740.14112A/12–1544
The Ambassador in Guatemala (Long) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 19.]
Sir: With reference to the Department’s Telegram No. 712 of December 12 [7], 1944, 6 [1] p.m.,76 I have the honor to report that a member of my staff has been informed jointly by Mr. Gabriel Orellana H., the Minister of Finance and Public Credit, and Mr. Pedro G. Cofino, the Minister of Economy and Agriculture, to the effect that at a recent meeting of the Cabinet and the Revolutionary Council of Government it was decided that the matter of further consultation as between officials of this Embassy and the Guatemalan Government, leading toward the deletions from the Proclaimed List as proposed in this Embassy’s Despatch No. 1727 of November 14, 1944, would at this time tend to delay unnecessarily the implementation of the expropriation measures, and since it is desired by both Governments that the process of registering the Proclaimed List properties in the name of the Nation, as provided for in the expropriation decrees, proceed as rapidly as possible that, as far as the Guatemalan authorities are concerned, no consideration need be accorded to the matter of deletion of any cases at this time.
Inasmuch as our preoccupation, as indicated in earlier despatches, with certain proposed deletions was predicated on the belief at that time that such deletions would facilitate the operations contributing toward the alienation of the spearhead Axis firms, the policy of the present Government to expropriate in toto, in conformity with the applicable legislation causes that desideratum to disappear.
The policy adopted by the present Guatemalan authorities was, it will be observed, not determined upon until the incumbents in office were assured that they would have sufficient time to carry out this aspect of the program as now seems possible in conformity with Decree No. 17 of the Revolutionary Council of Government by which is maintained the Administrative status quo until March 15, 1945.… The present Cabinet … in conformity with its aim to carry out its international commitments to alienate Axis properties, has determined upon the program of expediting the registration in the name of the Nation of all properties appearing on the expropriation measures and expects to accomplish this work by the middle of next January (1945) at the latest.
The approach which the Guatemalan authorities have made to this problem as outlined above, has been discussed thoroughly with [Page 1168] the British Legation and they are in accord with us on the principle that until such time as further developments may warrant a shift in attitude that the best procedure under the circumstances is to hold in abeyance the matter of possible deletions from the Proclaimed and Statutory Lists as previously recommended to the Department.
I may add that it has been learned on reliable authority that the “Procurador General”77 of the Nation has already prepared upwards of fifty “expedientes” of expropriated fincas and that others are rapidly being drawn up, so that it looks as though this phase of the program is actually underway.
Respectfully yours,