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

HO–6. Memorandum of Conversation, by the Director of the Office of Central American and Panamanian Affairs (Stewart)¹

Washington, March 3, 1959

SUBJECT

• Expulsion of Colonel Velasquez from Nicaragua

PARTICIPANTS

• Señor Dr. Céleo Davila, Ambassador of Honduras
• ARA:OAP - C. Allan Stewart

Ambassador Dávila said that the Honduran Government on Friday² had requested the GON to expel Colonel Velasquez and four other persons, in view of their revolutionary activities against the Honduran regime. Expulsions can be requested under terms of the agreement signed by representatives of the two countries on February 26.³ Ambassador Dávila said that Ambassador Sevilla-Sacasa had assured him that Velasquez and his cohorts would be asked to leave the country immediately after the signing of the agreement.

Dr. Dávila said that President Villeda had telephoned him this morning to say that the expulsion action had not taken place. Dávila said he would call it to the attention of Ambassador Sevilla-Sacasa but the President had suggested that he talk instead with the Department. I told Dávila that I had inquired of our Chargé in Managua⁴ yesterday whether Colonel Velasquez had been asked to leave the country and was told that as far as he knew no action had been taken at the time. He said the Nicaraguan Government had informed him that when the expulsions were affected the Embassy would be notified. The Chargé said he had an appointment with President Somoza on March 3 and would bring up the matter with him. I told Ambassador Dávila that if the Department had no word from our Embassy on this matter before the opening of business on March 4 we would again make inquiries.

I said we had been slightly concerned about a report that President Villeda did not intend to take further action about inducing Honduran emigres now being fed and housed by the Nicaraguan Government to return to their homes. Ambassador Dávila said he had suggested to the President this morning that the Honduran Government should make every effort to assure means of transportation for those people who wanted to return from Nicaragua. The President said he planned to make an earnest request of the emigres to return to Honduras and that he would arrange for air and truck transportation. However, Dávila indicated that Villeda would not make the call until the Nicaraguans expelled Colonel Velasquez.⁵ I told Dávila that I thought the Hondurans should live up to their word even though the other side might delay in taking action against Velasquez and his co-conspirators.

I informed Dávila that we had received reports that broadcasts from the clandestine radio had ceased.

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 715.00/3–359. Official Use Only.
2. February 27.
3. Documentation concerning United States interest in the negotiation of this agreement is in Department of State files 615.17 and 715.00.
4. Louís F. Blanchard.
5. On March 13, the Department of State informed the Embassies in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, and Honduras that Col. Velasquez had departed Nicaragua on March 6 for Panama via Costa Rica. (Telegram 213 to Managua, telegram 278 to San Jose, telegram 358 to Guatemala, telegram 299 to Panama City, and telegram 278 to Tegucigalpa; 715.00/3–1359)