Evening star., 1954-06-23


Col. Carlos Castillo ArnsGs aDeH iUlsiIe
surveying the nations of that area.
When Castillo ArDsGs MRIeGshed his
reUoIutionGrieS against Guatemala
last ,Ueek. Mcmahon iDent to TegNct-
oalpG, interviewed the little colonel
and came Np tDith this UiUid and
hitherto-untold story otsthe mystery
man" OF rebellion.
By Potrick Mcmahon
THE MAN WHO leads the Guate-
i mala revolution-with the look Of
a poet and the violent background Of
a veteran rebels gambling that sub
stantial elements of his nations army
will come over to his cause.
If this hope of Col. Carlos Castillo
Armas fails, the results may not only
be disastrous to the little colonel and
his followers, but also q severe blow to
those in the Western Hemisphere awak-
ening to the serious menace which the
anti Communist expeditionaries are
fighting.
Castillo ArmaS, who already knows
from experience the bloody price Of
betrayed hopes, has spent nearly three
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the revolution-the fourth in which he
has taken part. He marshalled Guate-
malan refugees and dissident elements
within the country. He obtained from
any available source the arms with
which to make the strike for "libera-
ton" of his country which he launched
last week.
Barely known in the United States
before the current action, and still
largely mystery man to North Aneri-
cans, Castillo Armas fits into none of
the swashbuckling roles popularity cast
for revolutionary leaders. With the
look, at least to casual acquaintance,
of an educator, professional man, or
even a poet, the only signs of his career
as professional soldier are the erect
carriage of his slight figure and the
faint crispneSS in his low, well-modu-
lated voice when he issues directives
to Subordinates.
Yet more revealing of Castillo Armas
are the gruesome torture. he has under
gone in rebellion'S name, his peniten-
tiary eScape-and the reason he first
broke with the present Guatemala gov
ernment: because it refused to prose-
cute after brutal political murder.
Americans who know him in Teguci-
galpa regard Castillo Armas as devoid
of personal ambition but full of highest
patriotism. He is popular among all
classes of GuatemalanS. He has out
lined a detailed social and economic
program for use when-and if-his
forces overthrow Guatemala's govern
ment.
He has pledged that free elections
will be held once order is firmly re-
stored, and that the Communist ele-
ments will be expunged.
His program, in the view Of compe-
tent American observers, is baSically
democratic and moderately liberal.
To this slender. precise little man,
revolution and the horrible conSe-
quences Of failure have become q
familiar duty. He was one of group
of young army officers who Joined
with Guatemalan intellectualS, stu
dents and professional men in the
virtually bloodleSS revolt that over
threw the iron-fisted regime of the
old dictator, Jorge Ubico, in 1914.
Il A few months later, when the pro- +
visional president, Gen. FREDERICK Ponce
VIdOCS, Il411SC11 OCSdA OAAOWAA6 -oASA4o
of dictatorial ambitions, Castillo Armas
took part in the movement that over
threw him, expelled him from the
country, and installed the junta COM
posed of two young captains, Jacobo
Arbenz GuZman and Francisco Arana,
and civilian, Jorge Toriello (brother
Of the present Guatemalan foreign
minister Guillermo Toriello).
The Junta violated one Of the ancient
traditions of Latin American revolu-
tionary politics: It held free elections
within the year. But now the Com
munists moved. Although they had
played little part in the coups, they
somehow managed to push to the fore
front of the election campaign Guate-
malan professor who had been living
in exile in Argentina, Juan Jose
Arevalo.
Arevalo, processing to be spiritual
socialist" was nominated for the preSi-
dency by the major revolutionary
parties, elected by an Overwhelming
majority, and Immediately set about
installing Communists and their aSSo-
ciateS in key positions Of his govern
ment. AS his term drew toward a close
(under the constitution he could not
succeed himselO two candidates
emerged, the then Col. Arana, chief
of staff of the army, and Col. Arbenz,
the minister Of defense.
Arbenz had wholeheartedly supported
the pro- Communist policies Of the
Arevaio government, and was the choice
of Arevalo himself and the politically
powerful Communist labor leaders.
Arana, however, was a bitter and out
spoken foe of the Communists, and
was immensely popular among all
classes of Guatemalans, especially the
army. He was heavily favored to win
the election.
Months before the election, Arana
was assasSinated by three men armed
with submachine guns. Although his
assassins we're publicly identified by an
eyewitness, they were never arrested.
Instead all were rewarded with power
full government posts by President Ar
benz. The Communists took public