File No. 818.00/514
The Minister in Honduras ( Jones) to the Secretary of State
Sir: Referring to my urgent cable of the 26th instant, 11 a.m., I have the honor to inform you that on the morning of the 26th instant Dr. Rafael Alvarado Guerrero, the private secretary to President Bertrand, called at the Legation and informed me of the request made by President Chamorro, through his Chargé d’Affaires to Honduras, General Evaristo Enriquez, for the cooperation on the [Page 269] part of Honduras in a revolutionary movement, led by Costa Ricans resident in Nicaragua, and supported by President Chamorro, with the view of deposing the Tinocos. The President’s private secretary was extremely careful to make it absolute clear that President Bertrand had taken no action whatsoever in the matter, and that he would do nothing until he had heard from the Legation whether the United States Government would tolerate such a movement, if it were in possession of the facts in the case; he did not ask if the United States would advise or approve, but tolerate such movement. He professed ignorance as to the party to be named for the presidency in the event of the movement being successful, and stated that Honduras had no private or other interests in any special candidate, being willing to act entirely in accordance with the wishes of the United States Government.
In this connection, I refer the Department to the Legation’s despatch No. 731 of June 24 last,1 in which it was reported that Dr. Salvador Guerrero Montalvan, Nicaraguan Minister on a special mission, had arrived here, his mission being to enlist the support and cooperation of the other Central American states to bring pressure to bear on Tinoco in order that he may give up the presidency. It will be remembered that the arrival of Dr. Guerrero Montalvan marked the first steps of the late Nicaraguan-Honduran boundary dispute, and the request of Nicaragua that President Bertrand permit armed men, whether Nicaraguans or Costa Ricans under Nicaraguan officers, or vice versa, to pass through Honduran territory en route to Port Limon, is something that needs more explanation than Doctor Alvarado was able to furnish. It is hardly conceivable that, without some ulterior motives, Nicaragua would request permission for armed men to pass through Honduran territory en route to Port Limon, since the entrance into Costa Rican territory from Nicaragua is ever so much easier, besides occupying less time.
I am awaiting the Department’s instructions, as well as information from the Legation in Managua, in order to communicate with President Bertrand, but it would seem to me that the Department’s special attention ought to be invited to the interest displayed by Nicaragua in the Tinoco case, especially so since President Bertrand was advised that whether Honduras joined in the movement or not it would be carried on, there having been ample money and men already provided.
I have [etc.]
P. S. Dr. Guerrero Montalvan is still in San Salvador, but the Legation has been advised that he has abandoned his efforts of enlisting the assistance and support of Salvador in forcing Tinoco to resign. His prolonged stay there might well be that he is attempting to enlist the same kind of cooperation from Salvador as that requested from Honduras which is reported above.
- Not printed.↩