33. Editorial Note
According to minutes of the Secretary’s Staff meeting of June 16, Assistant Secretary Holland discussed the situation in Guatemala as follows:
“Mr. Holland was quite encouraged over the present situation with respect to US aid to Guatemala. The Department had asked for an increase of $9 million in current aid over the previously requested $5 million for Guatemala and the Senate has just agreed to this increase. With respect to the Inter-American highway program, Mr. Holland said that the House Appropriations Committee had recently passed a bill authorizing an expenditure of $25 million over a three year period, which is in addition to the $8 million expenditure they had previously approved. He was of the opinion that the three year highway bill would go through and indicated that this would be of particular assistance to Guatemala because it is expected that one-third of the money for the highway will be spent in that country. Mr. Holland also reported that President Armas’ principal political opponent was planning to take a long vacation and expected to leave the country in the near future.” (Department of State, Secretary’s Staff Meetings: Lot 63 D 75)