824.00/957
Memorandum by the Assistant Chief of the Division of the American Republics (Briggs)
The Bolivian Minister called this afternoon on instructions from his Government to state that the Quintanilla administration did not represent “a continuation of the dictatorship of General Busch”. Dr. Guachalla pointed out that Señor Baldivieso, the Vice President under Señor Busch, had not assumed the Provisional Presidency and that the new Government desired to return to constitutional procedure “at an early date”. The Minister said that no date had been indicated but he assumed this would mean “two or three months”. The Minister continued by stating that his Government desired to continue the very friendly and cordial relations at present existing with the Government of the United States.
I thanked Dr. Guachalla for his Government’s courtesy in conveying the foregoing message and told him that it was equally our desire to continue close relations with his Government. I gathered from the Minister’s attitude that he was relieved to find that no question of recognition had arisen.
The Minister then mentioned the reappointment of Dr. Ostria Gutierrez as Minister of Foreign Affairs and said that to his personal knowledge the Minister was very desirous of reaching a solution of the oil controversy. I agreed that the continued existence of this controversy represented a cloud on the horizon of our relations and expressed the hope that every effort would be made in the direction of an early solution.