COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IN GUATEMALA AND EL SALVADOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R006800130001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 1, 2002
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 7, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

P'TELLOEAX 11
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
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PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
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O F R _ ATION REPORT
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El Saly-~icdor/Guatemala/1,3icarapua
DATE DISTR. 7 FEB 51
Common =st Influence in Guatemala and El Salvador NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO,
who recently returned from a tri' to Guatemala and
El Salvador rer'r-ted that there is much sympathy for Russia and Eorth Korea,
and hatred for North Ac^_ericans, among intellectu 1.s in these countries.
The majority of ixdnortant intellectuals in Guatcr. .l a are Communists and
receive s?:1aries from the governrient, who was inure ssed
by the high standard of living they maintained. In talking with them he was
unable to advance the slightest defense for the United States withort being
called a Yankee slave or a dirty reactionary. All of the anti-American and
anti--3mper:;iai.ist tropaganda, was reportedly fomented by Arevalo, in whore his
admirers find soric similarity to ',pron. It was no'rted out that both men
represent the reaction of socialism to A erican exploitation.
The noriodicals, I do not exhibit the same anti Americanism, because
a country as small as Guatena?.a cannot a ' 'ord such arrogance. Ilowevor, the
people of Guatemala. take into consideration this temr?orary necc.>sity and await
t?ie day when it will no longer be noes 'arry. I Iias co. vineed that tree
Com-anists in Guatemala receive instructions directly fron the Soviet Embassy
in 1eexico City, and said t!--at those with whom he tal'ced made no effort to
conceal this.
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The following Nicaraguan exiles were I being; employed by 25X1 A
the Arevolo government of Guatemala: Edelberto Torres, in the Dejrrtmont of
ublic Instruction; Armando Ariador, in the Department of Labor; Alberto
C:rdonez Arguello, on Arevalo's propaganda staff ; and Cerlos Castillo Ibarra, rho,
while not actually emrloyed by the government, receives money from the govern-
ment to cover his living exnenses.
Ariador, who l'as also a bookstore in Guatemala City, recent;Ly received a shipment
of books from a 14?xlcan publisher, which were to have bees sold r,t propaganda
prices,, Ilmwever, Axrar?or sold t-em commercially and m ..de a sizeable nrofit. At
a Comraxn i.st meeting in ^'exico City, the publisher of theac boo -s accts -d h-?xn of
being an exr loiter of tl-e neonle, and said that no more books would be gent to
him. Despite this affair "mador apparently cor_t i nu.o:s to be in ?rood standing
with the Party in Guatemala..
Approved For Release 2002/08/08: CIA-RD
Avtk.s MR704
2~
'It~p@d -Q01-9 By:
 Approved For Release 2002/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006800130001-9
COrFIDEri'TAL
CENTRAL ILITELL .CEsTCE AGENCY
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In El -=fi1vador I the propaganda wrs not quite so apparent,
but that the general atmosphere war siailar to that in Guatemala. The raaJ ority
of intellectuals have been influenced by Arevalo and the 1.944 revolution. imon
thosa who expressed symyath for the Russians and rope for a North Xorean victory
were Roldano Velasguez, a writer and former secretary of ex-President Castaneda;
Quint Caso, director of. Lviuootro Diarlo9 and. Manuel Aguilar Chavez, who had juet
returned -'rom a congress of :: -ewsnarr;rr en in New Yorke
7. Hcwever, I mno evidence which would indicate that
evident sorio supports this kind of thin'.`ng, either directly or indirectly,
Francisco Hernandez Fegura is employed in the Departr^ent of Labor, but he has
been expelled from the Salvadoran Corctrnyni.st arty. Hernandez has become, pro,
perous and seems to be harpy about the separation.
CONFIDENTIAL
Approved For Release 2002/08/08 : CIA-RDP82-00457R006800130001-9