710 Conference W and PW/2–1345: Telegram
The Chargé in El Salvador (Gade) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:05 p.m.]
51. From Simmons.73 Carlos Menéndez Castro, probably now the principal adviser of Osmin Aguirre,74 has just informed a member of the Embassy staff as follows regarding the present attitude of the Aguirre government with respect to naming delegates for the Mexico City Conference:
That at Aguirre’s request, Menéndez Castro called on Aguirre Saturday afternoon February 10 and advised that he should not name delegates for the Mexico City Conference until he had first received an invitation to the conference: That otherwise if Aguirre named delegates and subsequently for one reason or another did not receive an invitation, Aguirre and his government would be seriously embarrassed. That the invitations for the conference should be directed either to Aguirre’s government or to Aguirre and Castañeda jointly, and in either event, it was imperative that at least one of the delegates should be a full representative of Aguirre and his government so that in case any question arose at the conference regarding Aguirre or his régime, Aguirre could be fully represented and defended by his own representative. Menéndez Castro added that Aguirre had told him that he would abide by these suggestions.
The above information doubtless explains the change in Aguirre’s attitude as shown in my telegram No. 50, February 12 noon75 and furnishes a key to his present line of reasoning.
Sol has postponed giving names of delegates but now talks about furnishing them late today. [Simmons.]