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Finca Ixobel The Finca Ixobel has a rather interesting history - one that involves the CIA, politics, murder, eggs, the Guatemalan military, the owner of Finca Ixobel, land rights, the United States, a young girl, Russia, a machete, the railroad, communism and bananas. You cannot see the connection between these? Well, this story is compiled from a couple of books, various rumors, some hearsay and from one somewhat knowledgeable local. I am only repeating what we learned - I place my disclaimer here (hence the use of gray print). Once upon a time, there was a monopoly called the United Fruit Company. This company was a result of the Boston Fruit Company of the United States seeing bananas go from introduction to the U.S. in 1870 to 16 million bunches being eaten annually by 1898. The Boston Fruit Company merged with a Central American railroad baron to form the United Fruit Company. Their aim was to own and cultivate large areas of Central American land and to provide large harvests of bananas that the railroad baron, who controlled virtually all the railroads in Central America, would then carry to the coast for shipment to the U.S. The United Fruit Company purchased substantial amounts of land for extremely low prices (some say the land was undeveloped jungle and others say the land was being used by indigenous peoples that were forced off). The company became the largest employer in Central America and eventually effectively controlled all of Guatemala's international commerce, banana or otherwise. The company was very well invested by United States' Senators as well as other rich and powerful U.S. citizens, thus inspiring the U.S. to keep a close look out for the company's interests. In 1944, a military coup opened the door for Guatemala's first-ever free election and the subsequent presidents looked to break up the larger estates. The new leadership wanted the United Fruit Company to make more equitable tax payments to the Guatemalan government and also the government started to expropriate the vast unused lands and redistribute to the peasants. The United States government (and the invested high-ranking officials) caught wind of the pressures being placed on the United Fruit Company and were convinced that Guatemala was turning communist. The political climate in 1954 was such that communism sparked an irrational fear and as a result, the CIA planned and successfully executed an invasion from Honduras and forced the Guatemalan president into exile. In his place, a more United Fruit Company-friendly president was installed and a military dictatorship resumed. As the years passed, the U.S. Department of Justice acknowledged the strength of the monopoly and brought suit against the United Fruit Company. This action, along with a merger in the 1960's, eventually weakened the company and it sold all of its remaining land in Guatemala to the Del Monte Corporation. As the years continued to pass, military dictatorships came and went and free elections were delayed by half a century - only recently has Guatemala participated in their first free elections. The United States continued to send financial support to the Guatemalan military to oppose what it perceived as a communist threat because Russia was lending its financial and weaponry support to the Guatemalan guerillas. Russia removed their support but the U.S. still (how do we say this kindly) "influenced" the higher officials of the Guatemalan military. There were occasions in history that the U.S. threatened to and did actually remove their assistance, but the money would flow again and again. Now, to connect the dots to Michael Devine, owner of the Finca Ixobel. The story has it that apparently, Michael Devine was an ex-CIA employee of some high rank. He moved outside of Poptun, Guatemala some 35 years ago and purchased the 400-acre Finca Ixobel. Mr. Devine followed his "contacts" into the CIA and around 1990, explained to the U.S. that Russia had removed their support long ago and that there was no need for the U.S. to continue to financially contribute to the Guatemalan military (and its high ranking officials). As a result, the U.S. withdrew its financial support of the Guatemalan military. Within a short time of the U.S. withdrawing this support, several Guatemalan men, one identified as a General in the Guatemalan Army, kidnapped Michael Devine from outside his finca where he was selling eggs with a young lady (we were told she was our informant's 12 year-old sister). Mr. Devine was brought back to the finca yet tragically, his body was separated from his head by use of a machete. His young egg-selling assistant was given asylum in the U.S. where she was a protected witness. Carole Devine, Michael's widow, still owns and runs the Finca Ixobel and it feels as though the surrounding farms and people protect and support this Finca. So there you have it. Truth? Lies? Conjecture? Exaggeration? Elaboration? Myth? Whatever it is, it is a fascinating tidbit of the area's history. When you see the immense tracts of land dedicated to bananas, one has to wonder where the financial investment support came from and what blood was spilled to gain this wealth.
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