life unfolded as follows: First I reported to the youth brigades of the Alliance where we stayed for several days until the minister of public health 64 sent me to the Maestro Health Center where I am billeted. I volunteered for the front but they wouldnât even look at me.
June 20, 1954
Dear vieja ,
This letter will reach you a little after your birthday, which might pass a little uneasily on my account. Let me say thereâs nothing to fear at the moment, but the same cannot be said of the future, although personally I have the feeling that Iâm inviolable (inviolable is not the word, perhaps my subconscious is playing a bad joke on me).
To paint a picture of the situation: For the first time, five or six days ago, a pirate aircraft from Honduras flew over Guatemala, but did nothing. The next day and on successive days they bombed several Guatemalan military installations, and two days ago a plane machine-gunned the lower neighborhoods of the city, killing a two- year-old child. The incident has served to unite all Guatemalans behind their government, and others who, like myself, have been drawn to the country.
Simultaneously, mercenary troops led by an ex-army colonel (dismissed from the army some time ago for treason) left Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, crossed the border, and have now penetrated quite deeply into Guatemalan territory. The government, proceeding with great caution to ensure that the United States cannot declareGuatemala the aggressor, has limited itself to protesting to Tegucigalpa and sending a full report of events to the UN Security Council, allowing the attacking forces to advance far enough that there would be no so-called border incidents. Colonel Ãrbenz certainly has guts; heâs prepared to die at his post if necessary. His latest speech only reaffirmed this fact, which everyone already knew, bringing a measure of calm. The danger does not come from the number of troops that have entered the country so far, as this is minimal, or from the planes that have done no more than bomb civilian homes and machine-gun people; the danger lies in how the gringos (in this case, the Yankees) manipulate their stooges at the United Nations, since even the vaguest of declarations would greatly benefit the attackers.
The Yankees have finally dropped the good-guy mask Roosevelt had adopted, and now commit atrocities everywhere. If things reach the extreme where itâs necessary to fight the planes and modern troops sent by the [United] Fruit Company or the United States, then a fight it will be. The peopleâs spirits are very high, and the shameful attacks, along with the lies in the international press, have united even those who are indifferent to the government. There is a real climate of struggle. I have been assigned to the emergency medical services and have also joined the youth brigades to receive military instruction for whatever comes next. I donât think the tide will reach us, although weâll see what happens after the Security Council meets, which I think is tomorrow. At any rate, by the time this letter reaches you, youâll know what to expect in this regard.
For the rest, thereâs nothing much new. As the Argentine embassy is currently not functioning, Iâve received no fresh news since a letter from Beatriz and another of yours last week.
Iâm told that at any minute Iâll get the job at the health department, but the offices have been so busy with the commotion that it seems a little imprudent to hassle them about my little job when theyâre busy with much more important things.
Well, vieja , I hope you had the happiest birthday possible after this troubled year. Iâll send news as soon as I can.
Chau
Today, Saturday, June 26, the minister came by when I had gone to see Hilda; she gave me hell because I wanted to ask him to send me to the front [â¦].
All of Guatemalaâs admirers have taken a terrible, cold shower.
June 20, 1954
Dear vieja ,
This letter will reach you a little after your birthday, which might pass a little uneasily on my account. Let me say thereâs nothing to fear at the moment, but the same cannot be said of the future, although personally I have the feeling that Iâm inviolable (inviolable is not the word, perhaps my subconscious is playing a bad joke on me).
To paint a picture of the situation: For the first time, five or six days ago, a pirate aircraft from Honduras flew over Guatemala, but did nothing. The next day and on successive days they bombed several Guatemalan military installations, and two days ago a plane machine-gunned the lower neighborhoods of the city, killing a two- year-old child. The incident has served to unite all Guatemalans behind their government, and others who, like myself, have been drawn to the country.
Simultaneously, mercenary troops led by an ex-army colonel (dismissed from the army some time ago for treason) left Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, crossed the border, and have now penetrated quite deeply into Guatemalan territory. The government, proceeding with great caution to ensure that the United States cannot declareGuatemala the aggressor, has limited itself to protesting to Tegucigalpa and sending a full report of events to the UN Security Council, allowing the attacking forces to advance far enough that there would be no so-called border incidents. Colonel Ãrbenz certainly has guts; heâs prepared to die at his post if necessary. His latest speech only reaffirmed this fact, which everyone already knew, bringing a measure of calm. The danger does not come from the number of troops that have entered the country so far, as this is minimal, or from the planes that have done no more than bomb civilian homes and machine-gun people; the danger lies in how the gringos (in this case, the Yankees) manipulate their stooges at the United Nations, since even the vaguest of declarations would greatly benefit the attackers.
The Yankees have finally dropped the good-guy mask Roosevelt had adopted, and now commit atrocities everywhere. If things reach the extreme where itâs necessary to fight the planes and modern troops sent by the [United] Fruit Company or the United States, then a fight it will be. The peopleâs spirits are very high, and the shameful attacks, along with the lies in the international press, have united even those who are indifferent to the government. There is a real climate of struggle. I have been assigned to the emergency medical services and have also joined the youth brigades to receive military instruction for whatever comes next. I donât think the tide will reach us, although weâll see what happens after the Security Council meets, which I think is tomorrow. At any rate, by the time this letter reaches you, youâll know what to expect in this regard.
For the rest, thereâs nothing much new. As the Argentine embassy is currently not functioning, Iâve received no fresh news since a letter from Beatriz and another of yours last week.
Iâm told that at any minute Iâll get the job at the health department, but the offices have been so busy with the commotion that it seems a little imprudent to hassle them about my little job when theyâre busy with much more important things.
Well, vieja , I hope you had the happiest birthday possible after this troubled year. Iâll send news as soon as I can.
Chau
Today, Saturday, June 26, the minister came by when I had gone to see Hilda; she gave me hell because I wanted to ask him to send me to the front [â¦].
All of Guatemalaâs admirers have taken a terrible, cold shower.
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