818.00/3–2248: Circular telegram

The Secretary of State to Diplomatic Representatives in the American Republics

confidential
us urgent

You are requested inform Govt to which you are accredited that this Govt has received info fr Gen Somoza that he is planning to send by air 1000 troops of Nicaraguan Guardia Nacional to San José to assist Costa Rican govt. In view time element involved which has not permitted prior consultation with other American republics, US Chargé at Managua has been instructed inform Somoza unofficially our deep concern over intervention by any foreign govt in Costa Rican internal affairs and our feeling that such intervention is particularly regrettable on eve Bogotá Conference.1

Pls express to govt to which you accredited hope of US govt that they will take such action as they deem advisable, and as may be appropriate under present circumstances in which many of other American republics do not recognize Nicaraguan de facto regime.

Following recent charge by Costa Rican Govt that Guatemalan arms have been found in possession of opposition group, US Govt has instructed US Amb at Guatemala to request from Guat Govt statement its position.2 Guatemalan Govt is understood to have denied directly to Costa Rican Govt that it has engaged in any such intervention.

Marshall
  1. Ninth International Conference of American States, Bogotá, Colombia, March 30–May 2, 1948; for documentation on this subject, see pp. 1 ff.
  2. In telegram 162, March 24, 11 a. m., not printed, Ambassador Kyle stated that President Arévalo had told him the previous evening that although he personally sympathized with the Figueres movement in the belief that democracy had been corrupted by the Picado regime, his Government’s policy was that of neutrality and non-intervention (818.00/3–2448).