Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Volume V, Microfiche Supplement, American Republics

ES–18. Memorandum of Conversation, by the Ambassador in El Salvador (Kalijarvi)¹

San Salvador, August 24, 1960

PARTICIPANTS

• President José María Lemus
• Ambassador Thorsten V. Kalijarvi

In response to the recommendations of the Acting Foreign Minister, President Lemus received me in his office this morning at 11:45. He apologized for keeping me waiting, but explained that he had been at the desk since two o’clock this morning; and as I could readily understand, the current situation called for a great many things to be done.

He answered as follows to my inquiry of how he regarded the present situation. A number of developments have converged and resulted in the current disturbances. First, the next elections (for Presidents) are scheduled to take place in 1962 and a number of aspirants have become active with their eyes fixed on that event. Second, the Communists have become active and have caused the GOES increasing trouble since January of this year. Third, the OAS conference at San José² has furnished the Communists throughout the hemisphere with a rallying point, and the order to create disturbances has been given affecting El Salvador along with the other countries. Finally, the Rector of the University,³ a notorious leftist, has political ambitions and is directly responsible for the student agitations.

Lemus then gave me a telegram he had sent to Ortiz Mancia, the Salvadoran Foreign Minister, at the MFM in San José. He asked that it be sent to Washington and to Secretary Herter (see our telegram 100 of August 24).⁴

He then showed me the Manifesto of the Consejo of the University (see our telegram 93 of August 22)⁵ which was published in the Prensa Grafica and gave the President a time limit in which to answer. He laughed and gave me a thermofax copy of his telegram of reply (see Embdes [56], of August [30] ______)⁶ in which he said that the disorders were the work of the philocommunists in the student body and the CGTS whose activities, in flagrant violation of the Constitution, had been carried on as a result of the Rector’s tolerance and with his full knowledge. He therefore said that the Rector would have to carry the full responsibility in the public conscience for the current disturbances and any that were likely to occur in the future. The security forces were fully prepared to protect the peace and order.

He added that the Rector had not once raised his voice in the interest of moderation, but had instigated and encouraged disorders, and if he thought he was giving any time limit within which to act, he was mistaken. Lemus was giving the Rector the same time limit within which to bring about order or he (Lemus) would act.

The President then referred to his previous requests for a modest amount of tear gas. He stated that he had no desire to meet mob violence with armed force, but noted that government supplies of gas were old and probably of little use due to deterioration, and also were in very limited supply. He asked what response I had received from his previous requests. I told him that thus far we had been unable to receive active assurances of immediate help. The President said that he needed the gas, and needed it right now and not tomorrow or next week. He asked me to request an emergency supply on an urgent basis, and said that if it could not be provided as a gift or sale, that perhaps it could be provided on a loan basis. I assured him that I would relay this urgent request on a priority basis.

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We then passed on to the question of the coast guard vessels and I reported that the request was under consideration in Washington. The outlook seemed good. He said he was pleased.

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Regarding his request for two security advisors to assist at the Casa Presidential, the President again expressed his urgent interest, saying he wanted to have the use of these advisors right now, rather than at some indefinite time in the future.

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On leaving I asked if he intended to remain firm regarding the students sent out of the country. He said he intended to exercise a firm hand. What was more, if the disorders did not subside, he would arrest the Rector and the Deans and throw them out of the country.

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All through the talk he received phone calls through [which?] he received information or issued orders. Among the former was a call from Rubio Melhado⁷ saying that the Rector had asked to see him. On laying down the phone Lemus said, “I think he is afraid.” Among the latter he gave orders for the distribution of government leaflets. While tired, he seemed to be confident and sure that he could control the situation.

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While waiting for my audience I talked with two of the Presidential aides, both major officers in the army. They agreed that underlying the present disturbance were the social and economic inequalities in the country. However, the students had no rallying point except opposition to the MFM in San José. Both confidently expected the present disorders to subside quickly and opined that the President had no choice but to exercise a firm hand.

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Following the meeting with the President I passed by the office of Rubio Melhado. Major Rubio asked why I was still in town and not on vacation as planned. I said that the nature of the current crisis indicated my continued presence here; Major Rubio agreed that the situation was serious [text not declassified]. We agreed I would not leave town until we were both certain that the situation was such as to permit my absence.

1. Source: Department of State, ARA/OAP Files, Lot 64 D 16, “Junta Memoranda: El Salvador, 1960.” Confidential. The source text is an unsigned carbon copy.
2. Reference to the Seventh Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, August, 22–29, 1960; for documentation, see Volume V.
3. Napoleon Rodríguez Ruíz.
4. Telegram 100 was repeated to the Secretary of State at San José. The referenced Salvadoran telegram instructed the Salvadoran Foreign Minister to inform the Foreign Ministers meeting at San José about the pro-Communist and pro-Castro agitation in El Salvador. (716.00/8–2460)
5. Not printed; 716.00/8–2260.
6. The lines after “Embdes” and “August” were left blank in the source text. Lemus’ reply is attached to the despatch under reference as enclosure 9. (716.00/8-3060)
7. Maj. Alfonso Rubio Melhado was Secretary General of the Presidency and a member of the Central Committee of the Partido Revolucionario de Unificatión Democrática.