How did the Central Intelligence Agency become involved in the 1954 overthrow of Guatemala’s government?

In 1954, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) orchestrated the overthrow of the Guatemalan government under President Jacobo Árbenz through a covert operation known as Operation PBSUCCESS.123

The intervention was driven by U.S. concerns over Árbenz’s agrarian reform program, which sought to redistribute unused land—including significant holdings owned by the U.S.-based United Fruit Company—to landless workers. Although Árbenz was not a communist, U.S. officials viewed his policies and his government's relations with the communist bloc as a threat to American economic interests and regional stability during the Cold War.12

Authorized by President Dwight Eisenhower, the CIA’s campaign utilized psychological warfare, economic pressure, and the support of a rebel force led by Carlos Castillo Armas. By exaggerating the size of the invading force, the CIA successfully panicked the capital and undermined the Guatemalan military's support for Árbenz. Facing this pressure, Árbenz resigned and went into exile, allowing the CIA to install Castillo Armas, who subsequently reversed the previous administration's social and economic reforms.123