File No. 812.00/15473.
The Brazilian Minister to Mexico to the Secretary of State.
Mexico City, July 18, 1915—9 a.m.
677. Rather surprisingly, General Gonzalez and his forces, including the civil and military authorities lately appointed by him, have again evacuated the city and its surroundings. City Council has again assumed local government and appointed new chief of police. Mexican Herald says that 6,000 men were left here to maintain order, which seems not to be true. The pretext given in the press for leaving is the necessity of retaking Pachuca to prevent the union with the Zapatists of a column coming from the north to help them.
Gonzalez has advised as follows:
In view of the fact that the enemy recently expelled from this city has been committing outrages which cause uneasiness to its inhabitants, and wishing to find a remedy for such evils, I have decided to leave this city for a few days and go out personally to combat the enemy. In the meantime civil and military authority as well as sufficient garrison are left in the city and surroundings in order to afford proper protection to the people.
Paul Gonzalez.
Be that as it may, the truth is that we are every day further away from the end of our troubles and sufferings. Railway traffic with Vera Cruz is larger [sic] since yesterday and probably the cable will suffer the same fate again. Now the money question is worse than ever because no money is accepted by anybody and the conditions of life become really impossible. From all this and what you perfectly know besides, you may see that nothing good is to be expected. I really consider the situation hopeless in the true sense of the word.