47. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, June 29, 19561
SUBJECT
- Guatemala: Current Political Situation
PARTICIPANTS
- Col. Jose Luis Cruz Salazar—Ambassador of Guatemala
- ARA—Assistant Secretary Holland
- MID—Bayard King—Guatemalan Desk
The Ambassador said he felt it his duty to tell Mr. Holland of the recent events in Guatemala. He stated that the government had heard of communist-inspired plans to stage an anti-government demonstration of students on June 25th and had taken the step of declaring a state of emergency, as provided by law, and had forbidden the demonstration. The Ambassador’s account of the events were much the same as we have received from the Embassy in Guatemala, except that he stated the police were fired on first and that deaths were two on the side of the demonstrators and one among the police. He said that the Army completely supported President Castillo, and that calm has now returned, though a “State of Siege” is still in effect. He lamented the fact that deaths were caused by communist plotting. He said that of those exiled only one, Balcarcel, was a student.
Mr. Holland expressed the belief that the communists had incited the Guatemalan demonstrators as part of a pattern to cause similar unrest all over the hemisphere. He said it was probable that the events in Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and elsewhere, timed as they were just before the meeting of Pan-American Presidents,2 were part of a general communist conspiracy to sabotage this meeting.
[Page 126]He said it was an old communist trick to stir up trouble in which innocent people were killed and then claim the dead as communist martyrs, while the actual instigators of disorder were always careful to stay out of danger. He said the fact some lost their lives remained in Guatemala and suggested that President Castillo take prompt steps to nullify anticipated communist propaganda claiming martyrs of their own. He suggested the government might wish to make its position clear to the people—that it is a constitutional government whose duty it is to uphold law and order and that in this case because of Moscow-directed agitators some innocent people were killed. He suggested the citizenry be told they could make their views known to the authorities at any time, but in a lawful manner and not in illegal mass demonstrations. He said that the government should try to convince the people that those killed were not communist martyrs but actually martyrs of the people who had been duped by communism. Mr. Holland also suggested that in dealing with demonstrators tear gas was effective and infinitely preferable to bullets.
Mr. Holland said that without wishing to intervene in the internal matters of Guatemala he felt he could speak frankly to friends. The Ambassador agreed. Mr. Holland suggested that President Castillo should immediately make a public speech along the lines suggested above, possibly at the time of the 2nd Anniversary of the Liberation early next week. Mr. Holland emphasized that the President should not delay making this speech, as the longer the delay the less effect it would have and would give the communists more time to start disseminating their own propaganda against the government. He suggested the speech should be a sober, serious one, possibly including a minute or two of silence in memory of those who lost their lives, and he felt that such a declaration by the President would make a lasting impression on the people of Guatemala and convince them that those who died did so not because of government tyranny but because of cynical communist political maneuverings. The Ambassador said he was very grateful to Mr. Holland for his suggestions and that he would immediately write to inform President Castillo of them.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 714.00/6–2956. Confidential. Drafted by King and approved by Holland.↩
- See vol. vi, Documents 112 ff.↩