839.00/3355: Telegram
The Minister in the Dominican Republic (Curtis) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 7:06 p.m.]
35. Last night Trujillo and Estrella were formally proposed as the candidates of the Coalition, but the latter, although he had given his consent, has already asked Brache to withdraw his name. Last evening the presidents of the Senate and of the Chamber of Deputies, at the invitation of the President, went to the Presidential Mansion where soldiers sent by Trujillo confiscated the revolvers of their chauffeurs, [Page 718] although the latter showed permits signed by the President himself.
This noon I had a very frank and long interview with the President who admitted that the General was dominating him and preventing him from promising real results from the army during the election with the result that these could not possibly be fair. The President asked me to make it publicly known that the Government of the United States would not recognize Trujillo as President in view of the agreement reached through the mediation of the Legation which ended the revolution and he pointed out that any opposition on his part to Trujillo’s candidacy would be ascribed by the latter to self-interest.
Unless we can eliminate [Trujillo?], a revolution by or against Trujillo is certain. This cannot be accomplished by the President. Will the Department make any statement on the subject or authorize the Legation to do so? Prompt reply urgently requested.