Bitter Fruit by Stephen Schlesinger and Stephen Kinzer, Sinclair Browne £8.95 IF YOU pop down to the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa these days, mind admitting to you that he's in charge of the de-stabilisation campaign being run against De-stabilising potentially hostile regimes in the area is an old American occupation.
Nicaraguan operation comes off remains to be seen; the Bay of Pigs didn't, but the 1954 operation against the Arbenz regime in Guatemala did. exactly no the expand Bitter Fruit the State Department goaded by the United Fruit Company Boston organised ine demise of Arbenz's government. The consequences the Guatemala sed. since 1954 be emphasised Since Guatemala been dominated by another military junta.
Up 1944 Guatemala more or less owned by United Fruit. The domination of the country's banana trade Conunuce beginning of the century, with United Fruit owning huge swathes of the Guatemalan countryside.
cice concessions, United Fruit their TIHECES Guatemalan pies ing Ior Callic allie Guatemalan railways.
But the end of world war two brought about a democratic upheaval, which resulted in the elec tion of Arbenz in 1951 on a programme of democratc reform.
Arbenz himself was, as Theook make clear, 'bourgeois reformer. But his popular BASE was among the urban workers collar (teachers played disproportionate TOIC the democratic upheaval of 1944).
and have a little discussion with the US ambassador, he won't and overthrowing Whether the Although slavishly backed by the Communist Party (the PGT) Arbenz never defended a socialist programme. But he made CHIC progressive THUYC which finally antagonised US He probosee me namona sato of sectors of the United Fruit company land.
We won't spoil readers of the book by explaining in detail what followed, except Sdy that the United Fruit company was well connected in US government circles. Secretary of State JOLL roster Dulles. and his brother Allen Dulles wno operated an -outili whose headquarters are located Langley Virginia (yes you've guessed it) both stockholders United Fruit. Joke was UN representative Henry Cabot Lodge. Arbenz played little considered United Fruit to be in very poor He offered LaSte. compensation on the basis of UP's declared tax value.
company owners demanded times -BETCE The result was a classic de-stabilisation campaign, with the portrayal CIA-backed invasion July 1954 as an 'internal seen here with CIA agent Euno Hoffing (left). rebellion'.
The invasion was organised Guatemala City itself by the US ambassador John Peurifoy, the the HonCOUDCLALIUH duran and governments. Somoza per sonally gave orders to US air crew used in the invaso When the chips were Ambassador James E. Peurifoy. He was in command of the invasion. He is down, Arbenz payed the price of being a bourgeois The army deserted him but his popular base did not hold up He never had any inarmed resistance, but even if he's tried it's doubtful whether after three years of unfulfilled promises the masses would have mobilised to defend him.
The rural masses hac seen no benefits from land reform, and the conditions of the urban poor had not improved. Lesson: don't annoy snake without preparing to chop its head off. AS In Chile. so Cuba proved Guatemala. a more difficult nut crack and SO wil their invasion of Guatemala. imposing the policy from above.
The discussions that precede the writing of a policy are often the most valuable part of the exercise. Without democratic discussion of the issues the policy will remain a piece albeit highly IMPOKTANT TADK PACING SOCIALIST KEVOLUTONANE TODAY IS TO ARRANGEA PACE TO FACE CONFRONT ATION BETWEEN TEBBIT AND YOSSER Carlos Castillo Armas, chosen by the CIA to lead CHARLOTTE CORNW KENNETH CRANKAI BEN ELI RENCH + SAUNDER RIK MAYALL PAULINE MELVILLE ALFRED MOLIN GAVIN RICHARD:
ALEXEI SAYLI MAGGIE STEE EMMA THOMPSO MAN 5 RISI BENJAMIN ZEPHANIA AND POOKIESNACKENBURGER THE JOHNSON BROS SUNDAY 13 FEBRUARY 1983 SHAMTESBURY THEATRE FOR NICARAGUA principled, hidden away in the Head's bottom drawer Further info Martin Marior Pencave 377 0040, Sue Birchall Laurie Liz Lindsay 452 /722 8141 -ORMAC MOST ENTERTANNG BU HARDLY SUFFICIENTTO DESTROY THE Socialist Challenge 2 February 1983 page 11
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AN EVENING HOLE CHRISTE