Office of the Historian

VE–30. Memorandum of a Conversation, Santiago, Chile, August 18, 19591

US/MC/11
Santiago, August 18, 1959

SUBJECT

  • 1) Former President Perez Jimenez;
  • 2) Fidel Castro

PARTICIPANTS

  • United States

    • The Secretary
    • Mr. Rubottom

  • Venezuela

    • Foreign Minister ARGAYA Bivero
    • Ambassador FAIGON Bricano, Amb. To the U.S. and the OAS

The Venezuela Foreign Minister, Dr. Arcaya, called on the Secretary by appointment today accompanied by the Ambassador to the United States Marcos Palcon-Briceno. The Foreign Minister expressed great appreciation for the Secretary’s role at the Conference then said that he had an important message to deliver at the request of President Betancourt.

The President had either yesterday or today ordered the Venezuelan chargé in Washington to deliver a note to the Department of State requesting the extradition of former President Perez Jimenez and especially calling for his detention under the terms of Article 11 of the Extradition Treaty.2 He said that Venezuela had been working towards this end for more than a year and that it was now empowered under its laws to make the request as a result of a decision by the Supreme Court. He stressed the “spectacular” effect which the detention of Perez Jimenez would have, although recognizing that he would be able to get a habeas corpus action releasing him on bond within a day or two. (The Foreign Minister explained that he had lived in the United States for five years and was a qualified attorney there.)

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The Secretary said that the documents furnished by Venezuela in support of its request would have to be taken up through judicial channels in the United States, assuming that Perez Jimenez would invoke legal defense. The Foreign Minister recalled that the Vice President, [Typeset Page 1275] while in Caracas last year, had, in response to a press question, indicated that the United States would grant a request for extradition if made by the Venezuelan Government. Mr. Rubottom recalled that the Vice President had actually said that the United States would give full consideration to any such request in accordance with the terms of the Extradition Treaty. The people of Venezuela would be unable to draw that fine a distinction, retorted the Foreign Minister.

The Secretary said that he wanted to direct the discussion toward Cuba, which probably looked on Venezuela as its closest friend among her Latin American neighbors. Castro seemed to be slipping rather badly and leading Cuba into difficulties, and be hoped that the Venezuelans would be able to have some influence on Castro whom he hoped to see sometime next month, possibly stopping off in Cuba en route to the meeting of the General Assembly. Mr. Rubottom described the deterioration of United States-Cuban relations and the futile efforts in which Castro seemed to be engaged in trying to separate the U.S. people from U.S. Government, an impossible task in the name of a democracy like the United States. Repeated attacks on the U.S. Government, with nothing substantial to back them up, had gradually alienated most United States public opinion and would redound to Cuba’s great detainment in the long run. Castro had gained widespread public support in the United States, especially after his trip last spring, but this had been frittered away.

  1. Source: Department of State, PPS Files, Lot 67 D 548, “American Republics, 1957–1959.” Confidential. Drafted by Rubottom. Information on the source text indicates that this conversation took place in the Hotel Carrere at 1.00 p.m. The Secretary was in Santiago to attend the Fifth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of American States, held August 12–18, 1959. For documentation on the meeting, see CH–23; CR–24; DR–11; VE–34.↩
  2. The referenced note is not printed. (731.00/8–2359)↩