Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, American Republics: Central and South America, Volume VII

460. Memorandum of a Conversation, Department of State, Washington, March 28, 1957¹

Washington, March 28, 1957

SUBJECT

• Religious Problem in Colombia

PARTICIPANTS

• Dr. Francisco Urrutia Holguin, Colombian Ambassador
• Dr. Ricardo Anaya, Minister Counselor of Colombia
• Mr. R. R. Rubottom, Jr., Acting Assistant Secretary of State
• OSA—Mr. Gerberich

Mr. Rubottom said he is disturbed that no steps seem to have been taken to work out a solution to the problem of the closed churches in Mission Territory.² He said he supposed the Ambassador realized that the subject has been brought up on the Senate floor and that Senator Morse³ had warned that this long unsolved problem is damaging the otherwise good relations between our two countries, and that he intends to follow future developments closely. Mr. Rubottom added that he himself had been called before four members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and had been quizzed regarding the problems of the Protestants in Colombia and he knew that there would be more questioning if there is no change for the better. It has come to be the most discussed subject in our relations with Colombia at the present time.

The Ambassador said he has been hard at work on this problem for the last fifteen days and has been in frequent touch with Bogotáon it. He said the Government is very sensitive toward this attempt to influence it to take steps favoring the Protestants and does not look kindly upon that sort of pressure campaign the U.S. Protestants have been carrying on by letters to U.S. Senators and Representatives.

Mr. Rubottom said he thought the U.S. Protestants were exercising their rights as citizens in doing this, for they feel that under a democratic form of government this is an effective way to let the sentiment of the people be known. In view of the large number of Protestants in the U.S., it is not surprising that there has been such an inflow of letters to Congress.

The Ambassador said that regardless of this, there seems to be a tendency on the part of the Protestants and others to blame all this trouble over the Mission Territories exclusively on the Government of Colombia and to absolve the Roman Catholic Church from any responsibility or interest in the problem. He said he himself has heard expressions from Ambassador Bonsal and from U.S. Protestant leaders that neither Cardinal Luque nor the Papal Nuncio in Bogotá is interested in closing churches in Mission Territories and have brought no influence to bear in having this done. This is quite contrary to his own understanding. It was the present Subsecretary of State of the Vatican, Monsignor Antonio Samore, who as Nuncio at Bogotá signed the Mission Territory Agreement with Colombia, and he has always kept himself carefully informed regarding this problem. The Government is now planning to address the present Papal Nuncio in Bogotá and ask him whether he favors or condemns the action taken to implement the provisions of the Agreement.⁴ The Ambassador then read Section 9 (c) of the Agreement of January 29, 1953, which provides that the Colombian Government is obligated to hear the views of the Catholic Hierarchy regarding the conduct of education in Mission Territory. In answer to a remark by Mr. Gerberich the Ambassador said this provision applies to church services as well as educational activities.

Mr. Rubottom said his initial reaction to this proposal is that we were not inquiring what the Cardinal or the Nuncio think about what has been done: what we want to know is what the Colombian Government thinks, and what it intends to do about the question.

The Ambassador said that it seems apparent there is a conflict between the language of the Mission Territory Agreement and that of the Treaty of 1846. Mr. Rubottom said if he remembered correctly, our Legal Division has expressed the view that there is no conflict in regard to the right of the Protestants to hold services. The Ambassador said he would like to see a copy of such an opinion; he thinks the language of Article XIV of the Treaty is vague on this point and does not guarantee Protestants the right to hold religious services everywhere in Colombian territory. In fact, he thinks that the provisions of the Colombian Constitution give the Protestants greater protection than the Treaty does. He suggested that it might be well to ask an international court to rule on Article XIV of the Treaty.

Furthermore, he said, the Protestants always come with complaints to the U.S. Embassy or to one or other of the Ministries. They have never tried a test case in the courts of Colombia. If they would do this, they could get a clear ruling on a concrete case. That is the course that would be followed in the United States.

Mr. Rubottom said he hoped it would not be necessary to submit the Treaty of 1846 to an international court for an interpretation or for the Protestants to fight out this issue in the courts of Colombia. Assurances have been given repeatedly by the Minister of Foreign Relations of Colombia and by President Rojas himself that a formula would be found to permit the Protestant churches to reopen, and that is what we have been waiting for. The Ambassador agreed that this is so, and that the delay has been caused by the Colombian Government trying to come to an understanding with the leaders of the Church in regard to the issues involved. Mr. Rubottom said he could only repeat that the question is becoming every day more serious and the Department is under pressure to find a solution which is daily becoming more insistent. He said he hoped the Ambassador would emphasize this in reporting this conversation to his Government.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 821.413/3–2857. Confidential. Drafted by Gerberich.
2. In telegram 652 from Bogotá, March 23, Bonsal informed the Department of State of a conversation he had with Foreign Minister Rivas on March 21 concerning Protestant missions in Colombia. After describing this conversation, the Ambassador stated:

   “Only further step I can suggest is to have Secretary call in Urrutia and express his profound concern at this situation and imperative necessity in view interest of US public opinion for Secretary to make public statement at early date deploring fact that American interests and rights as well as general human rights have thus been trampled upon by Colombian Government. It is possible that threat such statement might bring about prompt action. Otherwise we can anticipate only continued delay and evasiveness since elements in this government which brought about closing of churches are stronger than more liberal elements at this time and since Foreign Minister noninfluential even granting intentions good.” (Ibid., 821.413/3–2357)

3. Wayne Morse (D.–Ore.), Chairman of the American Republics Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
4. In telegram 615 from Bogotá, February 28, Pigott reported that the Papal Nuncio in Bogotá had stated that the Vatican “did not intend and does not consider 1953 agreement provides basis closing Protestant churches and prohibiting Protestant worship in mission territories.” (Department of State, Central Files, 821.413/2–2857)