Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume V, Microfiche Supplement, American Republics

GT–13. Telegram from the Secretary of State to the Embassy in Guatemala¹

Washington, January 19, 1959, 9:39 p.m.

263. Following is text informal translation of telegram received by President Eisenhower from President Ydígoras:

Guatemala, December 31, 1958.

The President

The White House

Washington

I am pleased to extend to Your Excellency cordial New Year greetings and best wishes for your own and your wife’s and family’s health, desiring at the same time-happiness and well-being for the great people of the United States and expressing my fervent wish that 1959 will be filled with success in Your Excellency’s noble undertaking to achieve peace and tranquility among all the countries of the world.

I take advantage of the occasion to call dramatically to your attention the situation confronting my country at year’s end. A year ago we sold 100 pounds of coffee abroad for 60 U.S dollars, which meant an income of approximately 78 million essential dollars for our economy; also each quintal of coffee exported produced 14 quetzales in export tax. With the drop in the price of coffee, dollar income is reduced by 26 millions and the State receives only $6 (in tax) per quintal.

This urgent situation obliges me to address myself to Your Excellency to request you expeditiously to arrange the granting of the credit requests that we delivered to your distinguished brother, Dr. Milton Eisenhower. The common enemy, communism, will not invade us from outside but flourishes among our hungry people. Khrushchev is waiting at the door.

I present Your Excellency, with sentiments of high consideration, the assurances of my loyal friendship.

Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes, President of the Republic of Guatemala

Ambassador requested deliver following reply to President Ydígoras from President Eisenhower:²

January 19, 1959.

His Excellency

General Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes

President of the Republic of Guatemala

Guatemala City

I appreciate your kind New Year’s greeting. It revived the pleasant recollections I have of your visit to Washington last February, and of the talks we had at that time.

You may be sure that the United States Government continues to devote careful and sympathetic attention to the questions which affect our two countries and to the problems which confront Guatemala. The requests which your Government has made are being studied here, and I hope it will be possible soon to inform your Government how, within the limits of our own capabilities and resources, we in the United States can be helpful.

With warm regard,

Sincerely,

Dwight D. Eisenhower

White House desires text this message not become public.³

Dulles

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 711.11-E1/1–1959. Official Use Only; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Bayard King and signed by John A. Calhoun.
2. In a memorandum to Goodpaster, January 9, John A. Calhoun of the Executive Secretariat recommended that the White House authorize the Department to have Ambassador Mallory acknowledge President Ydígoras’ telegram, but in a note to Dulles, January 13, President Eisenhower stated he wanted to send a personal message. (Eisenhower Library, Whiteman File, Dulles-Herter Series).
3. No publicity was given to this exchange of messages because no decision had yet been reached on the Guatemalan loan applications. (Memorandum from Dulles to Eisenhower, January 14, 1959; Rubottom Files, Lot 61 D 279, “Guatemala, 1959”)