OPERATIONAL - ESSENCE ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00914615
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: February 10, 2020
• Case Number: F-2019-01185
• Publication Date: December 23, 1953

Approved for Release: 2020/02/05 C00914615
CAF
AIR
OTICAL RBIEW PROGRAM
REESEINFU
Chief, MID
20
ormation
Chief of Station, Guatemala
Operational
ESSENCE Activities
References: 1) HGG-A-529
2) HGG-A-512
3
HGG -A -582
DEC 23 1953
1. The following paragraphs contain additional information rearding
ESSENCE activities which took place subsequent to those reported
in reference 1):
a. Organizational and unification activity has been furthered by
ESSENCE sub-agents who have been sent to provincial towns for
the purpose of contacting local-anti-Communist groups. Such
groups are encouraged to cooperate with the ESSENCE group and
are offered propaanda support materials for local distribution.
Sub-agents from provincial areas are also invited to visit
ESSENCE headquarters ror instructions, consulation, coordination,
etc.
b. Small quantities of the publication referred to in reference 2)
are being sent to provincial anti-Communist groups who are told
to sell them and keep the proceeds to finance local anti-Communis
activity.
c. On 9 December 1953 HEDIGER reported that the British Legation
had offered to give the principal overt unit ::)f the ESSENCE group
certain materials for propaganda purposes. It is known that
the British have in the past furnished such materials to local
anti-Communist groups. Although it may not be possible for
overt ESSENCE group members to plausibly reject this proffered
aid, HEDIGZR has been told to take security precautions in order
to conceal the clandestine aspects of our relations with the
ESSENCE group. ESSENCE himself will not become personally in-
volved in this matter.
In connection with the foregoing incident, HEDIGER stated that
the ESSENCE group member who received the offer of aid was pre-
sented with a card to be used in contacting "a woman employee
of the Legation." This card was subsequently obtained from
ESSENCE by HEDIGER and is retained in station files. The person
named therein is a Guatemalan employee of the British Legation
who. is apparently identical with the identity cited in GIN 816
and GUAT 817.
1.994,
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COPYTiation
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eage 2
d. On 8 December 1953 HEDIGER onfirmed newspaper reports that
ESSENCE group members had apprehended one of several pseudo-
anti-Communists who have been collecting funds "for the national
campaign against Communise under false pretenses. HEDIGER
stated that this individual was "kicked about" and presumably
convinced that he should find another way of making a living.
e. On 18 November 1953 HEDIGER was asked to comment on the utility
of the various types of KMFORGET materials channeled to ESSENCE
units through him. Several comments from HEDIGER's reply follow
for the interested Headquarters office: press clippings in the
Spanish languae.e and cartoons in Spanish or English are highly
(desirable; posters, leaflets, etc. from other stations or Head-
quarters that can be adapted for local use are very helpful;
anti-Guatemalan materials from any source, items exposing
Russian plots in Latin America, articles describing the miserable
aspects of life in the USSR, and humorous anti-Communist materiall
are most useful. Anti-Peron material has little use here.
The second issue of the publication discussed in HG-A-512 and
HGG-A-513 appeared on 12 December 1953 and a copy has been trans-
mitted to Headquarters under separate cover.
g. On 25 November 1953 HEDIGER reported that ESSENCE members are
preparing personalized articles designed to attack local
Communist personalities. Each article will contain selected
biographic data regarding the personality concerned. The com-
pleted articles are to be sent to Honduras for publication in
the CEIWIE bulletin. HEDIGER suggested that the station might
like to provide certain biographic data for use in these articles
but it was decided not to do so in view of the fact that we are
currently sending such data to Headquarters for exploitation and
release through other channels may create a security hazard.
22 December 1953
GLT/Cmh
Distribution:
3-Wash
George L. Tranger
Approved for Release: 2020/02/05 C00914615