Guatemala apologized before for the unsuccessful invasion of Cuba.

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom (Alvaro Colom) formally apologized to Cubans for the fact that in 1961, his country served as a base for the preparation of the invasion on Cuba, also known as the landing of the Gulf of pigs, transmits Associated Press .

Speaking at the University of Havana, Alvaro said that apologizes to the Cuban people, as the head of Guatemala and the Guatemalan Army Chief. "We have not participated in the intervention, but it was prepared in our territory", - said Colom.

In the 1960-61 year in Guatemala, the CIA trained about 1500 people, mostly living in Miami of Cuban immigrants, who were then merged into a brigade of 2506. April 17, 1961, they landed in Cuba in the Gulf of Pigs to overthrow Castro's Communist power.

The main fighting took place near the village of Playa Girón. Desant was broken. Around 100 people were killed and 1,000 taken prisoner by the Cuban army. Calculations of the fact that the invasion would lead to a revolt in Cuba itself has not been realized.

U.S. not ventured to use his own army to support the troops because of the rigid position taken by the USSR. Later, the U.S. bought captives in Cuba by paying, according to some sources, 62 million dollars.