Colonel Castillo Armas Seizes Power in Guatemala
On July 8, 1954, Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas seized power in Guatemala following a coup supported by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This coup was a response to domestic discontent regarding land reforms initiated by then-President Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, which aimed to redistribute unused land to landless peasants and threatened the interests of the U.S.-owned United Fruit Company. Armas, a former furniture salesman and participant in an earlier coup attempt, led a small army that successfully invaded Guatemala, leading to Arbenz’s resignation and Armas's establishment as dictator. His regime reversed progressive reforms, persecuted communists, and used violence against labor unions and peasant organizations, which contributed to a legacy of political instability and human rights abuses in the country. Following Armas's assassination in 1957, Guatemala experienced further dictatorial regimes characterized by repression and widespread violence. The impact of U.S. involvement in Guatemalan politics has continued to influence the nation’s history, with efforts to address and rectify this legacy ongoing into the 21st century.
Colonel Castillo Armas Seizes Power in Guatemala
Colonel Castillo Armas Seizes Power in Guatemala
Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas took over as president of Guatemala on July 8, 1954. He was assisted in his rise to power by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in a coup that had devastating effects on the Guatemalan nation.
Guatemala is the third largest country in Central America. It is bordered on the north and west by Mexico, on the east by Belize and the Gulf of Honduras, on the southeast by Honduras and El Salvador, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. The origin of the name Guatemala is American Indian, but its history and meaning are unclear. Some historians believe that it is derived from an Aztec word, Quauhtemallan (land of trees). Another theory is that the name comes from the word Guhatezmalha (mountain of vomiting water). If true, the latter etymology undoubtedly refers to the volcanic activity in the country.
The Spanish, who came to Guatemala in the 16th century, discovered several nations there that could trace their beginnings to the Maya. The Spanish began to rule the area in 1528, during which time the colony did not prosper economically. Internal transportation was poor, there were no decent ports, and pirates were active on the coast. Nevertheless, the colony was important because it was the administrative center of the region.
Guatemala followed Mexico in declaring independence in 1821, and for a brief time, Guatemala was ruled by Mexico. Then, after various internal struggles, Guatemala and the rest of Central America declared their independence from Mexico on July 1, 1823, and established the United Provinces of Central America. This federation collapsed in 1840 and a series of dictators ruled Guatemala for over a century until 1944, when Juan José Arévalo was elected president. Under his rule, a new constitution was adopted that declared a social and democratic revolution and increased the people's voice in the political system. This period is referred to as the Guatemalan revolution, or Ten Years of Spring. Despite military attempts to dislodge him, Arévalo served as president until 1951, when he was succeeded by Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán.
At the time, there was considerable domestic discontent about the direction that the country was taking. The National Congress passed a measure that would redistribute unused land to the landless peasants, which was a blow to the U.S.-owned United Fruit Company which held a large amount of unused land in the country. United Fruit began to complain to the United States government, which was also becoming concerned about communist influences in the country. The CIA then began a series of initiatives aimed at destabilizing the Guzmán administration, training mercenaries and Guatemalan exiles for a coup. One of those recruited was Armas.
Armas was born in Guatemala in 1914. He had participated in an attempted coup in 1950 and had been arrested. After he escaped from prison, he fled to Honduras and worked as a furniture salesman before the CIA chose him to lead its new army into Guatemala and bring about a coup. The coup began on June 18, 1954, when Armas and his army of less than 200 soldiers invaded Guatemala. Thanks to the CIA, the country was tricked into believing that the force was much larger, and the Guatemalan army did not resist. Guzmán resigned on June 27, 1954, and Armas took power on July 8, 1954. He became the country's next dictator, maintaining power with assistance from the United States, which hoped that he would prevent communism from gaining a foothold in Guatemala and the rest of Central America. Armas dutifully persecuted members of the Guatemalan Communist Party and also reversed the land reforms which threatened the interests of United Fruit and certain other property owners. In so doing, and by using violence to break up the labor unions and peasant organizations, he polarized the nation and set the stage for decades of domestic violence to follow.
Armas was assassinated on July 26, 1957. More dictators followed, frequently using violence and torture against dissenters to enforce their rule. Guatemala became one of the world's worst human rights offenders, with thousands of people from all walks of life simply “disappearing” should it suit the government of the day. Civilian rule was not effectively reintroduced until the 1990s. Even then it was precarious, with members of the military always lurking in the political background for opportunities to enhance their personal power or wealth. It has taken many decades to alleviate the legacy of American interference in Guatemalan politics, a process which has not yet ended as of the writing of this book in the early 21st century.