321.1154 United Fruit Company/1: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Colombia (Piles)
12. The Department is today informed by the representative of the United Fruit Company that this firm is experiencing certain difficulties with the Government of Colombia with regard to the Company’s irrigation projects in that country, due to a resolution recently issued by the Minister of Industry which prohibits the Company from taking water from certain rivers. Acting in accordance with this resolution the Land Commissioner is said to have entered upon the land of the Company and to have destroyed certain property. The Company states that it has been pressing for a judicial termination of the matters in controversy and feels that this action on the part of the Government of Colombia is unwarranted.
The Department understands that you are thoroughly familiar with the case and that you have unofficially endeavored to bring about a satisfactory settlement thereof.
The Department desires you to discuss this matter again informally with the appropriate authorities and if you find the facts in the case to be substantially as set forth above you are instructed officially to request the Colombian Government to postpone further action in the matter until the controversy can be judicially determined upon its merits.