Guatemala
349. Telegram 634 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Ambassador Davis reported his encounters with President Arana and Foreign Minister Herrera at a diplomatic dinner the day after he had conveyed the Department of State’s concerns regarding Guatemala’s counterinsurgency activities. President Arana appealed for help, while Herrera responded by alluding somewhat unflatteringly to the Department.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Exdis. A stamped notation on the telegram indicates it was received in the White House Situation Room on February 17 at 8:21 a.m. In telegram 809 from Guatemala City, February 26, Davis reported the arrival of two U.S. journalists on the wake of his meetings with Arana and Herrera and suggested: “GOG may get idea—which they will of course deeply resent—that we issued private warning, they responded, and we disregarded response and socked them.” (Ibid.) In telegram 35575 to Guatemala City, March 3, the Department noted its main motive was to try to help anticipate such critical press interest and avoid damage to Guatemala’s image and prestige. (Ibid.)
350. Telegram 1083 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Ambassador Davis reported that Minister of Government Jorge Arenales complained that because the Embassy had expressed concerns over Guatemalan counter-terror activities, President Arana would not allow action against several prominent political opponents.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Exdis. A handwritten note at the top of the page reads, “HAK’d WH.”
351. Telegram 60510 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Guatemala
In a meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Meyer, Guatemalan Ambassador Asensio expressed “his chagrin at unpleasant image of Guatemala being cast these days by American press and, indeed, by U.S. officials.”
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL GUAT. Limited Official Use. Drafted on April 9 by Bell; cleared by Breen, Wiggins, and Hurwitch; approved by Meyer. In Airgram A–73 from Guatemala City, April 23, the Embassy reported that President Arana faced a dilemma regarding a November 1970 state of siege: “To end the State of Siege without being able to announce a decisive victory against the insurgent Left is politically difficult; to continue under Siege powers for an indefinite period is equally perilous.” (Ibid., POL 15–1 GUAT)
352. Telegram 2439 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Ambassador Davis provided the Department of State with information on exchanges between himself and President Arana regarding Guatemalan political violence.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15–1 GUAT. Secret; Exdis. The report of the broader conversation is in telegram 2438 from Guatemala City, June 8. (Ibid.)
353. Telegram 2564 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Ambassador Davis, Director Breen, and Foreign Minister Herrera discussed political violence and the Guatemalan Government’s concerns over rumors that Senator Frank Church planned to hold hearings on Guatemala. Herrera told the Ambassador and Breen that “he did not expect this violence to subside quickly.”
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Exdis. A stamped notation on the telegram indicates that it was received in the White House Situation Room at 8:07 a.m. on June 15.
354. Memorandum From the Acting Inspector General of Foreign Assistance of the Department of State (Faunce) to Secretary of Defense Laird
Faunce summarized a report on the U.S. Military Group in Guatemala, noting a disturbing failure to fill one important post for over seven months.
Source: Washington National Records Center, OASD/ISA Files: FRC 330–74A–0083, 19, Guatemala 1971 000.1. Confidential. In the attached July 29 memorandum to Acting Inspector General Faunce, inspectors William T. Briggs, Edward W. Markey, and Bruce Clark noted that the position of Chief of USMILGP/Guatemala had been vacant since December 18, 1970, because “the problem of terrorism in Guatemala City may have influenced the officers’ decision not to accept the assignment out of concern for the safety of their families.” The attached memorandum is not published.
355. Memorandum For the Record
During a weekly meeting with the Department of State, the Central Intelligence Agency reported that President Arana had directly participated in drawing up death lists.
Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Latin America General, 1971–72. Secret; Sensitive.
356. Paper Prepared in the Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency reported that the Guatemalan Government was increasingly utilizing “extra-legal” tactics in prosecuting its counterinsurgency operations against the FAR and PGT. According to the CIA, the Guatemalan Government regarded political considerations of more consequence than the insurgency problem and had targeted both insurgents and President Arana’s political opponents.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. The paper was attached to a August 18, 1971, covering memorandum from CIA to Packard, Meyer, and Nachmanoff. The memorandum is not published.
