RED TORTURE IS EXPOSED
UATEMALANS have been flocking to their churches Ilia to thank God for the end of the fighting and for I iberation from Communist-inspired police terror.
But there has been considerable weeping mixed with the prayers of thanksgiving.
As the bulging jails opened to free the victims of Communist
terror, friends and relatives discovered that many had paid with torture and death for their opposition to Communism.
The city mortuary held more then 60 bodies that had been bruised, beaten arid broken some beyond recognition under the system of police "interrogation."
Many of the victims were machinegunned while standing in front of their graves and then were covered with earth while still alive.
More than 200 in Guatemala City alone met this fate.
Each day new ditches are uncovered, revealing more tortured corpses. The majority of the victims were workers and peasants.
Archbishop safe
The tortures and "interrogations" were carried on principally by foreign Communists. More than 1.000 of these victims were freed when the jails opened.
One who survived the ordeal was Juan Alberto Rosales, director of Action Social Cristiana. He had been arrested some weeks ago and was still suffering from the effects of maltreatment when the jails were opened.
The war ended officially in Guatemala with an agreement signed beltveen the insurgent chief, Colonel Carlos Castillo Armes, and the head of the Provisional Government, Colonel Monzon.
Standing by to help in the negotiations was the Papal Nuncio to Guatemala and El Salvador, Archbishop Verolino. The Archbishop remained in Guatemala City during the hectic days of the former Red -tainted regime. He was Charge d'Affaires of the Papal Internunciature in Prague in 1949 when the Reds seized the Gotfernment there.
Archbishop Rossell of Guatemala, one of the most outspoken foes of Communism in the country, is safe. He told friends that he had lone through great danger and anguish," but "thanks to the good Lord, we came out all right. Gad deigned to take care of us.
'True peace
As soon as the fighting was over the Archbishop issued a pastoral letter urging the people and the new Government leaders to work for a "true peace based on social justice."
At the same time he sent a message to Colonel Armes congratulating him on initiating the downfall of Communism in Guatemala,
The Church, through Catholic Action, is providing clothing, money and medicine for the peasants and workers who have now been freed from prison.
It is also helping the widows and orphans of those killed by the Reds throughout the country.