Operation PBSuccess
Approximately 20 Delegates - Single Delegate
Welcome to Operation PBSuccess! Set in 1954 at the height of the Cold War, this committee confronts Guatemala’s struggle to preserve sovereignty amid revolutionary reform and foreign intervention. President Jacobo Árbenz’s land reforms have angered powerful elites and alarmed the United States, prompting the CIA-backed Operation PBSuccess to threaten his government. Delegates must defend Guatemala’s independence while navigating intense domestic divisions and global pressures from both anti-communist and leftist forces. Every decision delegates make carries tradeoffs between reform, stability, and survival, as leaders balance moral conviction with political realism. The outcome of this crisis committee will determine not only Guatemala’s fate but also the future of democracy and self-determination across Latin America.
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to ILMUNC XLII’s Crisis Committee: Operation PBSUCCESS. My name is Justin Yip, and I will be serving as the Chair of this Presidential Cabinet.
It is 1954, and Guatemala stands at a crossroads. President Jacobo Árbenz has embarked on a bold agenda of land reform, modernization, and national sovereignty. Yet, these reforms have drawn the scrutiny of powerful foreign interests, most notably the United Fruit Company and elements within the United States government. As rumors of CIA foul play swirl and whispers of foreign subversion grow louder, the threat of a coup looms large, and the very future of Guatemalan democracy hangs in the balance.
As trusted members of President Árbenz’s inner circle, you will be tasked with safeguarding the stability of the nation and guiding the President through these turbulent times. You must balance the competing demands of the military, labor unions, peasant organizations, and business elites while defending against shadowy foreign interference. Hard choices will confront you: compromise with outside powers or risk isolation, crack down on dissent or preserve democracy, preserve your ideals or sacrifice them for survival. Beware, internal rivalries, distrust, and double agents may prove just as dangerous as any external enemy.
A bit about myself: I am a current Junior at the University of Pennsylvania pursuing a B.A. in Health and Societies with minors in Healthcare Management and Data Science. Outside of being a senior staffer for ILMUNC, I am the President of Penn Common Cents, a Consultant Project Lead with the Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club, and a member of the Penn Ski team. In my free time, I enjoy restaurant hunting, backpacking, cooking, and playing soccer.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or the other members of this committee. We look forward to meeting all of you.
Justin Yip
Chair | Council of the Guatemalan Government | Crisis: Operation PBSUCCESS
yippy@sas.upenn.edu
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to Operation PBSuccess! I hope you are ready for an intense and thought-provoking few days as we dive into one of the most pivotal (and controversial) episodes of the Cold War. My name is Mudit, and as your Chair I look forward to guiding you through the high-stakes political drama of the Guatemalan government during the 1954 CIA-backed coup.
For those curious, I’m a junior at Penn in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences studying Computer Science. This is my second time staffing ILMUNC and also second time in a crisis committee. I grew up in South Florida and competed on my school’s travel Model UN team starting in 2021. I attended ILMUNC in 2023, where I represented a delegate in a World War I Crisis Committee about the Paris Peace Conference. Outside of ILMUNC, I’m a Wide Receiver on Penn’s Sprint Football Team and a Penn Abroad Leader.
By 1954, President Jacobo Árbenz’s progressive land reforms had alarmed U.S. officials and the United Fruit Company, prompting the CIA to launch Operation PBSuccess to overthrow the Guatemalan government. Propaganda campaigns, covert paramilitary forces, and psychological warfare all converged to destabilize the nation. As members of the Guatemalan government, you will face the challenge of preserving sovereignty and stability while balancing political ambitions, foreign pressure, and the threat of internal dissent. Every decision you make could shift the balance of power in Central America and shape the future of democracy in the region.
Justin and I cannot wait to work with all of you to make this weekend both memorable and exciting. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the committee or anything else I can help you with. The fate of Guatemala—and perhaps the hemisphere—rests in your hands.
Best of luck,
Mudit Marwaha
Chair, PBSuccess
muditm@seas.upenn.edu
