816.00 Revolutions/39: Telegram
The Minister in El Salvador (Curtis) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 12—2:16 a.m.]
115. My 113, December 8, 1 p.m. The only additional information of any value I have been able to obtain is the following:
[Page 194]Arrieta Rossi told me that on the night of December 2 General Martínez was fired upon as he approached the artillery barracks and was held in close custody throughout that night. Of course, this comes from a source strongly prejudiced in favor of Martínez. An observer said … that it was the original intention of the young organizers of the revolution to shoot General Martínez because he stood in their way as constitutional Vice President. I believe this informant to be wholly reliable and I consider the information to be of value because General Claramount certainly still has Presidential ambitions and cannot be suspected of any desire to strengthen the position of General Martínez. The same person also said that a young lawyer … (if desired, I can obtain his name), stated that he had been consulted by a number of young officers who were friends of his and had advised them to follow constitutional forms by putting General Martínez into the Presidency as their puppet. I should add that before I left for the artillery barracks on the morning of December 3 I was told over the telephone from there that the revolutionists proposed to make José Maria Peralta Lagos President.
All other information obtained with regard to the participation of General Martínez has been of one of three kinds:
- 1.
- Absolutely favorable to General Martínez from his friends and adherents.
- 2.
- Absolutely unfavorable from the few friends of Señor Araujo.
- 3.
- Usually culpatory from persons who, when pressed, admitted that they had no real first-hand knowledge but only hearsay evidence. I believe that he is entitled to a verdict of not guilty of participation in the revolution.
El Salvador is entirely quiet. Practically all of the business and responsible elements exhibit satisfaction, and even pleasure, at the departure of Señor Araujo and confidence in the new government, although without exception all express anxiety for the dissolution of the Military Directorate. The number of dissatisfied in labor circles appears to be extremely small. The press, in order to alienate Araujo’s remaining adherents, has made much of Araujo’s alleged appeal to the Department of State to return him to the Presidency.