817.00/5066: Telegram
The Chargé in Nicaragua (Munro) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:55 p.m.]
277. Elections were not held on September 4th in many precincts where they should have been held. In the Department of Esteli where many districts were still disturbed by bandit operations, the precincts where no votes were cast are so numerous that the Congress will apparently be justified in rejecting the Liberal Senators and Deputies unless supplementary elections are held. On the east coast there was apparently no effort to hold an election for a Deputy from the District of Prinzapolca. A Senator for the Department of Bluefields should also have been elected as the senatorial election last year was held only in the city of Bluefields and not in the rest of the Department.
At the request of the Liberals therefore I have pointed out to the President the necessity for holding supplementary elections at the earliest possible date in order that there may be a full representation especially from the Liberal departments in the next Congress. He has promised to call such elections after consultation with the National Electoral Board.
There was also no voting in a few cantons in the Departments of Leon and Chinandega but I do not think that it will be necessary to complete the elections there if the administration can give assurances that there will be no question of the legality of the elections already held.