816.00 Revolutions/24: Telegram
The Minister in El Salvador (Curtis) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:33 p.m.]
106. Arrieta Rossi and Colonel Valdes have just brought me the text of a decree by General Martínez as constitutional Vice President of which the following is a summary.
[Page 175]Whereas, the President has left the territory of the Republic without leave of the legislative power and without there being any war, thus violating article 92 of the constitution, therefore in accordance with article 81 of the constitution I now assume the Presidency of the Republic and appoint as Minister of War Colonel Joaquín Valdes; Under-Secretary of War Colonel José A. Menendez; Minister of the Interior General Salvador Castaneda Castro; Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs in chargé Doctor Arturo Ramon Avila; Under-Secretary of Finance et cetera in chargé Engineer Pedro Salvador Fonseca; Under-Secretary of Public Instruction Doctor Benjamin Orozco. All other appointments remain unchanged for the present. This was signed last night in the artillery barracks. My callers stated that the Military Directorate by its own vote goes out of existence upon the publication of this decree which takes place today.