Operation Kugown

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Operation Kugown relied on the media to inform the Guatemalan people on the extent to which communism had infiltrated Guatemala. This was largely derived from the documents seized by the PBHistory team. The analyzed documents were then translated into Spanish and distributed throughout Guatemala. Furthermore, the minister of propaganda in Guatemala held a press conference to discuss the findings of the Comite, which were actually the findings of the PBHistory team. Operation Kugown had three primary objectives. The first objective was to use the documents seized by the PBhistory in order to inform the Guatemalan people on the extent to which communism had infiltrated their country. The second objective was to publicize this to Latin America and the rest of the world. The last object was to solidify the position of the Comite de Defensa Nacional contra el Communismo within the Guatemalan government. It was believed that with status the Comite could continue to track the movements of communists and prevent and further communist intervention within the region. Numerous press kits were realized to the local and international press. Understandably, the local press coverage was extensive. However, the International press failed to pick up many of the stories and the events in Guatemala were largely ignored. As indicated in the CIA summary of the operation, the “results of the third objective were considered eminently satisfactory. In all releases it was stressed that the comite not only was chasing communists, but was also looking for the documentation that reward valiant anti-communists. It was also emphasized that the Comite was working on the record of Red penetration for the benefit of future threats in the Americas, etc.”^[1]

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