Office of the Historian

GT–32. Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Mann)1

Washington, November 3, 1960

SUBJECT

  • Visit of the Guatemalan Ambassador with the President

PARTICIPANTS

  • The President
  • The Excellence Carlos Alejos, Ambassador of Guatemala
  • Mr. Thomas C. Mann, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs

Ambassador Alejos opened the conversation by extending greetings from President Ydígoras to the President. The conversation turned to the question of Salvador and Ambassador Alejos stated that Guatemala had already recognized the new regime. There was some discussion about development in Salvador.

Ambassador Alejos then referred to the need of Guatemala for budgetary support and for loans for roads there, relating this to the problem of unemployment in Guatemala. The President stated that the difficulty with budgetary support was that it might create a continuing requirement and that he preferred to help with development loans. There was some discussion concerning the efforts which the Guatemalan government has made to balance its budget and the Ambassador stated this was a one-time problem. The President then inquired whether this matter was being given prompt attention and on Mr. Mann’s reply in the affirmative the President said that he was sure a prompt decision would be forthcoming.2

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 814.10/11–360. Confidential.↩
  2. Telegram 419 to Guatemala City, December 19, 1960, informed the Embassy that the International Cooperation Administration had approved $10 million for budget support. (814.2612/12–260)↩