THE GUATEMALAN SITUATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000900020013-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 12, 2002
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: October 29, 1957
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 2003/02/27"CIA RDP79R00890A000900020013-2
29 October 1957
Army and new president Flores Avendano (installed 26 October) have
promised new elections in near future--November, December and
January have been mentioned--in which government will remain
completely neutral.
A. Many observers believe leftist Revolutionary Party (P)
will win.
B. PR emerged from last week's violence as probably country's
strongest party,
1. Middle-of-the-road party of late Castillo Armas now
discredited and virtually destroyed.
2. Rightist YDIGORAS Fuentes, runner-up in annulled 20 October
election--in which he had leftist support and received
strong protest vote--unlikely to win as many votes in
new election.
3. Other anti-Communist groups seem unable to unite.
4. PR already organizing decisive rural vote, reportedly
with help of Communists.
C. Communists stand to gain from this situation.
1. Although they have only 300-500 party members, they have
infiltrated PR, which is composed of former backers of
leftist Arevalo and pro-Communist Arbenz regimes.
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLA S.
State Dept. review completed ,~C'' CI AS3 '
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Approved For Release 2003/02/27`.*~~9RQ0$"QQ
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2. In addition to pro-Communist elements, PR also contains
some genuine liberals who are trying to purge them.
D. Army, since 1954 the bulwark against extremes of right and
left, is now divided and confused. According to US Embassy,
government cannot rely on it.
Approved For Release 2003/02/27 : CIA-l DP79R0089OA000900020013-2