859.113/12–447: Telegram
The Chargé in Brazil (Key) to the Secretary of State
1671. Deptel 458 November 24.8 Foreign Minister confirmed to me last night that Brazil had recently sold arms to Dominican Republic. These consisted of about 10,000 old German rifles and a few other [Page 133] items. He explained that at first Brazil had hesitated to sell these weapons but it had been decided that since US had furnished Trujillo with modern arms there was no valid reason why Brazil should refrain from disposing of a limited amount of obsolete German equipment for which it had no further use in view of modern equipment procured from US during world war. An unexpected development however had been that Cuban Ambassador9 had intervened with request that contracts be cancelled on grounds that Trujillo’s true purpose in acquiring arms was in order to smuggle them into Cuba for purpose of fomenting trouble against present regime. Fernandes commented that Cuban Ambassador’s intervention was too late; contracts had been entered into sometime past, payments had been made and some deliveries effected. It was not feasible to cancel transaction at this late date especially as Trujillo’s yacht was on its way here to pick up remaining arms. Furthermore he doubted whether Trujillo’s purpose was that portrayed by Cuban Ambassador; Trujillo had a certain number of enemies and it was only logical, especially after abortive attempted Cuban filibustering expedition, that he should wish to be in a position to defend himself. Anyhow the transportation and smuggling into Cuba of this equipment with possible exception of the rifles would present certain difficulties. Fernandes made no mention of Venezuelan objections to arms sales.
Immediately preceding my talk with Foreign Minister Cuban Ambassador discussed same matter with me. He estimated transaction involved between 10,000 and 12,000 rifles, 350 machine guns, 75 mortars and other equipment. He was convinced Trujillo’s purpose was to smuggle these weapons into the eastern areas of Cuba in order to foment a revolution. In reply to my query whether arms might constitute threat against some other country, say Venezuela, Ambassador emphatically declared that because of distances involved and Dominican Republic’s lack of transport only Cuba was threatened. Smuggling of arms into Cuba could easily be accomplished by small craft in 6 or 7 hours of darkness. Ambassador claimed sale had been consummated by Brazilian general, unnamed, who had personally greatly profited thereby.
Comment: This may explain general lack of knowledge of transaction by those who would ordinarily be informed. (See Embtel 1642 November 28 and Embtel 1653 December 2.10) Ambassador anticipated arrival of Trujillo’s yacht at any moment.
Sent Department as 1671; repeated Habana, Caracas, Ciudad Trujillo.