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

GT–31. Letter from President Eisenhower to President Ydígoras¹

Washington, September 12, 1960

Great and Good Friend:

I wish again to express my appreciation for your friendly letter of August twenty-third delivered personally into my hands by your Ambassador, Carlos Alejos.² I am indeed pleased to renew the personal exchange of views I first enjoyed with you during your visit to Washington in February, 1958. Your frank and comprehensive comments on the present situation in Guatemala have been studied with interest and sympathy by officials of this government.

Your letter further confirms my conviction that the countries in this Hemisphere face, individually and collectively, a very definite threat to our democratic way of life and to our American system that requires our constant vigilance and resolute action. From the very inception of our independence we in the Americas have recognized that we share a common destiny and that a threat from without to any one of us is a threat to all of us. This firm belief and our determination to uphold it was overwhelmingly confirmed at San Jose just a few days ago. Your timely efforts in alerting others to the most recent threat to the American system merit special commendation.³

I have noted with particular satisfaction your account of your efforts to provide the benefits of economic and social justice to the Guatemalan people without sacrificing democratic freedoms and practices. This is particularly important since it describes exactly that which distinguishes our system from the doctrine some now are seeking to impose in this Hemisphere. This insidious doctrine proposes that our peoples must relinquish their personal freedom and their individuality in order to achieve the material progress we seek. In response to this challenge, our representatives at the meeting of the Committee of Twenty-One in Bogotá have proposed that the forces of domestic action and of international cooperation working hand in hand can achieve the economic and social advancement of our people without sacrificing the fundamental human rights and freedoms which we have achieved and preserved at great costs.⁴ As an immediate demonstration and as tangible evidence of our sincere devotion to this objective I recommended, and the Congress of the United States approved, the authorization of $500 million for this purpose.⁵

It would indeed be a tragedy for us all and a great triumph for Communism if your country having once freed itself of the Communist yoke should again find that yoke reimposed. You may be sure that the needs of Guatemala, both for the immediate and for the long term, will be given prompt and sympathetic attention by my Government, which has responded willingly in the past to Guatemalan needs. As you know, just a few days ago approval was given of a total of $9.6 million in loans and credits by the Export Import Bank and by the Development Loan Fund.⁶ Active consideration is being given to other loan requests already filed with our lending institutions.

Regarding your current situation, I suggest that through your Ambassador here in Washington you provide the specific details of the needs for special assistance referred to in your letter to me. Ambassador Alejos has shown himself to be a most energetic and conscientious representative of your government and he is already well acquainted with those officials charged with the responsibility of handling such requests and the procedures involved.

Again, I would like to assure you of my sympathy and of my deep concern over the enormous difficulties you are facing so resolutely. I extend to you my cordial best wishes for your personal health and happiness, together with my wish for the continued prosperity and peace with justice of the Guatemalan people.

With assurances of my highest esteem.

Sincerely,

Dwight D. Eisenhower

1. Source: Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File. Delivered September 21, 1960.
2. Not printed; Ydígoras asked for a grant of $20 million in special assistance and left the details to be worked out by his Ambassador in Washington with a special mission from Guatemala, if necessary. (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, International File.)
3. In a conversation with Secretary Herter at San José on August 22 regarding the Seventh Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Guatemalan Foreign Minister Unda Murillo outlined Guatemalan difficulties with Cuba which Guatemala had brought to the attention of the Inter-American Peace Committee. (Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation, Lot 64 D 199).
4. For documentation on the Committee of 21 meeting at Bogotá, Colombia, September 5–13, 1960, see Documents ETA–32–34, 38, 42–44, 49, 55; GT–31; HA–29; NI-1.
5. Reference is to P.L. 86–735, approved September 8, 1960; for text, see 86 State 74.
6. In a memorandum of October 28 to Under Secretary Dillon, Milton Barall, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, stated the following: “The Eximbank, in August 1960, authorized for the El Molino-Rio Paz Highway $2.6 million to cover the foreign currency costs and the DLF $2.1 million to cover the estimated local currency costs. The Eximbank portion of the funds was provided from an allocation of a $7.5 million line of credit for transportation and communications project in the Government of Guatemala’s four-year investment program.” (ARA/OAP Files, Lot 63 D 146, “Financial: Guatemala, 1960”).