822.01/84: Telegram
The Minister in Colombia (Dawson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:17 p.m.]
56. Department’s telegram No. 29, October 29, 3 p.m.10 The following very confidential information has been obtained this morning [Page 476] from the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Some days ago the Papal Nuncio in Quito suggested to the Colombian Minister that Colombia and the Vatican join in extending formal recognition to the new regime. The purpose of this suggestion was apparently to counteract opposition in Ecuadoran radical circles to the recent modus vivendi between the Vatican and Ecuador the negotiation of which was supported by Colombia with a view to improving its position as respects the revision of its own concordat since the Vatican could hardly refuse to Colombia concessions made to Ecuador. Under date of October 26 the Colombian Government instructed its Minister in Quito that while neither formal nor joint recognition was contemplated he was authorized to extend de facto recognition by continuing normal relations with the Ecuadoran Foreign Office. He was further authorized to inform General Enriquez that Colombia would view with satisfaction the continuation of Ecuador’s friendly relations with the church as provided for in the recent modus vivendi. As respects the outlook for the new regime the Minister for Foreign Affairs said that on the whole his impression is favorable and that according to his information General Enriquez was as Minister of War the real power in the former regime, that he seeks for his new government a broader basis of popular support by enlisting the cooperation of the various parties instead of relying entirely on the army and that barring untoward contingencies such a regime should offer better prospects of stability than the previous one.
- See footnote 9, above.↩