834.00/897
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Duggan)
At my request the Paraguayan Minister called. I told the Minister that several of the new cabinet members were not known well to the Department and that I would appreciate anything he would care to say regarding the new Government.
Señor Busk Codas stated that he knew well and favorably the new President, Dr. Paiva, and Doctors Cecilio Baez, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Argaña, the new Minister of Public Instruction. The first two, Dr. Paiva and Dr. Baez, are of considerable experience in government but have been retired from political life for some time. He thought that they would probably give the tone to the administration and if his belief is correct the Government will be decidedly conservative. The only objection to Drs. Paiva and Baez would be their age. The other men in the Cabinet who Señor Busk Codas knows, have good reputations.
Señor Busk Codas stated that Dr. Paiva followed the opposition to Dr. Ayala at the time the split in the Liberal Party occurred in 1923. He is married to a sister of ex-President Schaerer. The Minister doubted, however, whether this fact meant that the new government [Page 734] would be opposed to Dr. Ayala and his faction, because Dr. Paiva has been out of politics for so many years.
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