837.00/3310

The Cuban Chargé (Barón) to the Assistant Secretary of State (White)

[Translation]

My Dear Mr. White: I confirm my conversation with you of Friday the 29th, in which I referred to the impression of my Government as it has just been conveyed to me by cable, because of the announcement recently made by the press, of the voyage of General Marío G. Menocal, ex-President of Cuba, on the steamer Lafayette, which left France a few days ago for New York, at which port the vessel is due to arrive about the third of August.

My Government communicates to me that alarm is caused in Cuba by the voyage of General Menocal to this country, who had sought and obtained asylum at the Brazilian Legation at Habana towards the end of May last, and who left the said Legation with the consent of the Government of Cuba on July 2nd with every kind of protection and consideration on the part of the Cuban authorities, when he left on the same day by the steamer Karlsruhe for Europe because the [Page 555] Brazilian Minister at Habana had given assurances to the Secretary of State of my country that General Menocal would remain without returning to America during a period of not less than one year, and that he would abstain from all revolutionary activity—assurances which were based on the word of honor pledged to him spontaneously by General Menocal.

The return of Ex-President Menocal to this continent in the same month during which he left Cuba—which means the breaking of his pledged word—and the declarations which the press has attributed to him since his leaving Habana, in which declarations he has prophesied a revolution in Cuba during the present month which will overthrow the Government of the Republic, convinces the Government that the purpose of the return of General Menocal is no other than that of fomenting the revolution which he prophesies, from which [activities]23 there may arise in the end, conflicts and shedding of blood as occurred in the month of August 1931, at Gibara and at other places, or at the very least, the spreading of alarm and discouragement through the country.

My Government charges me to present to you the foregoing impressions, confident that your Government will take them into consideration for the adoption of the measures which it may deem adapted to prevent the direction and organization of movements and armed expeditions from this country which may disturb the peace of my country.

I avail myself [etc.]

José Baron
  1. Brackets appear in file translation.