817.00/5200: Telegram
The Chargé in Nicaragua (Munro) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10:30 p.m.]
381. In the elections for Senator and Deputy held in the Department of Esteli on September 4th, November 20th and November 27th, the Liberals were unquestionably successful by a majority of more [Page 388] than 100 votes. In the canvass conducted by the departmental electoral board, however, the number of votes for the Conservative candidates was increased by exactly 100 in each of two precincts in spite of the fact that marines had been present and had watched the original count of the votes on election day. Furthermore, 17 Conservative, but no Liberal, votes were counted from one precinct where marines were present and saw that no voting took place.
After a careful investigation I called these facts to the attention of the Government and pointed out the very bad impression which would be created if the credentials fraudulently issued by the departmental board should be approved by the Conservative majority in Congress. Nevertheless the Congress with only a perfunctory investigation admitted the Conservative Senator and Deputy.
This is the first time in recent months where either party has openly disregarded a recommendation insistently made by the Legation. The President is still ill but I have explained to the Minister for Foreign Affairs the very bad impression which the action of the Conservative majority in Congress would create and have indicated that I would be unable to continue the very informal efforts which I have been making to dissuade the Supreme Court from disqualifying the Conservative ticket and giving the municipal government to the Liberal Party in Granada. I shall use the incident as an argument for insisting upon the immediate passage of the new electoral law.
It would be helpful if the Department would explain frankly to the Nicaraguan Minister that actions of this nature necessarily diminish confidence in the Nicaraguan Government’s ability to comply with its promises of fair treatment to both parties and give color to assertions made by the enemies of the administration that the Conservative majority in Congress will seek to obstruct measures deemed necessary for the full execution of the Stimson agreement. It may be impossible legally and it is probably unadvisable as a matter of policy to attempt to compel the Congress to reverse its decision but it is desirable to make the Conservative leaders feel that improper action by themselves or their followers will react unfavorably upon their party.