811.20 Defense (M) Bolivia/1376: Telegram

The Chargé in Bolivia (Woodward) to the Secretary of State

732. Eduardo Arze Quiroga Acting Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Junta asked to talk with me informally and unofficially. He told me Baldivieso44 is very much concerned about the pressure that is being put upon the Junta by the Argentine Embassy to permit the exportation of quinine sulphate to Argentina. Arze said the Junta has no desire to permit the exportation of quinine and cinchona bark to any country other than the United States but that the pressure has become so strong from Argentina under the present circumstances in which Argentina has recognized the Junta that he hopes there may be some possibility that an agreement in some form may be concluded with our Government so that the Argentine Government can be informed that the Junta is obligated to deliver all quinine and bark to the United States. At the same time Arze indicated that the Junta could not defend before the producers an agreement which did not provide them with some reciprocal advantages. I told Arze that I would repeat his comments to my Government. (Arze digressed on the theme that there is little fundamental friendliness between Bolivia and Argentina because Bolivians generally consider Argentina responsible for their defeat in the Chaco war.) Perhaps as a method of attempting to persuade me that he was not trying to use quinine in pressing for recognition Arze said that he was not at all optimistic that the United States would recognize the Bolivian Junta until after the inauguration of a constitutional president.

Woodward
  1. Presumably Enrique Baldivieso, who appears to have been designated at this time to succeed José Tamayo as Minister for Foreign Affairs.