Question

How did Guatemalan policy most affect U.S. interests?

Guatemala had a large American expatriate community.
U.S. companies owned a large proportion of Guatemala’s land.
Guatemala had vast oil reserves desired by U.S. companies.
The United States feared Guatemalan influence in El Salvador.

Answer 1

U.S. companies owned a large proportion of Guatemala’s land.

Explanation: Land reform under President Jacobo Árbenz threatened holdings of U.S. firms—most notably the United Fruit Company—so Washington intervened (1954 coup) partly to protect U.S. business interests and to prevent perceived communist influence linked to those reforms.