Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21
BY GEN. MANUEL ORKLLANA,

PROVISIONAL PRESIDENT OF Guatemala.
PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, GUATE-
MALA CITY, December 20.-I am
pleased, indeed, to avail myself Of the
opportunity which the Associated Press
has given me to explain the motives be-
hind the military movement that
brought about the resignation Of Presi-
dent Baudilio Palma December 16 and
my subsequent induction 10 the execu-
tive mansion Of Guatemala
The movement was the direct eonse-
Quence Of an usurpation Of the presi-
dency Of the republic by DR.. Baudilio
Palma December IL. DR.. Palma 10 .
relative and dear friend Of the constt-
tutional President, Gen. Lazaro Chaeen,
now Ill in bed. He was the second
designate to the presidency, which is our
term for the second vice president. The
first designate. or first vice president,
was Gen. Mauro de Leon, who held ct
the same time the war portfolio under
Chacon.
Took Advantage Of Kinship.
When President Chacon took III sud
denly. Palma, taking advantage Of his
kinship to the President started q vast
intrigue aiming at placing the country
under the control of the Conservative
party. He persuaded the ministers TO
name him President, although the con-
stitution provides that in the absence
Of the President the frat designate
should fill his place. He then, using
coercion, obtained the necessary legal
ization from Congress to assume the
Yeins of government.
But the constitution of Guatemala
provides that only in the case Of death
to the President the Council Of Minis
tiers may call upon the FIRST designate
to assume charge, and should the 1rst
designate be unavailable, then the SEQ
ond designate is called upon. Palma,
however, tried to evade the spirit Of
the constitution by saying that article
SO justified him In assuming charge.
Article Sc, however, provides that wnen
the President Is Ill or absent, he hiTA-
self viii, with the sanction Of Con-
sress, appoint his substitute.
Palma did not consult Gen. Ghaacn.
Neither did he have Chacon's sanction
or the unfettered expression Of Cen
gress to assume the presidency. As
equivalent of coup de'etat and he be-
came the de facto President.
Liberal Parties Protested.
The three liberal parties represented
in Congress registered their protest
against this usurpation and sent O
delegation to the first designate, who
had been virtually arrested in his own
house under Palma's orders. Palma
arkV 0G ho toll Ska
members that he was de facto Presi-
dent. The delegation then attempted
to return to Congress, but the presi-
Dental police prevented them from at
tanning their aim.
The army, which Is sworn to obey
the constitution and see that 1t Is
obeyed, had no other alternative but
to force Palma to live up to the spirit
and the letter of the constitution. The
army, therefore, proceeded to establish
Q new provisional government, and I
was honored with the chief post, IN q
temporary character.
The aims of my government are to
maintain peace and order above all
things to maintain liberty and to
guarantee the rights provided by eur
constitution to all Guatema1an eiti-
Gems, including the right to the free
public expression of all thoughts; to
continue the good relations which hap
PLY Guatemala maintains with Al
other countries Of the world, and In o
special way with the great American
Nation, to return to the constitutional
President the power as soon as he Is
capable to assuming ONCE, or should
he be unable to do so, to call and
hold free elections. guaranteeing the
free exercise Of absolute suffrage to
all qualified. To achieve these ends
count upon the support OF the army
and Of my co-citizens in general.