the property exempt. Howover, agrarian invaders seized four moretwo of them planted with cane sugar and two with forests plantedears ago. The forests were being destroyed by the invaders vho converted the trees to charcoal to sell as fuel. The two caballerias planted to cane previously had been sown to citronella but unknown persons had set fire and destroyed this crop and the lands then were claimed by peasants as uncultivated lands subject to the agrarian lav. The farm owners, howover, replanted tho lands to sugar cane which in turn vas seized and worked by the invaders.
"The Senate speech by Senator Wiley reiteratafg his charge that Guatemalaommunist beachhead caused much more of^fotir in Guatemala than it did ln the US. The Communist-dominated National Peasants Federation and the General Labor Confederation, as veil asye^reader of the Partido de la Revolucion Guatasalteca, Deputy Francisco^Ctofr.dez Foncea, all denounced the speech.
"Similarly, these sane quarters protested the supposed declaration of USJohn Peurifoy In TIKE for. We newspaperanave prominence to these declarations which/Said, "Public Opinion ln the US night force us to take cob*o prevent Guatemala fro* falling into the lap of international Communism. Veycannotoviet republic to be established between Texas and the Panama Canal.' TIME added that although Peurifoy declined to say what possible measures he had recommended to'itact that Guatemala rarely has more or hand than eight days' supply of gasoline.' pokesman-for the US Ambassador said the statement vas not authorized andad'interpretation of the Ambassador's opinions.
6,
"The two federations cabled Wiley in Washington protesting his declarations, aiding, 'The vorIters and theuatemala are disposed to defend the conquests and the democraticSt presides over the destinies of our country.' Fernandez Foncea said ho/would take before the Guatemalan Congress the declarations made by Wiley as/veil as those made by Peurifoy.
7. 'The official novspaper Dlarlo de CentroXaerlca, commenting on theseis not inviofibie. Guatemala has force in' energy
nough to face the imperialistic calun-iiea.'
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"In Washington tho past week to pack up his belongings before returning to Qua-ten-Ala to become Foreign Minister, AmbnssadorxTcrlelloressafter bidding President Sisenhover fanefcl at tho White House. At the press conference he said: is not trpef that weommunist country. We have been exercizing eminent domain/and taking property according to our agrarian law.' TorieUo also bade fa/evell to the State Department and during
r.Lr.-Jte conference nder Secretary Walter BedSU Bsdtfc Afterwards TorieUo said thatclear improvement' in thewith Guatemala and the Us/ He denied at that time bo had discussed the Wiley speech vlth Smith.
"The National Coffee Office announcedoffee crop.
dounroncrop was valued at
7. Significantly enough the fcm
laactoanxpressed tec belief that
creased production is due to abandonment of some coffee farms. Theures shoved the government has had no success so for in its efforts toawkata fjr Guatemalan coffee other than the US. Of the last crop the
10.
il;;j Spain,nduintales. It is noteworthy that Guatemala's production principally cam fromaras where the production was five thousand quintales;armsroductionCO quintales; and nine farms where the production is inof ten thousand quintales.
"The Ministry of Agriculture predicted thatrop would be as large
the nev crop cannot be less thanJ!" dl5closed ^ ear there hadarger production expected but^sSis did not cone about.
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"The Escuintla election result vas unsuccessfully appealed to thefftraud which von the post for the absentee Comaunxst candidate, GabrieTtfamey, who vas in Moscow during the election.esult of the appeal Carney has been unable to take his seat but the Communist leader Deputy Carlos Manual Pellecer has beer, attempting toif? off ice despite the fact the election has not been approved by thehave been protested lo the board Subseo.uently the board ruled in Coney's favor. Ee took office immediately
.rU,lRfc. "rSed 0r' Ccaaa^aV agitators crowds of people had gat-ered in La Union park demanding that Carney be seated,and reinforced police squads turned out to keep the crowds under control.
"{SrlS SU! resident AVbena 'chaotic/ ond points out, * jricttn Airways warehouse are packages of medicine'tt7 goverrxentuetzales, but still there after nany nonths because officials do not want to payfor the air freight
thcre ?leccaequipment
LS.
bv *he varlous government agencies but not removedreight rates and concluded, 'There is not doubt, Senorycur subalterns do not viah to vork. You vill not get'enyvhere vltT class of people, and ycur name will go down In historyfoverro-intentions but without practicalof
VaGuatemalte'ca is holding its first national eon-
eek Cnd some heated debate vas expected
^ 'ff the os the partyby side with the_ Commnalst^Guateiaala^Ubqr Party,
IL' eadlined the manifesto- 'PRC Identified
the Corcunist Party.' Thesays 'the Guatemala Revolution Party is not alone' in the 'constant fight^Tmaintain and strengthen the creation
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of the democratic forces. The GuateauOa"Laoor Party has coincided with the democratic and revolutionary life ofxiSur party and its leaders have been actively interested ln fortifying the unityof the democratic forcas to preserve the country from the threat of interventionists that currently facet it. Sheof thla interest was its-'estahlishmentunited front of the naseea1 whichew force desisted to solve the problems which face the leaden thea-eelves under the national democratic front.
