337. Memorandum for the Record1 2
SUBJECT:
- Regular Weekly Meeting with Department of State, 8 May 1970
PRESENT:
- Mr. John H. Crimmins
- Mr. Robert A. Hurwitch
- Mr. James R. Gardner
- Mr. William V. Broe
- Mr. John R. Horton
[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to Guatemala.]
[Page 2]Guatemala
11. The ambassador has directed that the Public Safety element [text not declassified] be ready to help President-elect Arana in dealing with internal security problems if he asks for such help on coming into office. [text not declassified] the dismal history [text not declassified] trying to make something out of the security service, largely owing to the sort of Guatemalan who has been assigned to security work. In addition, CIA fears that the new government will indulge in counterterror [text not declassified] Mr. Crimmins thought that the counterterror campaign had at one time led us to pull out our Public Safety mission but [text not declassified] The U.S. mission had tried for a long time to get the Guatemalans to staff and properly run an operations center but that this scheme never got off the ground. [text not declassified]
[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to Guatemala.]
- Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, Latin America General, 1969–70. Secret.↩
- During its regular weekly meeting with the Department of State, CIA indicated concerns over the possibility of U.S. Government help to President-elect Arana to deal with internal security problems, fearing that the new government would indulge in counter-terror.↩