715.1715/161: Telegram

The Minister in Nicaragua (Jefferson) to the Secretary of State

18. Department’s June 2, 2 p.m. On investigation I find reports to the Department concerning recent invasion of Honduras by Honduranean rebels from Nicaragua to be exaggerated. It appears that about 50 Honduraneans residing near the Nicaraguan border who were poorly armed banded together and invaded Honduras in the direction of San Marcos de Colón and that they were led by a former official of that place. The principal Honduranean exiles in this country were all in Managua on that day.

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While I do not believe Chamorro had knowledge of that expedition I believe his sympathies are with the Membreño people, also I believe that he has not recently aided the Honduranean exiles. He very much desires that the President of Honduras give a general amnesty to all exiles in order that he may order them sent from here to Honduras. He stated that owing to the extensive area it would be impracticable to police the frontier with less than three or four hundred men and this would be an unjust and unnecessary expense for this Government.

Minister of Honduras to Nicaragua informed me that all of his telegrams to and from Honduras were promptly forwarded and received.

I urged upon the President the necessity of sending from the country any Honduranean exile that disobeyed his concentration orders. I am in close touch with the Honduranean Minister here and shall use my good offices to help him bring about an amicable settlement of the differences between the two Governments.

Jefferson