Jacobo Arbenz

Arbenz enacted Decree 900, an agrarian reform law that redistributed uncultivated land from large estates to landless peasants. The law targeted the United Fruit Company's holdings, leading to conflict with U.S. corporate interests and the U.S. government.

Arbenz's government expropriated over 400,000 acres of uncultivated land from the United Fruit Company, offering compensation based on the company's declared tax value. This action intensified U.S. opposition and was a key factor in the decision to overthrow him.

The CIA orchestrated Operation PBSUCCESS, a covert operation that overthrew Arbenz. The coup involved propaganda, a small invasion force led by Carlos Castillo Armas, and psychological warfare. Arbenz resigned on June 27, 1954, and went into exile.