Official History of the Bay of Pigs Operation- Volume 2- Part 1

TOP;&CRET
was that a SALA representative arrived in Guatemala
City accompanied by the Costa Rican ambassador. The
two Costa Ricans had then visited various Guatemalan
officials seeking information about a damaged C-46
which DPD anticipated that SALA would be called on
to repair. DPD planned to have the SALA representa-
tive, who had never been cleared by the Agency, visit
the JMADD site. This visit was denied, and, in addi-
tion, Joseph Langan, Chief, WH/4 Security, in his
memorandum on the incident stated:
In view of the fact that relations
between Guatemala and Costa Rica are
apparently in a rather strained state
at this time, these inquiries have re-
sulted in placing the JMADD activities
in an embarrassing situation relative
to the Guatemalan government and in our
dealings with various officials of said
government ... Had the Guatemalan govern-
ment been aware of the need for aircraft
mechanics, this need might possibly have
been filled from within Guatemala and
obviated the necessity for bringing the
SALA Corporation into the JMADD activity
and, as a by-product, considerably re- \
duced the expense of such activities. 26/
The maintenance contract between the Agency and SALA
was never put into force because it got into these
very sensitive political areas. 26a/