835.00/1453: Telegram

The Ambassador in Argentina (Armour) to the Secretary of State

1214. Following is the substance of a statement made to Tombeur, the Paraguayan Secretary acting as liaison between the American [Page 368] Chiefs of Mission and the revolutionary chiefs this evening by Rawson in a private conversation he and Ramírez had with Tombeur.

“With regard to internal policy we have declared from the beginning and maintain, that we are resolved to fulfill our words with facts, that is that we are soldiers of the Constitution and of the laws for the violated sanctity of which we have gone into action. This is a clearly Argentine situation which manifests itself by means of the Armed Forces. We are not and cannot be Fascists nor Leftists. We are clearly democratic and are resolved to limit ourselves entirely to the mandates of our political charter.”

(There follows a list of the new Government.)

“With respect to foreign policy we are convinced and resolved that we shall extend the generous and frank hand to the inter-countries of America in an ample gesture of solidarity and fraternity. We shall fulfill the international pacts rigneb [sic] (emphatic) and also those of Río de Janeiro10 which have not been respected either in their spirit or their letter. You can say that any other information is apocryphal and frankly tendentious, which is criminal, and as a result damages the reputation of this Government and the country. For the rest, I cannot be denying everyone of the irresponsible pieces of information that are carried to the foreign Embassies. What we have said, General Ramírez and I myself, last night does not change in 24 hours. Civilians may make speeches and sign treaties and then not fulfill them. We know what we want and as it seems have other ethics.

The first part of this statement (referring to the sheet carrying the alleged statement of the Casa Rosada Secretary to the press that closest relations were desired with the American countries but that the foreign policy would not be changed) interprets clearly what I am repeating but without the special mention of the United States since I respect equally all the sister peoples of America. As for the second part, you can see it does not jibe with the first. How can it be exact if we are reacting precisely against that (isolationism). Naturally we shall not adopt an extreme measure at once, since many are the interests engaged. Furthermore neither Washington nor Río de Janeiro seeks that we embark on that now (Tombeur uncertain whether this alludes to breaking relations). But it is certain that it is this Government’s decision to stop past errors and strengthen our solidarity with America more and more. We are not disposed to continue this policy of incomprehension, the policy of isolation. Have the goodness once again to make very clear and in definite form, what I have just said.[”]

At this moment the General terminated the conversation and took up the telephone for a call from Washington from a person whose identity Tombeur said he did not know (around 6:30 p.m. Washington time).

The impression Tombeur gave of the two Generals’ position is that they feel they must go slowly at first so as not to offend elements [Page 369] among their supporters who may not be in accord with their projected foreign policy i.e. Nationalists unfriendly to the United States or United Nations, but that when they become firmly established they will be able to impose their will.

Armour
  1. For the resolutions of the Third Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the American Republics, held at Río de Janeiro, January 15–28, 1942, see Department of State Bulletin, February 7, 1942, pp. 117 ff.; for correspondence concerning this meeting, see Foreign Relations, 1942, vol. v, pp. 6 ff.