Evening star., 1954-07-03
6uaiemaIan Rebels
Triumph Clouded BY
Junta Compromise
sy the AsseeiatsdP Pr... !.

nY me Assoelutad Frese
GUATEMALA. July 3 tR.l
Rebel Leader Col. Carlos Castillo
Armas planned to fiy to this
welcome-geared capital today to |
discuss his role in Guatemala s
new anti Communist govern
ment. But dissatisfaction ii the
ranks Of the leaders Liberation
Army dimmed the triumph Of
the occasion.
Z Col. Castillo acknowledged at
his ChiQuimula headquarters
yesterday that most Of my men
are not satisfied with the agree
ment reached IN Sal Salvador. z
The peace pact. signed with
Col. Elfego Monzon in the cap
ital Of neighboring Ell Salvador,
patched together five-man
junta. Col. Monzon was allowed
to remain on as government
chief until the junta elected q
permanent head in Is days.
It was not known whether
Col. Monzon also planned to
return to the Guatemalan cap
ital today.
Cav Fiesta Fixzles.
Both colonels were expected
back yesterday, and Guatemala
put on q big fiesta to welcome
them. The celebration. starting
out gaily with popping fireworks
and changing church bells, fizzled
out as the two men failed to
show up.
Col. Castillo fiew back 70 Chi |
quimula to explain the San Sal |
vador settlement to his disap-
pointed aides and prepare his |
troops for entry into the capital. |
He told reporters in Chiqui-
mala his top subordinates had
wanted to push ahead with the
rebellion until the Guatemalan
Army surrendered uncondition-
ally. He said, however, he was
satisfied with the settlement end
ing the two-week revolt because
1t was victory over the Reds.
IT am entirely sure" he
added. 'the junta will eliminate
the Communists"
Col. Castillo expressed conf
dence his followers "all will stay |
with me-" although the confer
ence with Col. Monzon twas not |
entirely decisive" The rebel |
chief said he would keep his |
troops in readiness until I'VE
make arrangements" on the po-
litical front.
Question Of Top Power.
Still to be resolved was the
question Of whether Col. Castillo |
or Col. Monzon would WELD top |
power. Besides the two leaders,
the five-man junta includes one
member Of Col. Castillo's insur-
gent government and two from
Col. Monzon's regime. Junta de-
cisions will be by majority vote.
This would appear to give Col. |
Monzon the upper hand. It was
speculated, however, that Col.
Castillo hoped to swing q ma
jority to his side in the two
weeks before q permanent gov
ernment head is elected.
BY ousting the regime Of ex-
President Jacobo Arbenz auz-
man last Sunday. Col. Castillo |
said yesterday, the revolution
lists destroyed the Communist |
government OF Guatemala" and
achieved the first part of their |
program.
He explained that the peace
agreement puts us in a good |
position to accomplish our pro-
gram, Of reorganization of the |
country, to put the government |
in the best possible hands and |
finally to create for Guatemala
a democratic system of govern
ment. This was the second phase
Of our program
Col Castillo said he would dis
cuss his plans with army and
government readers upon his ar
rival in the capital.
Round Up 400 Reds.
In the capital the govern
ment announced yesterday that
400 Communists had been
rounded up within q radius of
80 miles of the capital. but 1t
was admitted that top Red lead
ers had eluded capture, going
underground or taking refuge in
foreign embassies.
Two former officials in the
Arbenz regime turned up in /
Mexico and were granted polit-
ical asylum. The pair, who fled I
In private plane, were Rogelio
Cruz Wer, who had headed the
national police, and Jaime Ros-
enberg, former chief of the
secret police.
Also from Mexico City came
word the Peace Committee of |
the Organization of American
States (OAS had decided to
return from there to Washing
ton today without going on to
Guatemala for an on-the-spot
investigation. The committee
had intended to look into
charges by Arbenz that Hon
duras and Nicaragua provided
bases for aggression against Qua
49, -