123 Donnelly, Walter J.
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. W. Tapley Bennett, Jr., Area Specialist, Division of Central America and Panama Affairs
| Participants: | Sr. Don Francisco de P. Gutiérrez, Ambassador of Costa Rica |
| A–A–Mr. Armour | |
| CPA—Mr. Bennett |
Ambassador Gutiérrez said that he was calling on Mr. Armour to express his Government’s feeling of profound loss at the departure of Ambassador Donnelly from Costa Rica.16 …
. . . . . . .
Ambassador Guitiérrez then launched the conversation into a discussion of the Nicaraguan political situation.…
The Picado administration was determined to cooperate with the other American republics in a common policy. He said, however, that the present non-recognition policy represents great sacrifice and very real danger for Costa Rica. He remarked that there is already disorder in Nicaragua and that internal cleavages are widening, and he predicted that the eventual result is likely to be civil war.
Ambassador Gutiérrez called attention to the common border of the two countries and asserted that civil strife in Nicaragua would inevitably have serious consequences in Costa Rica. He declared that in any armed struggle within Nicaragua the losers would attempt to flee to Costa Rica and that the forces of the stronger side would attempt to cross the border in pursuit. He also stated that there are between 50,000 and 100,000 Nicaraguans in Costa Rica. (Note: The Ambassador’s estimate is substantially larger than the number believed [Page 588] to be correct). … He asserted that all these facts make the question of recognition of the Román Government18 a very serious one for Costa Rica.
Ambassador Gutiérrez remarked that in his opinion the non-recognition policy affects Costa Rica most seriously of any American republic and, after Costa Rica, the United States. He said that he realizes that instability in Nicaragua represents a constant preoccupation for the United States. In that connection, he made reference to previous instances of armed intervention by the United States in Nicaragua and said that he was confident that the United States would not wish to send troops into Nicaragua again. Mr. Armour in his reply to this statement made it clear that such a course would be completely out of the question and that it had not the slightest possibility of being entertained by this Government.
Mr. Armour said that he understood that Mariano Arguello had made certain statements to President Picado concerning a purported discussion with him, Mr. Armour, at Petropolis.19 He said that he was glad to be able to clear up the matter since, in point of fact, he had not talked with Arguello at all during the recent inter-American conference. He remarked that he had received Sevilla Sacasa20 at the latter’s request and had replied to a query of Sevilla regarding a visit by Somoza21 to the United States for medical treatment.…
Mr. Armour inquired as to whether the Costa Rican Government had any suggestions as to steps which might be taken to bring about a solution of the Nicaraguan problem. Ambassador Gutiérrez replied that his Government had no definite plans to suggest but that it merely desired to emphasize the need for an early formula. The Ambassador said that in his opinion most of the other republics are awaiting proposals by the United States. There followed then a discussion of possible means of resolving the situation.
Mr. Armour said that in essence what is needed in Nicaragua is a broadening of the base of the Government to make it truly representative of the nation as a whole and to restore the country’s confidence. … Mr. Armour proposed that one way of restoring confidence would be for all political parties to agree on one man to serve as an impartial successor to Somoza in the Guard. He said that he did not know whether there was such a person but that action of that nature [Page 589] would make possible a broadening of the governmental structure and would, in his opinion, be worthy of the consideration of the other American republics as a positive move on the part of Nicaragua to put its house in order. He emphasized to Ambassador Gutiérrez that no Government is more anxious than the United States to see the matter settled and that we maintain a constant hope that action will be taken in Nicaragua to make a settlement possible.
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- Mr. Donnelly was to serve as Ambassador in Venezuela; the United States Senate confirmed his nomination on December 8, 1947.↩
- Victor Manuel Román y Reyes, had been selected by the Constitutional Assembly as President of Nicaragua, August 15, 1947 (817.00/8–1547).↩
- For documentation on the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Continental Peace and Security, Quitandinha, Brazil, August 15–September 2, 1947, see, pp. 1 ff.↩
- Guillermo Sevilla Sacasa, Nicaraguan Ambassador in the United States.↩
- Gen. Anastasio Somoza Garcia, former President of Nicaragua; at this time head of the National Guard.↩