FROV
WHD
Chief of Station, Guatemala^. J
4
INFO: Lincoln
fcemorandura ofose Luis ARENAS
Knclosedatter of possible intorest in connection withemorandum of conversation which took place on3 between Jose Luis ARENAS, opposition Deputy, and an Embassy officer.
This and similar memoranda are being forwarded so that PBSUCCESS personnol may be aware of current attitudes and activities of personalities of possible interest.
oted
8u
GLT/cmh
tt
L. Trange^
CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM RELEASE AS SANITIZED
- SECURITY INFORMATION
OF COMVERSATIOH
American Embassy,
Ouatemala City, Guatemala3
Participants: Sr. Jose Luis ARENAS, Opposition Deputy In Congress Sr. Joaquin OCAr'A Hr. William L. KRIEQ
Sr. Arenas and Sr. Ocana called without appointment
discU33ed the segment of themuniet
which Sr. Arenas ls affiliated. Sr. Aronas did virtually
talking with Sr.ilent spectator.
Sr. Arenas beganistoric review of recentcommencing with the one which overthrew PresidentCabrera This movement, he said,opularhad used a8 ita vehicle the Partidoroupinentra] American union. The fall of Estradacame about when mass demonstrations against him took pollcoto repress tho demon-
inl lS to the more recent overthrow of General Jorge ObicoJt, Sr. Arenas said that Obico had not been unpopular and thatajority of the supported him. (Later in the converaatlon Sr. Arenas said that Ho% of tha people supported Obico.) His down?al} was brought about by the activities of professional men and student-in ouHtomala City and hadense been voluntary since the bulk of the Army still aup-orted him.
Sr. Arenas went on to say that the "minutes of Silence"0 had almost succeeded in overthrowing AREVALO. It had reached the roint that Arevalo had been forced to turn over control of the Government to Colonel Ctrlos PAZ Tejada, Chief of the Armed Forces: Faz Tejada had
Tjtte^noi"Sr' *'snuel Cobo3 fiatres, leader of tho Minutes of SIlanoB" offerin3 to accode to allemands. Coboa hatres accepted Pazffer ond disbanded his adherents, after which Paz Tejada octroyed hi* by returning the Government to Arevalo.
Sr. Arenas said that the Partido 'Jnificaclon Anticomunista (PUA)
iftZZt) ali ?wrtStha country,it is his plan to attempt the overtnrow of the Arbenz Administration by civic pressurehich overthrew hatreds Cabrera and Ubico.
r;e-hat the crowd would do if the Army fired on
JndIT le? tna5 they WOuld have meana of self-defense and later said tnat he planned to utilize the "volunteers" who were
organized In Ubico's day and drilledeek for an hour ln the plazas oT all thorural communitloa. These people, he said, all understood tho use of firearms.
Sr. Arenas then said that despite the PUA's officialand Its overwhelming popular support, it could not carry out Its plan for lack of funds, and he inquired without ambiguity whether the 2nibassy could not furnish money for his campaign. Ho saidould bring the entire Republic to Guatemala City." Mr. Krieg explained that the Embassy had no funds for such purposes and, in resoonse to an Inquiry, said lt could not makedown payment so that the campaign could get under day. Sr. Arenas then said that he planned to go to. in December, ostensibly to visit his wife and children who are there and that he would call at the Department of ^tate and on Vice President Nixon and Senator Mundt to ascertain whether funds could be made available.
He said he wouldomplete plan of his campaign along as evidence that it was well thought out and carefully organized.
ttr. (Crleg said that he was sure officers of the State Department would be interested in talking with Sr. Arenas and offered to inform the Department in advance of his departure, r. Krieg stressed however, that he could give no assurances that any assistance couldven and suggested the possibilityrivate organisation ln. might be found which would be interested in supporting the anti-Gommunist movement in Guatemala,
T - SECURITY INr'OR.utTIOW
"LKneg/hhm
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: