837.00/3539: Telegram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Welles) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received 5:40 p.m.]
75. My telegram No. 72, June 6, 1 p.m. In accordance with his promise to me, the President last night gave to the press an official declaration covering precisely the points I had suggested. I was afforded the opportunity of revising the text before issuance in order to avoid any possible confusion as to the President’s intent.
In the first section of this declaration the President urged the creation of the position of Vice-President at the earliest possible moment through a transitory reform of the constitution. He declared his determination that the individual to hold this office should be “of high character and impartial” unconnected with political activity and should not be a candidate for any office in the general elections of 1934. In the second section the President stated that it was his determination that in the task of constitutional reform every political party and every independent faction should be given free and ample opportunity to cooperate. In the third and concluding section [of] his declaration the President stated that as soon as Congress has passed the new version of the electoral code which will be drafted by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal upon the recommendations of Professor McBain full and absolute guarantees will be offered so that in accordance with the provisions of that code the existing political parties can reorganize freely and so that “the new political forces representing groups of voters who are not members of the existing political parties” can organize. In this manner the political parties and independent groups will be given the opportunity to present candidates not only in the national elections of 1934 but also in the election of delegates to the Constitutional Convention which will have to approve the reforms of the constitution which are now to be undertaken by the Congress.
A full text of President Machado’s declaration will be sent by mail.
The reaction has been unexpectedly favorable both in the ABC and in the student and intellectual organizations.
I beg to request that a copy of this telegram be sent to the President for his information.