612.325/5–846
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Mexican Affairs (Ray)27
The attached memorandum giving the history of the importation of Zebu cattle into Mexico illustrates clearly the consistent and forceful attitude which the Department has maintained in the matter.
The attitude of the American Embassy, México, D. F., and of Ambassador Messersmith is reported in the following despatches: no. 26866, October 17, 1945; no. 26949, October 21, 1945; no. 26882, October 23, 1945; no. 29023, March 30, 1946; no. 29313, April 30, 1946; no. 29357, May 8, 1946.28 The Ambassador repeatedly expressed his concern to the Mexican authorities about the shipments of Zebu cattle, but favored their being permitted to land on Sacrificios Island. He also pressed strongly in the above-mentioned despatches, for the establishment by this Government of an international quarantine station.29
I understand from Mr. Braden and from Mr. Acheson30 that when the question arose of the importation of Brazilian Zebu bulls into Mexico and the Department, in cooperation with the Bureau of Animal Industry of the Department of Agriculture, instructed our Embassy to protest to the Mexican Government and point out that such [Page 1049] importations constituted a violation of our sanitary treaty with Mexico,31 Ambassador Messersmith telephoned both Mr. Braden and Mr. Acheson urging that we make no protest.
- Addressed to the Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs (Braden) and to the Director of the Office of American Republic Affairs (Briggs).↩
- None printed.↩
- For Joint Resolution 364 (Public Law 522) to provide for the establishment of an international animal quarantine station on Swan Island, approved July 24, 1946. see 60 Stat. 633.↩
- Dean Acheson, Under Secretary of State.↩
- The Convention of March 16, 1928, between the Government of the United States and the Government of Mexico on safeguarding livestock interests through the prevention of infectious and contagious diseases; for text of Convention, see Foreign Relations, 1928, vol. iii, p. 317.↩
- A press statement of December 27 explained the imperative need for such action as defense against the spread of foot-and-mouth disease to cattle in the United States; this country as well as Mexico and Central America had been kept free of the disease since 1929. This statement was issued in response to a recommendation by Ambassador Thurston who anticipated that the embargo would have serious economic as well as political repercussions in Mexico, since that time of the year was the usual peak of movement of Mexican cattle into the United States for grazing and later feeding and it was estimated that usually nearly half a million cattle a year came into the United States from Mexico in this movement.↩