Office of the Historian

817.00/8485: Telegram

The Minister in Nicaragua (Long) to the Secretary of State

Managua, June 9, 1936—4 p.m.
[Received 10:35 p.m.]

165. Referring to my telegram No. 164, June 9, 3 p.m.,81 there follows my understanding of the legal basis of the new Government.

Doctors Sacasa and Espinosa resigned the offices of President and Vice President. Doctor Sacasa deposited the Executive powers with the Minister Gobernación as provided for in article 107 of the Constitution, when he understood that the Vice President would not accept the office.

In accordance with article 84 of the Constitution, Congress each year must elect a First and Second Designate who are to occupy the Presidency or Vice Presidency in the order of their election. Today the Congress elected Doctor of Medicine Carlos Brenes Jarquin, a member of the House of Deputies as First Designate.

This morning the Congress received from the Minister of Gobernación the Executive powers and bestowed them upon the First Designate, as implied in articles 106 and 107. Apparently Dr. Brenes Jarquin’s accession to the Presidency of Nicaragua is legal, unless we wish to go into the causes which impelled the President and Vice President to resign. Thus far there does not seem to be any faction of Nicaraguan public life to question the legality of the present proceedings. However, it is said that the conservative members of Congress stated this morning that their vote was given to further peaceful solution of present problems but that from now on they desired to [Page 841] be known as the party on the opposition and to reserve the right to name a candidate in the Presidential elections.

Tomorrow we will doubtless receive a note advising us of today’s congressional action, which will probably call for a reply.

Luis Manuel DeBayle has just advised the Legation that he will be the new Minister for Foreign Affairs. Other members are understood to be Roman Gonzales, Fomento; Jose Benito Ramirez, Hacienda; Jeronimo Ramirez Brown, Gobernación; Colonel Rigoberto [Reyes?], Minister of War; Dr. Roberto Gonzalez, Hygiene.

Long
  1. Not printed.↩