ABSTRACT
The Spanish embassy was in an unguarded residence on a suburban street. The violation of international law was so flagrant that it made the Lucas Garcia regime an international pariah. Within Guatemala, the massacre became a powerful symbol for pulling together a broad revolutionary coalition. The San Pablans told a different story. According to a communique in peasant handwriting and grammar addressed to the Guatemalan Workers Federation, the soldiers accused the people of being guerrillas. Television footage shows the violence of the assault, with the security forces smashing through doors and windows. The protesters retreated to the second floor, behind a metal gate blocking the top of the stairs. The Spanish government held it responsible for everything that followed and broke diplomatic relations. Three days after the fire, the burial procession for the occupiers drew thousands of supporters. The Spanish government blamed the Lucas Garcia regime for the death of thirty-nine people.
