Office of the Historian

462. Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom) to the Acting Secretary of State1

Washington, May 3, 1957.

SUBJECT

  • Deterioration in Colombian Political Situation

During the past few days the opposition to President Rojas from all quarters appears to have strengthened. Corruption on the part of Rojas and his family, foreign exchange difficulties, press censorship, suppression of all political opposition, and most recently a bald attempt to arrange his own re-election a year in advance of the usual period by means of a handpicked national assembly, have consolidated opposition within political, church, labor, business and apparently even high military circles. The Embassy hears rumors similar to those of last August that a military junta might take over; it feels that some substantial change is in the making although it may not materialize.

Through his ineptness the President has successively alienated one important element after another since he seized office in 1953: political leaders, business men, labor, clergy, and now the Embassy reports evidence of discontent within the Army itself. On May 1 the Ministers of War, Communications, and Public Works (all military), as well as the Commanders of the Army, Navy, Air Force and National Police, and certain other military called on the President in a body,2 but what transpired at the meeting is not known. Today President Rojas, in view of the tense situation, cancelled the trip of the Commander in Chief of the Colombian Armed Forces3 and the Commanders of the three services and the Police Force, who were to [Page 936] have arrived here May 6 at the invitation of our Armed Forces to visit the United States.

Finance Minister Morales Gomez, who recently negotiated a bond issue to aid in paying off the Colombian commercial backlog, is now representing Colombia at the meeting of the Committee of Presidential Representatives. He is known to have met with officials of the IMF in an effort to obtain another drawing and to have in mind a request to the Eximbank for obtaining additional financial aid. The financial situation of Colombia is believed to be worse than is generally known, and the desperate shortage of cash leads Morales to exhaust every effort. Our information is that the Eximbank will not grant Colombia a loan.

. . . . . . .

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 721.00/5–357. Secret.↩
  2. Major General Gabriel Paris, Minister of War; General Pedro A. Muñoz, Minister of Communications; Rear Admiral Ruben Piedrahita Arango, Minister of Public Works; Brigadier General Rafael Navas Pardo, Commander of the Army, Major General Deogracias Fonseca, Commander of the National Police Force.↩
  3. General Duarte Blum, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.↩