357. Memorandum From Arnold Nachmanoff of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Nachmanoff suggested a reconsideration of U.S. support for the Arana government and recommended that the issue be taken up in the 40 Committee.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only; Outside the System. Sent for action. Tab A is published as Document 356. On an attached August 19 note from Kennedy, Kissinger approved discussion of the issue at a 40 Committee meeting.
358. Memorandum for the Record
The issue of the extra-legal activities of the Guatemalan Government Security Service was raised in a 40 Committee meeting, but the Chairman and some of the other principals felt that this subject did not come under covert action and should be discussed between the Departments of State and Defense in another forum.
Source: National Security Council Files, NSC Intelligence Files, Minutes of 40 Committee, 1971, Box 7. Secret; Eyes Only. The memorandum was drafted on September 24 by Jessup. Copies were sent to Mitchell, Packard, Johnson, Moorer, and Helms.
359. Memorandum of Conversation
Breen met with Pat Holt of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Staff and the Church Subcommittee to discuss U.S. military and security assistance to Guatemala. Holt argued that the United States should reduce its security assistance profile in order to disassociate itself from Guatemala’s ongoing political violence.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 23–8 GUAT. Confidential. Drafted by Breen. Copies sent to Meyer, Hurwitch, Kleine, Samuels, Engle, Amembassy Guatemala, USAID Guatemala, Wiggins, Lockard, and Lewis. In telegram 297 from Guatemala City, January 19, 1972, the Embassy took exception with many of Holt’s statements. (Ibid., POL GUAT–US)
360. Telegram 4697 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Ambassador Bowdler reported on extended conversations with Foreign Minister Herrera and Minister of Government Arenales on political violence and Guatemala’s image in the United States.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 23–8 GUAT. Secret; Exdis. In telegram 5049 from Guatemala City, November 23, the Embassy reported that Arana had lifted the state of siege. (Ibid., POL 15–1 GUAT) In telegram 5197 from Guatemala City, December 1, the Embassy related that Arana was “generally satisfied he has broken back of guerrilla movement in Guatemala City.” (Ibid., POL 14 GUAT)
361. Telegram 380 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
In a conversation with Ambassador Bowdler, President Arana affirmed that he planned to “continue pressure against extremists of the left and right.”
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15–1 GUAT. Confidential; Limdis. In Airgram A–21 from Guatemala City, February 11, the Embassy reported that Army counter-guerrilla actions were unsuccessful in the face of FAR attacks on government personnel. (Ibid., POL 23 GUAT)
362. Telegram 1136 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Ambassador Bowdler reported that the Government of Guatemala was planning to pressure the British to withdraw reinforcements from Belize and warned that the dispute might draw the U.S. into the middle of a “Hemisphere-UK confrontation in OAS.”
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Exdis; Immediate. A stamped notation on the telegram indicates that it was received at the White House Situation Room at 4:30 p.m. on March 9. In telegram 1200 from Guatemala City, March 13, Bowdler reported that he told Herrera, that the “U.S.G. has projected itself into this dispute as far as it has because we value friendship with both countries and wish to see them settle differences in amicable way.” Bowdler also hoped that Guatemala would resume discussions with Britain on the Belize issue and refrain from taking the case to the OAS. (Ibid.)
363. Telegram 3250 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
The Embassy provided a mid-year assessment of the situation in Guatemala, noting that the Government would likely not re-impose a state of siege and that political violence levels were considerably reduced when compared with 1971.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 15 GUAT. Secret. Repeated to Managua, Panama City, San José, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa, and CINCSO for POLAD.
364. Memorandum From William J. Jorden of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)
Jorden informed Kissinger that the Guatemalan Government had captured and executed the top leadership of the country’s Communist Party.
Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 785, Country Files, Latin America, Guatemala, Vol. I. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Sent for information. The memorandum was sent through Haig. Kissinger initialed the memorandum. Attached but not published is a September 27 CIA Intelligence Information Cable, TDCS DB–315/08103–72. In telegram 4337 from Guatemala City, September 29, the Embassy reported that the PGT’s top leadership had disappeared, concluding that the danger of retaliatory action by the extreme left increased so it was tightening security precautions. (Ibid., RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 12 GUAT)