File No. 722.2315/588.
The American Minister to Argentina to the Secretary of State.
Buenos Aires, June 5, 1913.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs today requested the Brazilian Minister and myself to come to the Foreign Office, where he said that the Ecuadorian Minister at Santiago had made the following statement to the Argentine Minister there:
Since the defeat suffered by a Peruvian force attacked by Jíbaros [Indians], Peru has entered into military occupation of Morona, violating by this act the status quo of 1910.
The Government of Ecuador has protested energetically, requesting the recall of the Peruvian troops.
The Peruvian Government in reply requests that the solution of this incident be submitted to the Mediators.
[Page 1150]The attack of the Jíbaros took place in territory not disputed by Peru,1 and it is an established and proven fact that it was provoked by Peruvian soldiers who pillaged the Jíbaros cabins and violated women.
The Ecuadorian Government wishes to know whether the Mediators are resolved upon requiring from Peru respect for the status quo of 1910, for otherwise if Peru shows herself irreducible Ecuador will appeal to force of arms, declining all responsibility for what may happen to Peru.
Doctor Bosch added that he thought the three Powers should study the matter, and desired your views. I request instructions.
- Compare with point 1 of the statement of the Peruvian Chargé d’Affaires as reported by Mr. Bingham in his despatch of May 9, ante.↩