837.00/4298: Telegram
The Ambassador in Cuba (Welles) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:10 p.m.]
410. After 36 hours of continuous negotiations as the result of which a detailed program was drawn up by common accord between the Directors of the Nationalist and A. B. C. parties with the agreement and support of Batista for a Provisional Government headed by Mendieta, the latter late last night went back on the assurances he had [Page 502] given the leaders of his own party and the leaders of the A. B. C. and refused to accept the Provisional Presidency. His refusal is due primarily to his fear that Batista cannot control the Army and that he himself, as he puts it, would merely be Batista’s prisoner. He has likewise been influenced to refuse the Presidency by certain members of his own party who do not wish him to injure his chances for the constitutional term during which their own personal interests would be better served. The leaders of the A. B. C. and many of the leaders of his own party are highly indignant at his refusal and the attitude he has now adopted makes it improbable that the A. B. C. will consent to a fusion with the Unión Nacionalistas.
Under these conditions, in view of the extreme gravity of the situation here and the very definite possibility that the general strike which is scheduled for tomorrow will give rise to a communistic movement, the extent of which is as yet incalculable, I have urged the adoption of the plan proposed by Fernando Ortiz providing for the retention at least temporarily of Grau San Martín as President with a completely new Cabinet composed in accordance with the desire of the main opposition parties and with a council of state or legislative assembly having control over all Presidential decrees and having the capacity to reject Presidential appointments and composed like the Cabinet of individuals selected by common accord between all of the opposition parties, as the only remaining solution that shows any signs of becoming successful.
In conferences last night with leaders of the Nationalist and A. B. C. parties I expressed to them this point of view and ascertained that they would be willing to consent to such a plan in preference to no plan at all and a probable complete breakdown of the government; they are meeting this morning and this afternoon with Ortiz, who is acting as intermediary between them, and Grau San Martín and I am inclined to believe that a final agreement on this basis can be arrived at before tomorrow. Grau San Martín stated to Ortiz last night that he would agree to any Cabinet and any legislative assembly, requesting only that the present incumbents in the Treasury and Labor Departments be retained.
The former, Despaigne, is acceptable to the opposition; the latter, Giraudy, is not.