Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, American Republics: Central and South America, Volume VII

66. Memorandum of a Conversation, Guatemala City, December 28, 1957¹

Guatemala City, December 28, 1957

PARTICIPANTS

• President Flores Avendaño
• Ambassador Sparks
• Mr. Vebber

I called on President Flores after talking with the Foreign Minister² to inform him that I was going to Washington on December 29 in compliance with instructions from the Department.

The President immediately brought up the matter of returned exiles and said that any here illegally and covered by Transitory Article Six of the Constitution would again be expelled from the country. He reiterated his intention to follow an entirely legal line in dealing with the exile problem and said I could assure the Department that he would not allow any of those returning who might be dangerous and could not get Supreme Court approval to remain. He said one of the principal difficulties is the files of the Security Office. The files are completely inadequate for use in opposing appeals by the exiles for Supreme Court injunctions (amparos) and that it often takes the Government considerable time to gather evidence for presentation to the Court. But, he repeated, he will not allow communists³ to remain in Guatemala.

The President mentioned the newspaper campaign in behalf of the returning exiles and said that the public is also on their side. The public is anti-Communist, he said, but sympathizes with the exiles when the Government tries to re-deport them. He is determined to follow the law in all cases and said that any attempt to violate the law and arbitrarily jail or expel the exiles would be disastrous and might result in his overthrow.

The President said that with the law on his side he is prepared to deport the exiles as he had done in the case of Gonzalez Juarez. He will follow the same course in the case of Guillermo Toriello. Toriello has gone into hiding. The President said it could be very difficult to find Toriello. He recalled that during the Arbenz regime, he himself was once sought by 100 police with a 6000-quetzal price on his head but although he spent several months hiding only two blocks from where his wife lived, he was not found.

The Ambassador asked the President his impression of the electoral campaign. The President replied that he believed the PR strength to be greatly exaggerated and that the race was between Ydígoras and Cruz Salazar. From his remarks, it seemed evident that he favors Ydígoras. The Ambassador asked if he thought any candidate would get a clear majority. The President hesitated a moment and then replied negatively but he quickly added that if any candidate did get a majority, it would probably be Ydígoras. He told the story of a woman who visited him from one of the outlying towns. She belonged to the Christian Democratic Party, which has proclaimed Cruz Salazar as its candidate in a unification move with MDN and other groups. She said, “Don’t worry, Mr. President, in my town we Christian Democrats and the Ydígoristas have an understanding,” and she interlocked her fingers to show what she meant. The President said the Christian Democrat leaders could come out for Cruz Salazar but that the rank and file of the party would still vote for Ydígoras.

The President said he had been following a moderate course to gain the confidence of the people and he felt he had succeeded. He said he was neutral in the elections and added that this was proved by the fact that he has been accused by MDN of favoring Ydígoras and by the latter’s followers of supporting Cruz Salazar. He said he would tighten up a bit in January but did not say where or how.

The President seemed confident that the post-election disturbances in October would not be repeated after January 19. He said he would not allow them and implied that he had the backing of the armed forces. He was critical of the way in which the Gonzalez Lopez government had allowed the street demonstrations last October and said that tear gas and smoke bombs could have broken them up. He said people subjected to a constant stream of tear gas would think twice about demonstrating again. He stressed that the army would not shoot Guatemalans in the street and that he would not ask it to do so.

The President repeated that he would not stay in office a single day beyond his provisional term. He said he had been approached by several people with plans for his continuance. One suggestion was that Congress dissolve itself, allowing him to remain as President. He said that if Congress tried that he would lasso the members and bring them back because “a sentry can not leave his post.” He admitted he could not anticipate every contingency and remarked that there could be an earthquake on January 19 that would prevent voting. But he will leave office, he said, even if he has to call in “Monseñor” (the Archbishop) and hand over the Presidency to him.⁴

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.14/12–2857. Confidential. Drafted by Vebber, Counselor of the Embassy in Guatemala.
2. Adolfo Molina.
3. The word “undesirables” was deleted at this point in the source text and replaced by the handwritten notation “communists”.
4. The elections of January 19, 1958, resulted in a plurality for General Ydígoras. With no candidate receiving a simple majority, the Guatemalan Constitution required that the Congress choose between the leading candidates, Ydígoras and Cruz Salazar. On February 12, the Guatemalan Congress elected Ydígoras. He was sworn in as President on March 2, 1958.