721.23/1045: Telegram
The Minister in Colombia (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:55 p.m.]
28. Department’s 18, February 6, 5 p.m. Olaya agrees to renew acceptance (as in my telegram No. 24 February 4, 3 p.m.,) but insists that he must bring boats except Mosquera into Putumayo and Caquetá (troops aboard could be returned to Florencia and Neiva from there if health required it) with orders not to molest Peruvian garrisons. He said he would not last 48 hours if he left all boats in Brazil.
He added Vasquez is about to leave; therefore, he must have Peruvian reply by tomorrow night. On my suggesting Thursday he agreed.
I hope that the Department realizes grave responsibility Olaya is assuming by going counter to advice of his advisers and that he runs risk thereby. The two principal leaders of the liberal party and a conservative candidate for the presidency in 1930 are in agreement on insistence on original Brazilian formula. Their advice is not capricious going as it does against their personal interests (they stand to lose politically if Vasquez becomes military hero). I must emphasize my telegram No. 9, January 9, 6 p.m.
With reference to the second paragraph of Department’s 18, Mello Franco5 on February 3d informed Colombian Minister at Rio that he had instructed Brazilian Minister at Lima to inform Peruvian Government orally he had terminated efforts at mediation.
- Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