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8 June 1954 
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE 
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Pvatenalan Communists attenst to mobilize mass support 
LATIN AMERICA 
SANITIZZD cov? 
for rovernnent: 
Tne Coanunist-conirolled labor and peasant 
coniedezations in Guatemala bezan on 4 June to mobilize their 
followers for possibie ar 
tion. 
and that the 
\ 
ssador Peurifoy comments 
signed primarily to dezonstrate me 
tion, but that another motave mey 
with 
an excuse for arming civilians. 
He notes that the 
are gaining the initiative in 
sinews for defense and intends to use then." 
med defense of the Arbenz adrinistra- 
-+: thet this move may be de- 
ss support for the adninistra- 
he to provide the governaent 
Connunist and other pro-Arbenz forces 
"Cuatemeala's war of nerves," 
administration is "demonstrating it has the 
Decezber, 
in 
crisis 
the past. 
weapons, 
ministentia: 
nddi tional 
sufficient to neutralize the ar 
As the best-orrenized 
rozo 
the Conmaunist-led confederatio 
groups, 
aries 
of any decision to az 
7s would 
be the likely bene 
Communists are beliey 
not sufficient to 
Against an army revolt 
Bre “Like 
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Re resist providing civilian groups with 
June 54. 
Alby 
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Comaent: 
Con: 
for 
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Lomiaer 
Communist efforts to create 2 nilitant follow ing 
my have. been noted since last 
fici- 
m civilians to defend the 
° 
‘President Arheaz has favored such a 
in 
ed 2lready in possession of s 
rovice defense of the ad- 
at this time. 
Top military — 
might weaken the arny’s position. 
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—SANITIZED cory - 
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9. 
Treaty of Rec 
SANT 
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ers 
LATIN Ad 
Required majority agre 
tO Cow Tc 
ad j 
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Line On Guatemala: 
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According to the American amba: adors In 
Ureruny and Bolivia, thoSe countriscs now 
arree in principle to ¢ 
the Organization of American | 
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Guatemalan problem but feel vhat the lanvuare 
a meeting of 
States on the 
of 
r solution proposed by the United 
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committed in princiy 
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The 
proposal, however, unde rscore a 
resent text, 
o! 
ther object! ONS 2 
“too mare" 
brings to 15 the 
of 
mootiurr, 
This is one more 
cecisions under the 1947 Intere 
tm the laneuare of the 
continu ing problem. of ralnine 14 
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DANATIZED COPY 
9. ‘Guatemala may take diplomatic offensive: 
Guatemalan foreign minister Tortello re-. 
' portedly said on 8 June that he intended to 
a diplomatic "mastex card" by re- 
ettend an'OAS meeting as litigants while the 
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other meinbers act as arbiters. 
A eespatch from the Costa Rican 
geven selected Latin American governments represented. | 
Meanwhile, an untested source reported on 
_. 
_., 8 June that the Guatemalans have "planted" caches of American arms 
and intend to announce their "discovery" within “two or three cayu" as 
of American plotting to overthrow the Arbenz regime. 
Comment: 
The projected Guatemalan pro- 
posal, if coupled with “evidence of aggression". by the United States 
or the United Fruit Company, could cause further delays in arrangements 
for the Scheduled 1 July mecting of the OAS, 
; 
ie 
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Several key countries, such as Chile, ‘and 
possibly Argentina and Mexico, would have preferred the role of 
arbiters to that of active participant. Almost all of them are, however, °° 
at preser . committed to the view that the problem is international 
Communist intervention in Guatemala rather than any 
with the United States. 
12 June 54 
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questing that the United States and Guatemala 
+. in Guatemala to his government reveals that Torielio had suggested that 
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Costa Rica propose a 
similar meeting. but with only-sixor 
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14 June 1954. 
A 
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
J 
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE 
DANITIZED COPY 
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NGO). 
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e 
< 
Guatemalan Con 
MORE 
Gy Dlars 
for scizure 
or py 
planca’ 
he 
labor and 
workers contedorations 
in Guetemala have instructed 
local 
to seize 
control of pravate x<arms in the 
event cL an emexrfoncy, ..cceraing 
to 2 seurce considered 
reliable by the American 
eihassy. 
‘The workers have been in- 
re 
structed, 
on receipt of an emergency call from citner con- 
federation or from President Arbenz, 
to seize all vehicles. 
re 
and suvplies on the plantations and to escort the owners ar 
managers unharmed to the neavrest anthorities. 
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Comment: 
This report strenetaens previous evidence that 
the Communists are prepariutsys for vigorous action to counter 
any attacl on them or on the Arbenzs regine. 
Communist—-controlied Jogni acrarian commsttess ars 
in the rich agricultural a Yea along 
the Pacific coast, 
particularly in tke Derariment of 
wnere some have 
already assumed many of the functions of local government. 
Lost December and January farm workers in this area were 
incited to invade numerous private properties in what the 
American embassy considered an effort to condition the 
workers to violent action under Comuunict leaderskip. 
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