Guatemala and Belize
225. Telegram 2304 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Summary: Ambassador Meloy discussed reports of political assassination with President Laugerud, who replied that he would direct the Minister of Government to investigate and root out any elements in the security forces involved in death squad tactics.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760108–0626. Secret; Immediate; Exdis. All brackets appear in the original except those indicating text that remains classified. Telegram 2009 from Guatemala City is Document 224. References (B) and (C) were not found. Telegram 62030 to Guatemala City, is dated March 13. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760095–1073) In telegram 2498 from Guatemala City, March 30, the Embassy reported on the attempted assassination of former Guatemala City Mayor Manuel Colóm Argueta. (Ibid., D760119–0832) In telegram 2550 from Guatemala City, March 31, the Embassy reported that former President Carlos Arana Osorio and MLN leader Mario Sandoval Alarcón were rumored to be prime suspects in the assassination attempt. (Ibid., D760123–0821) In telegram 2596 from Guatemala City, April 1, the Embassy reported further developments in the case, and concluded that it was unclear if the Guatemalan Government was “attempting to coverup a bungled assassination attempt” or if Colóm had staged “a fake assassination attempt to expose and lessen the effectiveness of the GOG’s surveillance of his movements.” (Ibid., D760124–0188)
226. Airgram A–45 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Summary: In its bi-weekly political review, the Embassy reported on AID reconstruction efforts and increasing reports of guerrilla and counter-guerrilla violence.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P760072–0449. Confidential. Drafted in the Political Section by R.E. Snyder and D.C. Johnson; cleared by G.F. Jones, W.E. Thomas in the Political Section, and F.E. Schieck of AID; and approved by Chargé G. R. Andrews for Meloy. Pouched to Belize City for info. Airgram 38 from Guatemala City is dated April 9. (Ibid., P760058–0375) In telegram 3149 from Guatemala City, April 23, the Embassy reported that the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP) had issued a communiqué indicating that its activities were “popular justice” directed against “those who oppress us in the name of the interests of the rich and Gringo imperialism.” (Ibid., D760154–1050) Telegram 3041 from Guatemala City is dated April 21. (Ibid., D760151–0611)
227. Telegram 109886 From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom, the Consul in Belize, and the Embassy in Guatemala
Summary: In an April 28 discussion with Assistant Secretary Rogers on the Belize issue, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Rowlands noted that the British Government had offered Guatemala a package of proposals along the lines that Kissinger had recommended to Callaghan as a way to resolve the problem quickly. When pressed on whether the U.S. Government would become involved, Rogers made it clear that such participation would occur only when the parties were in basic agreement, and would be more of an endorsement than a substantive intervention.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760174–0858. Secret; Priority; Exdis. Drafted by Gowen and Haryan in ARA; cleared by Luers in ARA, Weissman in ARA/CEN, and MacFarlane in S/S; and approved by Ryan in ARA. All brackets are in the original except “[Secretary],” added for clarity. According to a draft memorandum of conversation from the April 28 meeting, Rowlands indicated that, “the British initiative in New Orleans drew heavily on the suggestions in Secretary Kissinger’s message to Foreign Minister [Secretary] Callaghan of last November.” (Ibid., P850183–2493) Kissinger’s letter to Callaghan is Document 215. In telegram 104671 to Guatemala City, April 30, the Department reported that Molina told Rogers that the New Orleans talks had gone well and that “The British position ‘offered the possibility of an accord’.” (Ibid., D760165–0860)
228. Telegram 125446 From the Department of State to the Embassies in Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica
Summary: The Department reported that it had been advised informally that Congressman Fraser planned to schedule hearings on the human rights situation in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760198–0612. Limited Official Use; Priority. Drafted by George Lister in ARA/LA, cleared by Weissman, and approved by Ryan. Repeated Priority to Managua, Guatemala City, San Salvador, and San José. In telegram 3990 from Guatemala City, May 28, the Embassy reported that William Brown of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) had visited the Embassy on January 20, “observing at the beginning of conversation that he did not expect to learn anything in talking to Embassies but was visiting them at strong urging of ARA/PAF. Conversation primarily concerned situation in Latin America as a whole, as Brown, noting he had other sources, did not seek information on Guatemala.” (Ibid., D760207–1020)
229. Telegram 157065 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Guatemala and the Consulate General in Belize
Summary: During a briefing on the status of the Belize negotiations at the Office of Central American Affairs, British officials urged the Department to reiterate to the Guatemalan Government that they were determined to reach a settlement, and that delay was not a viable option.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760245–0587. Confidential; Immediate. Repeated to London, Mexico City, and USCINCSO. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text that remains classified. In telegram 137667 to Belize City, Guatemala City, and London, June 4, the Department reported that Moreton had indicated that the Belizeans had “no intention of giving up any territory and that to do so would make post independence for the Government of Belize virtually impossible.” (Ibid., D760216–0542) In telegram 5025 from Guatemala City, July 14, the Embassy reported that the Guatemalan Government had requested a postponement of its next negotiating session. (Ibid., D760271–0606)