statement charges an international conspiracy exists against Guatemala, attacks
the opposition press in Oaatemala aaccuses lta colleague in the national democratic front, the PAS, of having weakened the national front and calls on th* Renovacidn Sacloaal to strengthen its internal situation so aa not to further weaken the national front. Ittrong national front to solve the not too distant problem of presidential euoceasion, arguing that the candidate cannot be the representative of any/one party but of all th* parties ofition. Th* PRO called for fulfilment of tho program of th* Arbens government. The manifesto pointed out th* national congresees are shortly to be held for the General Confederation of laborers of Guatemala and the National Peasantsand calls on these organizations to collaborate to win the unity of th* democratic forces in Guatemala.
manifesto Eaid that th* agrarian reform couldnifying influence In
the Guatemala Revolution but that it hes been utilized to aatlsfy party or factional interests, end during the/first eight months3 the agrarian reform wo* seriously threatened Vpolitical favoritism.
political partisanship in Guatemala deportment has becoa* so flagrant that
the Governor of the provinceeeting of theayors to urge less politics and nore attention to odainistratlon. Meanwhile, th* temporaryor ofnuSOfoarlclo Pegannlni, called upon the authorities in his department for rapid but correct application of the agrarian law.
day after the return froa Moscow of th* Secretary General of the Communist
Party, Jose* Manuel For tuny, an organization known as the Union of Tree Workersa statement opposing the aanecvers of th* CoasuniaU ln th* Guatemalan Confederation of labor. Th* statatent Bald the Union Saeionol de Traiajadores is an organization active in public life. It said,will fight for the workers of Guatemala, knowing very well that they are victims, partlylowlow from the Communists who have come to create an end without its unnecessary probloms and who are guilty today.' The Union denied it had been taken under the CGIG's wing and said that it had been founded with^ out politlool maneuvers. At the sane time it condemned the Communist Deasures.
the Incatecu shoe factory the workers ousted their Cosasanlst anion leaders
who ware charged with seeking to turn the factoryomnunist cell and with obstructing the cordial worker-employer relationships.
th* second time inear the Guatemalan government had refused to
S motion picture dealing witb^omnunieo. The picture entitled SI Filo de la 7ida' was busponded on life day of its premiere but the Ministerublic Education, Ar<loouoo^iiLUJ/aftor it hod bean revised again by th* censoro.omplete prohibition of the picture. Th* first US notion pier-are dealing with the CoBOrunlByproblem which was prohibited waa'The Red In the meantime, the Soviet film, 'El Gran Concierto' ls beingIn Guatemala City and thieves described by 'El Espectador' onompelling and subtle piece of Soviet propaganda.
Although roports have been published in Guatemala City that Guatemala will be represented etch Conference of tfie Organisation of American States, Foreign Minister Raulo far Jfas refused to confirm or deny then and win say only, 'Guatemala belongs to/the OAS.1 Ee declined to say whether this meant Guatemala vould be present. >he newspaper 'Inparciel' published with greatersion earlae/that Guatemala will attend and that thewill be headed by Toriellrf, assisted by Manuerrggilch. Ex-Foreign Minister
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and Ex-Aabefisedor to Uruguay. Qollch lux born appointed Ambassador to Argentina. 0segued* la expected to go to Uruguay although there have been reports he vill retire to private life. nparclbl', who said .that Its Information cam* from an oxtro-officlal source, added that Ex-President Arevalo declined toomber of tha delegation for personal reason's but he hod counseled theof Guatemala tit the meo ting. Osegueda llmltod hli discussion, saying merely that the Guatemalan govern&ant irill consider the question of attendance during the month of January. There w6 some speculation that the finalwould be not to attend in vir^of the increased appearance of unfriendly co=aent in the official circles aVout the conference. The PEG, whoa* Secretary General la Minister of Qovernawft Angus totatement that Bald the conferenceonspiracy against Guatemala andechanlsa for plan* of interventionist*.
So for there has boon no eonflrmationyof Washington reports Guatemala is about to renew diplomatic relationszuelo. e ra elans have expressed their readiness to resume diploicaJJ'c relations.
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"There has been no official announcement of the pending cabinat changes which, besides Toriello, moves presidential seoretery Jain* Pfas Borrotto into the poet of Minister of Economy and Labor jfeplacing fioberto Fan.hil.
"Although Bml Sierra Franco has taken over ea Financeitch has developed in the ascension of his predecessor, Gergorio^jjreo Petet* to the presidency of the Instituto de Fooonto deroduce ion. This cnange was mad* Januaryeek later From Beteta still hod not boan sworn in. Instead of resigning oa proviouily reported, Prea Beteta told reporter* hi*as Finance Minister cameistinct surprise but that he was pleased with hie new job. Thero has boen no reoeon given for tho delay in histton of the nTFOP post except that he ba* been conferring with Sierra Franco about toe workings of th* Treasury. The former director of the IBIuF. AngelAguilar, was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture. So for tho only comment on thl* cabinet change has been in 'Iap&eto' vhlch soy* the appointment of Sierra Franco ie an 'indication of the beginning of an end of an era in which party leaders wore appointed to th* ministerial poet* for political reason* and that an era of better administration is now ponding.
Hob*rto Panjul continue* a* Minister of Economy despite the report he would be succeeded by Jaime Dias Eostotto. Fanjul returned Januaryeak'* visit to Los Angeles, on which he wo* accompanied by President Arbenz' private secretary,as/ie- Juarez. 'SI Sspectador1 deecribed as 'mysterious' the visit to Lo* Angeles,"
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Original document.
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