835.00/2–1546: Telegram
The Chargé in Argentina (Cabot) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 16—12:54 a.m.]
498. Headlines across front page Epoca February 14 read “Perón accuses: Mr. Braden was chief of an organization of spies against Latin America”. Then follows interview of Perón by Epoca director from which following are translated extracts:
“I can affirm that everything said about me personally (referring to Blue Book) is inexact. Even more: I publicly invite Mr. Braden to present corresponding proofs.
We are in position to tell Braden something terrific: that here in Argentina he was head of a vast espionage net not confined to Argentina, but to all South America.”
Interview then referred to “expulsion” of General Lang66 because of “proven espionage injurious to Argentina and other friendly countries” as an episode and left impression that “real offenses”, of which War Ministry has documentary proofs, are serious and legion. “We do not need to look for proofs in Europe, we have them at home.”
Following paragraph is translated in full:
“If I wished, like Mr. Braden, to make airy accusations, I might also, although with better foundation than he, tell very interesting [Page 214] things. I might say that Mr. Braden financed his political campaigns in our country with money obtained by means of extortion from Argentine merchants. The Black List served from [for?] this. There with Braden was a Mr. Griffith, Commercial Counselor,67 who was concerned with fixing the sums which Argentine merchants and industrialists had to pay to be removed from the Black List. This activity, if I were to speak as Mr. Braden speaks, was a source of income which enabled him to carry on his subversive work without cost, appearing in the eyes of his servants as being generous and well-paying.”
He then stated that whereas he can prove all he said in his address concerning paternity of certain political enterprises, Braden can prove none of things attributed to him (Perón). He then referred to “Braden’s famous phrase, heard by many Argentine ears, that ‘with free elections or without free elections, Perón shall not be President. I say so,’” which he called key to whole subject.
“Lamentably for Mr. Braden, the Argentine people do not believe with him.”