Foreign Relations of the United States, 1949, The United Nations; The Western Hemisphere, Volume II

810.00/10–1949

The Ambassador in Cuba (Butler) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Habana, October 19, 1949.

No. 811

Subject: “General” Juan Rodriguez and others of the Caribbean Legion call at the Embassy. State the Legion no longer exists. Believe Trujillo will fall within 12 months or less, armed attack still under consideration. Ask for U.S. sympathy. Deliver two memoranda.

“General” Juan Rodriguez, Caribbean Legion leader; his son, Dr. Jose Horacio Rodriguez; the manager of the Hotel San Luis, Sr. Cruz Alonsoy Rodriguez and a Sr. Rafael Maceo (of doubtful background) called at the Embassy at 11 a. m. on October 18 at their own request. The conversation lasted about an hour and a half, but much of what they said has already been reported. In brief, they felt that Trujillo would fall within a period of twelve months or less and that a group of responsible persons should be ready to assume the direction of a temporary form of government (a “Junta”) until such time as free elections could be held. The group felt that the man to head such a Junta was one of their own leaders, Sr. Angel Morales (reference Embassy’s despatch No. 702, of September 16, 1949¹). “General” Rodriguez stated that he had no personal aspirations, but gave the impression he expected to be a power behind the throne.

Mr. Crain, who received the group, stated that if they thought Sr. Morales might be the next head of government in Santo Domingo, perhaps they might like to supply the Embassy with a brief biography of Sr. Morales for the Department’s confidential information. This the group agreed to supply. Mr. Crain stated that as far as he was aware Sr. Trujillo was in good health and seemed to be provided with a loyal Army, and inquired as to the basis for their opinion that he would soon fall. They replied that, in fact, Sr. Trujillo was not in good health, but in very poor health; that he had murdered members of practically every family in Santo Domingo; that he was generally hated; that he was beginning to lose political control and that right now one of his men was in Cuba endeavoring to arrange matters so that he and members of Trujillo’s “brain trust” would not be dealt with too harshly when the crash came. They added that the man in question was Sr. Arturo Despradel² (Mr. Bryant of the Embassy,³ who was present at the interview, states that the group suspects Despradel may be a Trujillo spy).

In connection with the statement that the group wanted the sympathy and cooperation of the United States, Mr. Crain stated that the sympathy of the United States for truly democratic governments was too well known to require any additional comment, as was its policy of non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other nations. Mr. Crain added that he would receive them any time they cared to call and that he would transmit to the Department of State any statements they might make. He added that although any material so transmitted would be treated on a confidential basis, the Government of the United States would not be committed in any way. “General” Rodriguez remarked that he understood Mr. Crain could not commit the United States to anything, but what he could not understand was the United States’ tolerance of a hated and bloody dictator when by “just an indication of sympathy to the cause of patriots and believers in democracy, persons who had sacrificed everything in a fight for liberty and decency, the Trujillo regime would collapse like a spent bubble”. Mr. Crain replied that if by tolerance of a regime the General meant recognition of that regime, he should know that United States’ recognition of any government did not carry with it, per se, either approval or disapproval of the government in question. Dr. Rodriguez then indicated they would like the American Embassy in Ciudad Trujillo to spread word in a small way that the United States did not look with complete disfavor on enemies of Trujillo “as was done in the case of Martinez in El Salvador”.⁴

In response to a little prodding, the group stated that the Caribbean Legion no longer existed “except in the persons of those present” and that, as a matter of fact, the term Caribbean Legion was a misnomer applied to it in Costa Rica. “General” Rodriguez declared that the only thing he was interested in was the establishment of a freely-elected government in Santo Domingo, and that he was prepared to sacrifice everything to that end, but that there were no immediate plans for armed attack, although they still had elements available for that purpose.

“General” Rodriguez spoke in favor of President Arévalo of Guatemala who, he said, was a man of the highest principles and completely non-Communist. He said the Cuban and Guatemalan governments were very friendly and that that accounted for the frequent visits such as that of the Cuban Minister of Education recently. He said that events in Central America had no connection with his own plans. (“General” Rodriguez’ remarks about the reason for the frequent trips of prominent persons between Cuba and Guatemala are not believed to be sincere.) Cruz Alonso said that five persons implicated in the attempt to overthrow Arévalo were at his hotel—excepting one who had been wounded. He said these persons could not stay in Guatemala, but were available for service elsewhere.

