837.00/3021: Telegram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Guggenheim) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:30 p.m.]
64. My despatch No. 596, March 17, and telegram No. 63, March 30, last paragraph.14 Upon being assured by President Machado personally that he would agree to the Cortina plan including some curtailment of congressional terms of office, I gave Mendieta an interview at the request of the latter. Mendieta asked me to influence President Machado to resign and suggested that new elections be held in November 1931. I replied that the first suggestion was impossible and the second impractical, and I urged reconsideration of the Cortina plan. After further discussions between Government and opposition, which continued for several days, negotiations have been reopened by Cortina and some headway is being made. If the negotiations fail, it is proposed to execute the reforms anyway and to secure the support of the press, leading citizens, and the public. A joint meeting is now planned with Vazquez Bello15 representing the Liberals, Cortina representing the Populars, and representatives of Conservatives, of Menocal, and of Union Nacionalista.