Office of the Historian

711C.02/11–153: Telegram

The United States Representative at the United Nations (Lodge) to the Department of State

restricted
priority
New York, November 1, 1953—6 p.m.

Delga 201. Re Puerto Rico. Request Department consider approaching immediately Caracas and Mexico City urging their full support UN resolution favorable full measure self-government achieved by Puerto Rico.

Talks with Venezuelans reveal they are divided within their delegation as to who shall be voting and how they shall vote and have indicated they must await instructions. During two hour talk with Rivas, fourth committee representative, he was unwilling to focus on Puerto Rican item, but rather upon British show of force and revocation Guiana constitution, and his allegation Trinidad and Jamaica Communistic.

Talk of similar length with Espinosa, Mexican representative, who is friendly, mild, and new to fourth committee, reveals he is gratified by Puerto Rican strides, but has serene notion that this development so interesting fourth committee should not be deprived continued reporting.

Maximum approach might be US Government would fail to understand anything other than favorable vote in view democratic expressions will Puerto Rican people.

Efforts among Latin American delegations to draft and co-sponsor favorable resolution encountering difficulties because of rivalries among themselves. Peru will not co-sponsor with Ecuador, but would be a co-sponsor with Brazil. Attempt being made to bring Ecuador and Peru together.1

[Page 1454]

Suggest Montevideo might also be approached because Uruguayan delegation divided on issue.

Lodge

  1. In the Fourth Committee on Nov. 2 the Soviet Union, Guatemala, and Mexico opposed the cessation of reporting information on Puerto Rico (New York telegram Delga 208, Nov. 3, 12:25 a.m., not printed, file 310.5/11–353 (daily unclassified summary)).

    On Nov. 3, a resolution (L. 300) considering that Chapter XI of the Charter was no longer applicable to Puerto Rico and that it was appropriate for information to cease, was circulated in the Fourth Committee by seven Latin American delegations; for text, see infra. (New York telegram Delga 216, Nov. 4, 12:36 a.m., not printed, file 310.5/11–453 (daily unclassified summary))

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