817.00/5782: Telegram
The Minister in Nicaragua (Eberhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8 p.m.]
263. Upon returning to Managua50 General McCoy made it clear that he would not act privately as an arbiter between the two Conservative factions but that any action taken would be as president of the National Board of Elections and in cooperation [with] the two other members of the board. He has let it be known to the National Board of Elections that he is not bound by any specific instructions from the Department but is free to take whatever steps seem most conducive to the holding of a completely free and satisfactory election.
On June 21st letters were addressed by the secretary of the National Board to representatives of both Conservative factions acknowledging communications already received from them and asking that any further statements, oral or written, be submitted to the National Board on June 25th, 26th and 27th. The written statements have been submitted and oral statements are now being made by representatives of each side before the National Board and in the presence of representatives of the other faction. It has been made clear that the purpose of these proceedings is simply to give each side a full opportunity to state its position and that it is not necessarily to be [Page 499] assumed that the National Board [will] base its decision on these representations or will attempt to decide between them.
General McCoy has as yet reached no definite decision but is endeavoring to find a safe solution, bearing in mind his conversations with the Department and the dangers involved in permitting the election to be thrown into Congress.
- General McCoy arrived in Managua on June 17.↩