230. Airgram A–86 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Summary: The Embassy reported on increases in political violence and attributed them to increased provocations by terrorists, countered by a government response that included extra-legal measures.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P760105–1670. Confidential. Drafted by D.C. Johnson, cleared by G.F. Jones and W.E. Thomas in the Political Section, and approved by Andrews. All brackets are in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors. Airgram 135 from Guatemala City is ibid., P750120–2241. In telegram 5437 from Guatemala City, August 2, the Embassy observed that “Violence remains the most fundamental political problem of Guatemala, and there is no question but that its origins lie in the tension produced by attempting to maintain a government that neither taxes nor spends, an electoral system which permits dissent but rarely rewards it, and an economic and social system designed to preserve the comfort and ease of a tiny majority.” (Ibid., D760297–1158)
231. Memorandum of Conversation
Summary: During a discussion with Secretary Kissinger on the Belize issue, Assistant Secretary Shlaudeman observed that the Guatemalan Government would not negotiate unless the British would agree to give up some of Belize’s territory.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P860084–2039. Secret; Nodis. Drafted by Norman T. Shaft of USOAS and approved by Collums in S. The meeting was held in the Secretary’s office. During a visit to the Office of Central American Affairs, British Embassy political officer Joseph Millington indicated that enormous progress had been made in negotiating an agreement on Belize, noting that the Guatemalan Government “seemed more sincere and serious than previously.” When asked if the issue of territory had been discussed during the negotiations, “Millington replied that this problem was being left until the end, by tacit agreement.” (Memorandum of Conversation, August 12, ibid., P850183–2447) In telegram 5867 from Guatemala City, August 20, the Embassy reported that Laugerud expressed “cautious optimism” that the Belize issue would be resolved, while noting “that the two principal barriers were Premier Price of Belize and the MLN Party here in Guatemala.” (Ibid., D760320–1009)
232. Telegram 6509 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Summary: President Laugerud told Asisstant Secretary Shlaudeman that while he remained cautiously optimistic about impending talks on the Belize issue, no agreement would be possible without the cession of Belizean territory to Guatemala.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760353–0123. Confidential. Repeated to London, USCINCSO, Mexico City, Belize City, USUN New York, and Tegucigalpa for Shlaudeman. In a September 30 meeting with Department officials, Millington reported that during the Panama talks, September 21–22, the Guatemalan Government had “proposed redrawing the southern Belize/Guatemala boundary along a line just below Stann Creek,” something that the British regarded as “an opening negotiating ploy rather than a serious proposal.” (Memorandum of conversation, October 1, ibid., P850183–2451)
233. Telegram 262948 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Guatemala
Summary: During a discussion with Deputy Assistant Secretary Luers, British Embassy Counselor C. William Squire requested U.S. assistance in urging restraint by the Guatemalans prior to debates over the Belize issue at the United Nations.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P850183–2456. Secret. Drafted by Gowen and cleared by Luers. Reference A, a message from the Defense Attaché’s Office in Guatemala City, was not found. In telegram 869 from Belize City, October 21, the Consulate General reported that the British planned to increase troop strength along the Guatemalan border, in part because new road construction had improved Guatemalan force deployment capabilities, but also “because of recent and anticipated developments.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760395–0977) During the Secretary’s staff meeting on October 26, Shlaudeman reported on the British troop movements, and observed that “The Guatemalans are getting nervous again. A lot of this will depend on how the resolution comes up in the United Nations.” (Ibid., Transcripts of Secretary of State Kissinger’s Staff Meetings, 1973–1977, Entry 5177, Box 3, Secretary’s Analytical Staff Meetings)
234. Airgram A–132 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Summary: The Embassy reported on escalating political violence in Guatemala.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P760177–0026. Confidential. Drafted in the Political Section by Snyder and Chamberlin, cleared by Jones and Thomas, and approved by Andrews. All brackets appear in the original except those indicating text omitted by the editors. In telegram 231122, September 17, 1976, the Department instructed all diplomatic and consular posts to bring the human rights portions of the International Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to the attention of host governments. (Ibid., D760353–0541) In telegram 7209 from Guatemala City, October 18, the Embassy reported that it had communicated this information to Guatemala’s Foreign Minister. (Ibid., D760392–0202) In telegram 7580 from Guatemala City, November 5, the Embassy reported that it had received an October 26 note from the Foreign Ministry thanking the Embassy for “its interesting communication, which has been made known to the appropriate high authorities.” (Ibid., D760414–1019)
235. Telegram 8298 From the Embassy in Guatemala to the Department of State
Summary: During a December 10 meeting, President Laugerud told Deputy Assistant Secretary Luers and Ambassador Davis E. Boster that resentment against the U.S. had grown in recent years, primarily due to its posture on Belize and its alleged failure to assist Guatemala with military supplies.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760459–0003. Confidential; Limdis; Noforn. Repeated to London, Mexico City, Belize City, USUN New York, USCNICSO, and SECDEF. Telegram 8229 from Guatemala City is dated December 8. (Ibid., D760453–1097)
236. Memorandum of Conversation
Summary: British and U.S. officials discussed future prospects for resolving the Belize issue and agreed that it was unlikely the Guatemalan Government would agree to a settlement anytime soon.
Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P850183–2471. Confidential. Drafted on January 10 by Platt in ARA/CEN and cleared by Luers and Bray in ARA.