814.01/11–344: Telegram
The Chargé in Bolivia (McLaughlin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 7:30 p.m.]
1864. ReDept’s circular October 31, 9 p.m. Bolivia is an adherent to the Estrada doctrine42 and because of its experience during nonrecognition its policy is to immediately recognize a government established by revolution, provided it exercises an effective control.
Chacón43 informed me that Bolivia intends to recognize the new Government of Guatemala before the middle of next week. He mentioned Wednesday. He assumes that that will give the United States and other American Republics ample opportunity to exchange views and arrive at their decision which he anticipates will be that of recognition. I asked him if he cared to time his recognition with ours in the event we recognize. He replied that would be inconsistent with their position and with the fact that they do not subscribe to the practice of exchanging views on such matters. He added, however, that if we desired he would time his recognition 24 or 48 hours in advance of the date that we might set in the event the American Republics decided to recognize Guatemala simultaneously. He said that if there had been some indication of Nazi influence in the recent Guatemalan revolution that while he would not consult with the other republics on recognition, Bolivia would study the situation with unusual care from a viewpoint of hemisphere solidarity and would probably have sent a special representative to Guatemala to make a thorough investigation.
With respect to El Salvador he states that the situation is not sufficiently clarified to determine if there is a de facto government capable [Page 1151] of carrying on. If and when such a government clearly emerges 1 believe that his position will be identical with that assumed as to Guatemala.
- Doctrine concerning governmental recognition set forth by Mexican Minister for Foreign Affairs Genaro Estrada, in 1930; see American Journal of International Law, vol. xxv (1931), pp. 719–723; see also Instituto Americano de Derecho y Legislación Comparada, La Doctrina Estrada (Mexico, 1930).↩
- Gustavo Chacón, Minister of Economy, was Minister for Foreign Affairs ad interim at this time.↩