“General” Rodriguez let his son (who gave a good impression) do most of the talking, but occasionally burst into the conversation, invariably rising to his feet to speak when he could no longer contain his obviously passionate convictions. In spite of this, the “General” also made a good impression. Cruz Alonso appeared to be a smooth but unwashed character who protested the altruistic aims of the group. He gave the impression of being a complete opportunist, as did Sr. Maceo. Maceo, especially, impressed Mr. Crain as being an unsavory and unscrupulous character.

Before their departure, “General” Rodriguez gave Mr. Crain a memorandum entitled “‘The Caribbean Legion’: Its Origin, Demobilization and Principal Causes for the Fantastic Commentaries That Have Been Made Concerning it.” They also presented an eight-page memorandum, written by young Rodriguez, on the relationship between dictatorship and communism and the danger that continued tolerance of the Trujillo Tyranny will breed communism and force Latin America to turn away from the United States. These memoranda are enclosed.⁵

The memorandum concerning the Legion was signed by “General” Juan Rodriguez and recounted the Legion’s activities in Costa Rica and its dissolution there in late 1948. It stated that the fantastic rumors regarding the Legion were propagated by Trujillo, Somoza and Carías⁶ in an effort to discredit a patriotic movement particularly in the United States. It said this was the reason the dictators falsely branded the movement as communistic. The memorandum said that many people in various countries who called themselves Legionnaires were completely unknown to the leaders. It stated that while the Legion did not exist, there did exist a “Movement for the Liberation of the Caribbean” composed of free men of America who loved democracy, liberty and justice, and that it was this movement that Trujillo feared. In the memorandum Rodriguez said he had left Santo Domingo because he did not want to live there “on his knees” indifferent to the tragedy of his country, and that his purpose was to establish a genuinely democratic regime that would return to the Dominican people the rights and liberties of which they had been deprived, and to reestablish respect for life and human dignity.

After the departure of the group, Sr. Maceo returned, saying that they had been “very pleased” with the interview and they planned to hold up any armed expedition in the hope of receiving some word of encouragement from the United States. He said the group had not planned to attack Santo Domingo in any event for at least three months, but that the group fully intended to do so at some time in the future—and had the means with which to carry out the undertaking. Mr. Crain again told Sr. Maceo that there was no reason for the group to expect any word of encouragement from the United States and that the Embassy limited itself to passing on to Washington statements volunteered by the group in question; that, in fact, there was no reason to believe that any reply from Washington would be forthcoming. Mr. Crain told Sr. Maceo that the Rodriguez group should not supply information to the Embassy under the impression that that would result in any favorable action on the part of the United States. On the next day, 19 October, Sr. Maceo telephoned saying the group understood the Embassy’s position perfectly, but that it would nevertheless be back next week for another talk.⁷

Comment—

If the foregoing is taken at face value, it would appear that the Rodriguez group has by no means abandoned plans for another attempt to overthrow Trujillo. The group appeared confident that Trujillo would, in one way or another, be out in from three to six months. Although the group stated it had “elements” for an armed attack, it did not indicate what such elements consisted of, nor does the Embassy have any information on this point.

For the Ambassador:

Earl T. Crain

First Secretary of Embassy

1. Not printed.

2. A marginal note on the source text by Mr. Hauch reads:

   “Former Foreign Minister and member of recent Dom. del. to IAPC hearings on Carib situation”.

3. Robert J. Bryant, vice consul at Habana.
4. For documentation on the overthrow of President Maximiliano Hernández Martinez of El Salvador, see Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. vii, pp. 1087 ff.
5. Not printed.
6. Tiburcio Carías Andino, former President of Honduras.
7. No subsequent report of a conversation similar to that contained in the above document has been found, although the Embassy in Habana did receive several later communications from the Rodriguez group which were transmitted to the Department in despatches No. 841, October 26 (111.20A/10–2649), and No. 897, November 9 (839.00/11–949), neither printed.