Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, The American Republics, Volume IV

714.00/9–854:Telegram

The Ambassador in Guatemala (Peurifoy) to the Department of State ¹

confidential
priority

Guatemala City, September 8, 1954—7 p.m.

256. In talk with Foreign Minister Salazar² today I inquired about Guatemalan Government’s policy on asylees explaining I had been confused by circumstance that President Castillo Armas in Salazar’s presence had agreed to Department’s proposal for making renewed effort to prevent dispersion of Communists and other undesirables throughout hemisphere and that I had subsequently learned through newspapers that safe conducts were being issued to all asylees.

Salazar, obviously embarrassed, said that until recently he had issued safe conducts only to persons of minor importance until about five days ago Mexican Ambassador had visited Castillo and asked that asylees be cleared out of Embassy before September 16, Mexico’s national holiday. Subsequently, Castillo had instructed that safe conducts be issued to all asylees without distinction. Salazar said he had reminded Castillo of his agreement with me but Castillo had replied that nothing had been done and plan must have failed.

I replied it was extremely embarrassing for me and my government to have policy changed in this manner without our being informed and that our Ambassador in Mexico³ had been conducting negotiations with Mexican authorities and planned to see President tomorrow. In conclusion I said with reference to Mexican Ambassador it was interesting to know whose advice Castillo accepted. Salazar repeatedly said he was sorry but feared nothing more could be done on this matter now.⁴

Peurifoy

1. Repeated for information to the Embassy at Mexico City.
2. Carlos Salazar Gática, Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Relations.
3. Francis White.
4. Circular telegram 135, dated Sept. 10, 1954, sent to the Embassies at Buenos Aires, Mexico City, San José, San Salvador, Santiago, and Quito, and repeated to the Embassies in the other American Republics, reads in part as follows: “[We] believe it is of the utmost importance that governments receiving asylees [from Guatemala] maintain both in their own interest and that of other American republics continuous and effective surveillance these persons while they remain in their jurisdiction, take measures assure prevention their engaging in subversive activities, and inform other American republics regarding destination should their efforts leave that country be successful. In our view appropriate destinations further travel for most of these individuals would be Guatemala in response extradition request that Government, or behind Iron Curtain.” (714.00/9–1054)