440. Editorial Note
In the evening of January 27, President Dorticos responded to President Eisenhower’s statement of the previous day. A translated text of Dortico’s statement was sent to the Department in telegram 1790 from Havana, January 28. (Department of State, Central Files, 611. 37/1–2860)
In telegram 1792 from Havana, January 28, the Embassy reported that several of its officers watched Dorticos make the statement and that his delivery was marked by an air of “defiance and intransigence. “The Embassy offered its opinion that the statement contained some ground for optimism in that it affirmed the Cuban Government’s desire for friendly relations with the United States and its willingness to negotiate differences. But the Embassy felt the basic condemnatory attitude toward the United States remained unchanged. The Embassy observed that any progress toward a resolution of existing difficulties will be “slow and difficult.” (Ibid.)