central intelligence agency
VVaShi.nCICN. dc
9
The Honorable Thonas Fanner Chairman, Intelligence Oversight Soard The White.
Oear lir. Chairman:
PBSUCCESS was the project cryptonyo for the overthrew of the ceirounist-dorainated regine in Guatemala An Investigation was conducted by the Directorate of Operations Inforaaticn Kanagecent Stiff of an assassination plan which surfacedeview of the PBSUCCESS file. Kr. KujOVtch of yournformed orally of the Initial finding last suroier and that an Investigation was underway. While thisistant historical subject beyond the usual purview ofeported it because it concerned assassination planning but had not surfaced during the Senate Church Corn it tee investigations and thus could stimulate press interest in the future should it ever be core public knowledge. Onetilember, rny deputy informed Kr. Kujovich by telephone that the evidence indicated that the plan was not tarried out. The following paragraphs describe the issue and findings:
Whileysteaatic review for declassification of the records of project PBSUCCESS duringheReview Divisionirectorate of Administration,ile entitled "Disposaluatemala". emorandum in that file seemed to indicate that in2 consideration had been given to killing S8 Guatemalan cccxuinistsilittry action (presumably an overthrow of the Guatemalan Government) to be carried outuatemalan "exile group. The memorandum also called for the exile or ioprisonment ofther Guatemalanecond meooranduai in the file, datedepresenting an updating of older lists, nameduatemalan communists to be disposed of. The discovery of the file was reported by CRD to Chief. Information Management Staff, and In turn by him ton The Inspector General andI were also informed, _
OfllGIHAtCLSY _
O CfClct, ISjjjT--EXTCY^OYHS-JY .
followingdiscovery, further review o' P'ojeci Pf-SUCCSSS records by CRD surfaced an additional folder entitled
J" and seven other documents which referred to theof or ellilnttlM'Gtntemalan conraunists. luo ofrecord conyery tions_wlU_DepirtBent of Statewhich the subject n'mMM. In one of0 Marchfor theeettng In
withllr.
of the Department of State to discus* tne resultsecentand projecth=
had changed his thinking since the conference on the possibleget rid of the ARBENZ government. AccordingMr.Q
repeated that in hit opinion "the elimination off those in Men positions of the government would bring about Its collapse. He then qualified this statement by saying that perhapsnaller number,ould be sufficient."
A second raecorandum for the recordiscussions held with
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Concerningery sensitive type of treet-en:."
wes raised directly for the first tizse by[ Jin his? 5
preparedconsidered this and ruled it out.
least for the limed Sate future, on the grounds that*
would probably prove to be counter-productive.
decision was not conclusive andQ Suggested that wep with more specific plans both concerning the individual targets, the timing and the statement of the purpose sought to be achieved with respect to each. This wouldairly solid showing of the advantage to be gained by this type of activity.
There is no indication in the records of project PBSUCCESS, as reviewed by CRO, that the subject of disposal was pursued further. It never received Agency or State Department approval evenontingency pier.. To the cenirxry, the project as fcmally approved
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As matters proceeded, not only was there no disposal of communist leaders during the operation, there was none after. The operation was successful in bringing about the defection of the Amy. President Arte who resignedavorunta, took refuge inxican Cobassy. Many other- government officials sought similar refuge. . Ambassador John E. Purerifoyeace between the Junta and Col.Xastill Armas, leader of the Guatemalan exile force. Castillo Armas was subsequently appointed provisional president and allowed all political refugees to leave the country. President Arbenz was granted political asylum In Mexico. One hundred and twenty Guatemalan ccraum'sts also departed. The above events are matters of public record. heck, the Information Kanagement Staff traced the names ofuatemalan copnunists included in the various disposal lists. In no case did it appear lhat any of them died as the result of the upheaval in Guatemala.
All portions of the above are classified SECRET, wish further information we can, of course, rafce the arranoeaents.
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Original document.
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