740.0011 European War 1939/27297: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Botoers) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 21—3:32 a.m.]
131. President Ríos in a nation wide radio hookup at 7 p.m. today announced to the Chilean public his decision to break relations with the Axis countries. The full text of his address is being sent by airgram.
He analyzed at length the various inter-American accords of solidarity and mutual defense, stating it was clearly the moral duty of Chile to proceed to the step of severing diplomatic relations with the Axis countries. He insisted that while moral reasons impelled Chile to such action the only definite juridical obligation was that of according status of non-belligerency to the United States, Mexico and Brazil which had been done.
[Page 803]There was a direct intimation that, morally, rupture of relations should have immediately followed the attack on Pearl Harbor although he pointed out that the Habana declaration of mutual assistance18 called only for consultative action following an act of aggression.
An important part of Ríos’ address was devoted to the defense of Chile’s delay in breaking relations with [the Axis] which he asserted was due to the necessity of obtaining national unity for such a step and difficult in view of Chile’s internal problems and the violent partisan emotions aroused by the war. While asserting Chile’s entire devotion to the democratic principles and assuring that it would always remain a free country, the speech contained no direct attack on totalitarian ideology or governments and included a paragraph stating that the action of the Chilean Government in breaking relations was not against the peoples of the three powers who had contributed greatly to the development and growth of Chile. He also announced that he would combat any violence or persecution of the persons or property of individuals who hold different beliefs than those which impelled him to take this step of severance of relations.
There was also an indirect reference to Argentina in his statement, namely his firm determination to maintain the most cordial relations with all the sister American Republics “whatever be the course” of their foreign policies.
The address ended with an appeal for national support, unity and willingness to accept sacrifices.
Attention Under Secretary and Duggan.
- The declaration was made at the Second Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the American Republics July 21–30, 1940. For correspondence regarding the meeting, see Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. v, pp. 180 ff. For text of the declaration, see Department of State Bulletin, August 24, 1940, p. 136.↩