815.00/3779: Telegram
The Minister in Guatemala (Geissler) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 30—12:40 p.m.]
62. Department’s telegram number 42, June 27, 2 p.m., arrived this morning.
About June 18th the Minister of Honduras informed the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala that the Government of Honduras desired Ferrera to remain in Guatemala for the time being—see telegram from Tegucigalpa, June 16th, 5 p.m.27
Yesterday Minister Lainez gave me a copy of note dated June 27th, in which he requests that Ferrera and five others “leave the territory of Guatemala because of their carrying on in this capital their revolutionary activities against Honduras;” that they leave by way of San José de Guatemala for Panama and that the Government of Honduras gives assurances that it will not exercise jurisdiction for the removal of those persons from the ship in which they make that journey to Panama by way of Amapala.
It will be observed that the note does not make privilege to pass through Amapala contingent upon expulsion as did the note of June 8th (see Legation’s telegram June 15, 3 pm),27 but it seems that Tegucigalpa still wants an order of expulsion or deportation and preferably at the instance of the United States.
The Department says28 that under the Constitution of Guatemala Ferrera as a Central American cannot be legally expelled (see page 5 of despatch number 912–G June 16th).27
It appears that some members of the Cabinet are strongly against expulsion and the issuance of an order would I am told perhaps result in court proceedings.
[Page 334]Any advantage which might accrue to Tegucigalpa through having an order of expulsion procured under existing circumstances through the medium of the United States even though it be done unofficially would in my judgment be offset by adverse psychological effects and also harmful here and elsewhere to the United States and also harmful to the Government of Honduras.
It would seem to be more appropriate to continue the Department’s policy outlined in its telegram of May 29th, 5 p.m.
I shall today make unofficial inquiry as to action which Guatemala intends to take in view of the above-mentioned note.
If circumstances suggest it I shall subsequently unless otherwise instructed inquire what steps the Government of Guatemala has taken to effectively terminate Ferrera’s activities. Repeated to Tegucigalpa.