815.00/2624: Telegram
The Minister in Honduras (Morales) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:40 p.m.]
63. Doctor Arias informed me last evening that Carlos Lagos and Zuniga Huete called upon him yesterday afternoon and requested that he withdraw from the campaign in favor of Zuniga Huete. Lagos stated that all the expenses heretofore incurred by Arias would be returned and [omission?] any position that he desired in the new government, also numerous appointments for his friends. Arias raised the objection to Bonilla’s imposition, but Lagos told him that the Government would withdraw its support and the imposition would cease for Bonilla and favor the Lagos candidate. Arias referred to the Department’s attitude as manifested by its telegram of June 30, 3 p.m. Referring to article 2 Lagos and Zuniga Huete stated that this could be overcome by having the interested parties sign an agreement covering points they intended to violate which in the next Congress would be offered as a modification when the Treaty of Peace and Amity would be considered. Lagos and Zuniga Huete further stated that the Department’s attitude as expressed in the telegram could be looked upon as a bluff.
Bonilla also confirmed the fact that Lagos would foist a candidate of his selection. He is concerned over the possible loss of the Government’s support.
In its issue of July 9th, the Government newspaper in an editorial referring to article 2 declared “that compulsion of the government is not an alteration of the constitutional order.”