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  4. Document 450

123 Patterson, Richard C.

Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Security ( Nicholson )1 to the Director of the Office of Middle American Affairs ( Mann )

[Extract] confidential
[ Washington ,] April 5, 1950.

Subject: Request for Replacement of United States Ambassador to Guatemala

A confidential source … has advised that Sr. Ismael Gonzales-Arevalo, Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs, recently arrived in Washington. He reportedly came to request a replacement for United States Ambassador to Gautemala, Richard C. Patterson. It has been further rumored that if Ambassador Patterson is not removed the Socialistic Regime in Guatemala will declare him persona non grata, alleging that he has been interfering in local affairs in Guatemala.

Sr. Gonzales, formerly Guatemalan Ambassador to the United States, reportedly does not wish to see Ambassador Patterson declared persona non grata as that would be the first time such an incident has happened involving one of the Latin American countries. He further feels it would interfere with Latin American relations generally.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  1. This memorandum was also marked for the attention of W. Tapley Bennett, Jr., Officer in Charge of Central America and Panama Affairs.↩