The telegram proposes a black propaganda operation to undermine support for the Guatemalan government. It suggests arranging for a photo of a Soviet submarine off the Pacific coast of Guatemala and "discovering" Soviet arms caches near the submarine's alleged location. This would give a pretext for the Guatemalan government to possess arms and claim they were delivered by secret Soviet flight. The operation could then be carried out to embarrass the Guatemalan government or counter their propaganda victories.

1. 5/22/2020 Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Guatemala - Office of the Historian
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54Guat/d102 1/2
FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1952–1954, GUATEMALA
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102. Telegram From Operation PBSUCCESS Headquarters in Florida to the Central Intelligence
Agency1
[place not declassi ed], February 19, 1954, 1857Z.
616. Suggest KUGOWN black diversionary operation:
DIR 389842
indicates Martinez going Czechoslovakia.
Miami Herald 19 Feb reprints La Prensa 18 Feb Mexico U.P. stating WSBURNT getting Soviet arms thru medium Czech Finca owner and that arms to be landed from
Soviet submarines.
Suggest HQs arrange with RQM search graphics register for photo Soviet sub (or what could pass for Soviet sub) lying close inshore: photo should be poor lacking
detail and credibly taken by amateur with box camera from KMFLUSH Paci c coast.
Pivall would give photo to [name not declassi ed] suggesting following course:
Pivall and one trusted aid take truckload black ight arms and cache on Paci c coast;
[name not declassi ed] “discover” submarine photo and public press;
[name not declassi ed] order investigation coastal areas thus leading to discovery Soviet arms cache and further press publicity.
After photo in hands [name not declassi ed] and arms cached, operation could be frozen for utmost use. One use would be to complete operation in advance of
enemy strategem to embarrass PBPRIME. Another use would be to complete operation within few hours after enemy propaganda victory. Further value is that once
completed, operation would give pretext for [name not declassi ed] possession satellite arms delivered by black- ight.
1. Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Job 79-01025A, Box 52, Folder 3. Con dential; Routine; RYBAT; PBSUCCESS.↩
2. Not found.↩
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2. 5/22/2020 Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Guatemala - Office of the Historian
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54Guat/d102 2/2