810.154/8–144

The Ambassador in Guatemala (Long) to the Secretary of State

No. 1376

Sir: I have the honor to refer to my despatch no. 1374 of August 1, 1944, forwarding a copy and translation of Foreign Office note no. [Page 199] 9836 dated July 31, 1944.26 The note proposes that the entire Inter-American Highway in Guatemala be brought under Public no. 375, and the exchange of notes of May 19, 1943,27 which I trust will open the way for the Department to make any suggestions it thinks fitting.28

The interim Government has taken this step largely at the instance of its Director of Roads, General Miguel Ramón Ydigoras Fuentes, whose most urgent wish of the moment seems to be to finish the connection with Mexico through Cuilco, or some other point north thereof.

General Ydigoras is very anxious to get started and although I have explained to him the existing shortage of manpower in the United States, he argues that we can do several things:

[Here follow suggestions regarding aero-photography, movement of road construction equipment, and provision of master mechanics; and comment by the Ambassador on selection between two possible routes.]

Respectfully yours,

Boaz Long
  1. Neither printed.
  2. Inter-American Highway Agreement between the United States and Guatemala; 1or text, see Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 345, or 57 Stat. (pt. 2) 1111.
  3. On September 1, 1944, the Public Roads Administration concluded a Project Statement and Memorandum of Understanding with Guatemala which mentioned United States funds of $6,600,000 to be set aside by the PRA for work in Guatemala and indicated that Guatemala would pay from its funds one-third of the total cost of the project (in accordance with provisions of Public Law No. 375). For text of Project Statement, see U.S. Congress, Senate Hearings before a Special Committee Investigating the National Defense Program, 80th Cong., 1st sess., pursuant to S. Res. 55 … pt. 37, Inter-American Highway, p. 21781.