731.39/2–248: Circular airgram
The Secretary of State to Certain Consular Officers 1
Recurrent tension between the Governments of Venezuela and the Dominican Republic which dates from the Venezuelan revolution of October 1945 is again on the increase. Each Government has made confidential [Page 164] communications to the Department also press statements alleging hostile intentions and preparations for aggression by the other Government. Each has cited recent arms acquisitions of the other, alleged to be in excess of normal defense requirements. Both Governments are believed to be genuinely afraid of aggression in the near future but have no definite idea of the form it might take. The Venezuelan Government fears that assistance might be sent from abroad to a revolution which it believes is being prepared within the country, indications of which have been made in several reports from Embassy Caracas. The Dominican Republic fears attack in a form similar to that of the abortive expedition last summer from Cayo Confites, Cuba.2 Other foreign countries have been named as possible bases by one Government or the other, including Haiti, Colombia and Guatemala. Our missions in these countries have been advised of these rumors but so far have reported nothing of note.
You are requested to report any information which may come to your attention pertaining to this situation, including the activities of “exiles” from any of the Caribbean countries within your district; all extraordinary visits of their vessels or airplanes; and references to this subject by persons in your district. …
- Sent to the consular officers at Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Curaçao, Georgetown, Grenada, Kingston, Martinique, Paramaribo, and Port-of-Spain.↩
- For documentation on this subject, see Foreign Relations, 1947, vol. viii, pp. 643 ff.↩