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  3. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–10, Documents on American Republics, 1969–1972
  4. Document 37

37. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President Nixon1 2

Washington, April 28, 1971
[Page 1]

SUBJECT:

  • South American Portion of the Pan American Highway

In response to your request for information on the status of the South American portion of the Pan American Highway system, I requested a report from the State Department, which is at Tab A. The report points out that the South American portion of the Pan American Highway is not simply a single road or even a single route. It is in fact a network of roads which have, for one reason or another, been designated by the governments of the countries concerned as constituting part of the Pan American Highway system. These roads vary in quality, ranging from super highways near some of the major cities to some roads passable only in dry weather. However, the average road in the system is two-lane and usable in all weather. Hence, with the exception of the Darien Gap, it is now possible to drive on 11,000 miles of all-weather roads, of which 10,000 miles are paved, from the border between the United States and Mexico to southern Argentina, and to reach all the capitals of Latin America.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 798, Country Files, Latin America, Latin America General, Vol. IV, January–June 1971. Confidential. Sent for information. Nixon wrote on the top of the memorandum: “K—State really has no enthusiasm for roads. They want the money for welfare projects—I want to change the emphasis.” At the bottom of the memorandum, Nixon wrote, “H—tell K and Scali I know all this—1) But what are we doing to get symbolic credit for RN’s leadership on this since his visit to Central America in 1955? 2) And on substance let’s get a plan for a road all the way—.” Nixon circled the word “average” in the penultimate sentence and wrote in the margin: “a dodge of my question.” Nixon also wrote in the margin next to this sentence, which he underlined, “Our goal is a road usable year round—from NY to the tip of S.A. [South America].” Tab A, undated, is attached but not published.↩
  2. Kissinger summarized a Department of State report on the status of the Pan American Highway.↩