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

ETA–55. Circular Airgram from the Secretary of State to All Diplomatic Posts in Latin America¹

Washington, October 20, 1960, 10:13 p.m.

SUBJECT

• Inter-American Social Development Program

REFERENCE

• State CA–2131, September 2, 1960

SUMMARY

The U.S. Inter-American Program for Social Development, now incorporated into the Act of Bogotá, constitutes a major evolutionary step in U.S. policy toward Latin America. Country Teams are requested to study means of exploiting it in the light of local conditions.

The instruction cited outlined in some detail the historical background to the recent meeting of the OAS Committee of Twenty-One at Bogotá, and further explained the purposes and objectives of the new U.S. Inter-American Social Development Program to be presented at that meeting.

With Cuba casting a sole dissenting vote, the Committee adopted the “Act of Bogotá” which incorporates major features of the U.S. proposals with some additions by the Latin American countries. This document represents a significant new long range approach by the U.S. Government, in cooperation with the other American Republics, to attack the roots of social unrest in the area. The Council of the OAS has given its formal approval.

On the one hand, the new Act calls upon Latin American countries to institute some badly needed new legal and institutional reforms for the purpose of providing greater economic opportunities to the average citizen and particularly to the lower income groups. On the other hand, it states the intention of the U.S. Government to provide capital resources and technical assistance “to support the efforts of the Latin American countries that are prepared to initiate or expand effective institutional improvements land to adopt measures to employ efficiently their own resources with a view to achieving greater social progress and more balanced economic growth.”

Under the first heading the Act of Bogotá calls for measures in the following fields: (a) improvement of conditions in rural living and land use; (b) improvement of housing and community facilities; (c) improvement of educational systems and training facilities; (d) improvement of public health; and (e) mobilization of domestic resources. In subscribing to this Act, the Latin American Governments recognized the principle of self-help and pledged themselves to give greater and more urgent attention to the basic social needs of their own people.

Initial financing of the new program will come from the $500 million authorization voted by the U.S. Congress just prior to the Bogotá meeting. The Executive Branch intends to seek actual appropriation of funds during the next session of the Congress in January. The recently created Inter-American Development Bank will be the primary mechanism for administering the funds.

Our representatives at Bogotá made it clear that the U.S. Government contemplates continuing support for the new social development program. If the funds are used effectively, and if Latin American countries indicate that they are making a genuine self-help effort to improve social conditions, further assistance should be forthcoming after the initial funds are committed. We also made clear that we regard the new program as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, programs of assistance to basic economic and industrial development. We indicated, in fact, that we would favor further increases in basic development assistance from the U.S. to Latin America on suitable terms.

Similarly, the new program is not expected to interfere with, or substitute for, normal technical assistance programs of the International Cooperation Administration in Latin America.

The U.S. Government views the recently signed Act of Bogotá as a major evolutionary step in U.S. policy toward Latin America, adding to existing programs of economic development a broad new dimension of aid for social development. In the words of Under Secretary Dillon, the American Republics have ushered in a “new era” of inter-American social and economic cooperation.

It is to our interest, therefore, to give widest publicity to U.S. participation in this venture, through all possible channels, setting the U.S. effort into the context of a cooperative drive by the inter-American community to improve the social condition of the individual.

While the new social development program is considered a matter of greatest urgency, some time will unavoidably elapse before Congress appropriates funds to make it fully operational. During this initial phase, and until definitive steps actually are taken, the public should be kept adequately informed, but care should be taken not to overplay the program.

Joint efforts of all members of the Country Team will be required to present the facts to all audiences within your country. While basic publicity responsibility naturally lies with USIA, other members of the Country Team can assist through word-of-mouth or other approaches to their particular contacts.

It may be well to point out that some provisions of the Act of Bogotá do not lend themselves to official publicity through USIA. The self-help sections are an example. The efforts of other agencies can usefully be directed toward the essential task of building a favorable climate of local opinion toward the concepts of tax reform, land resettlement, and similar self-help measures which the Latin American nations have approved at Bogotá.

The Embassy is requested to study these possibilities in the light of local conditions, and plan special projects and/or approaches through the Country Team. Reports of such activities will be appreciated. Background materials, including texts and speeches, in addition to those already transmitted through USIA, will be forwarded to the Embassy and/or USIA as they become available. (State and ICA are preparing Joint instructions to Embassy and USOM’s regarding preparation for $500 million Social Development Program in Latin America under American Republics Cooperation Act.)

PUBLIC POSITION

The statement of President Eisenhower at Newport last July 11 in announcing this new program, the testimony of Under Secretary Dillon before the House Foreign Relations Committee August 23, and statements by our official delegation both during and immediately following the Bogotá Conference, constitute our public position.

Acting

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 820.40/10–2060. Confidential.