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The Chargé in Nicaragua ( Hanna ) to the Secretary of State

No. 1189

Sir: Referring to my despatch No. 1179 of October 4, 1929,41 transmitting a decree declaring martial law in the Department of Chontales, I have the honor to report that the latest act of the Executive in the Department of Chontales, according to local newspapers, has been to remove the municipal governments in the towns of Boaco, San José de los Remates, Acoyapa, San Pedro de Lóvago, Comalapa, La [Page 603] Libertad, Santo Domingo and San Lorenzo, all in the Department of Chontales, and replace them with Local Boards (Juntas Locales) made up of Liberal citizens.

This act of the Executive Power has of course given rise to bitter criticism by the Conservative press which links this circumstance up with the series of political arrests which have lately been made and states that the latter were carried out merely to give the Government an excuse to remove the Conservative Municipal Governments of Chontales and replace them by Liberal Boards. The Conservatives point this out as an example of the extreme to which President Moncada will go to influence the coming municipal elections in Nicaragua.

I have [etc.]

Matthew E. Hanna
  1. Not printed.