SOVIET PROPAGANDA FILMS SHOWN IN GUATEMALA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A003600820010-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 9, 2001
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: February 25, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2002/02/05 : CIA-RDP80-00810A003600820010-1
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
COUNTRY
Guatemala/USSR
REPORT NO.
25X1 A
SUBJECT
Soviet Propaganda Films Shown in
Guatemala
DATE DISTR.
25 February 1951
25X1 A
DATE OF INFO.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
RD
1
PLACE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES
25X1 A
25X1X
SOURCE:
25X1A
25X1A
1. There was a private showing of the Soviet filmy "The Great Concert", at the
Lux Theatre on 22 December 1953. Some Communists were heard discussing the
fact that the owner of the theatre, Ricardo COFINO,-had accepted "The Great
Concert" for production but refused another Soviet picture, believed to be
named "The New Man," because he considered it to be Soviet propaganda. The
most rabid Communists, such as Roberto BLASCO Alava and Luis CARDOZA y
Aragon, stated that if COFINO refused pictures of great political significances
he should not accept those of less political value, such as "The Great Concert."
Jose FERNANDEZ Doris Perez, Huberto ALVARADO$ and other Communists rejected
the opinion of the first two, stating that it is necessary to break down
Guatemalan resistance to Communism gradually. They added that even "The Great
Concert,"' because of certain scenes and its conclusion, contained even an
excessive amount of Communist propaganda, considering the political atmosphere
in Guatemala. BLASCO Alava said that this picture had been strongly
criticized bar. the Soviet Commnunist, Party as having too little political
significance.
2. Another Soviet picture, entitled "The Stone Flower," will soon be shown in
Guatemala, and BLASCO Alava and CARDOZA y Aragon remarked that they considered
it to be without political implications. BLASCO Alava stated privately that
discussions were being carried on in the inner circles of the Partido
Guatemalteco del Trabajo (PGT-Guatemalan Communist Party) with regard to
Soviet films and that a future policy with regard to them had not yet been
decided upon.
Comment. Roberto BLASCO Alava and Jose FERNANDEZ Doris Perez are
exi led parish Communists residing in Guatemala; Ruberto ALVARADO atzl Luis
CARDOZA y Aragon are Guatemalan Communists who' have been active in ' "tlie' Alianza
de la Juventud Democratica Guatemalteca (AJDG), and the peace movements
respectively.
Approved For Release 2002/02/05 : CIA-RDP80-00810A003600820010-1