832.852/48: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:19 p.m.]
5530. Department’s 4043, December 23, midnight.51 President Vargas now says that he is willing to let us have the ITA ships. However, a number of his high officials, including Souza Costa, are opposing this: They say that Brazil cannot spare those ships at this time. Aranha says that is true but he is in favor of letting us have them anyway, as a distinctly war measure.
Aranha is to discuss the whole matter this afternoon with the President and especially what the President will ask from us if he definitely decides to let us have the ITA’s.
- Not printed.↩