Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Cuba, Volume VI

494. Telegram From the Embassy in Cuba to the Department of State¹

Havana, March 25, 1960—9 p.m.

2530. Under Secretary Marcelo Fernandez called me to Foreign Ministry this evening and handed me four notes which Roa had evidently prepared prior to his departure for Venezuela. They deal with following subjects:

1. Recent public declarations by Secretary Herter which “concern Cuban Government seriously since it has been judged in unfriendly manner and in terms far distant from reality in which our people are living today”. Note² quotes press reports of Secretary’s alleged statements³ regarding Communist sympathizers in GOC and that some actions of Cuban Government appear to follow Communist line. Reference is also made to statement by Secretary admitting that Castro uses “some dictatorial methods”. There is reference to general press campaign against Cuba. Statement is also made in connection with inter-American agreements on communism, that since no government and no international organization opposed use ferocious tyranny which did away with 20,000 Cuban lives no government nor any international organization has moral or juridical authority to interfere, violating Cuban sovereignty, in the political, economic, social and cultural direction which our people have given themselves.”

2. A note⁴ asking that Federico Figueras Larrazabal, General Secretary of the Guantanamo Naval Base Cuban workers union, be replaced in his job in order “to dissipate the intense uneasiness” resulting from Figueras firing. Note also refers to report that base has hired many former Batista soldiers who are engaged in counterrevolutionary activities. I told Fernandez that this was not a matter falling within the competence or authority of the Embassy. He asked me, however, to transmit his note as a request for “the good offices” of our government in a matter in which the Cuban Government recognizes the full and complete authority of the US Government, i.e., hiring and firing at the base.

3. A protest against the denial of licenses for export from the US to Cuba of two helicopters.⁵

4. A protest against the withdrawal of US Department of Agriculture inspectors who have supervised shipments of Cuban fruits and vegetables to the US.⁶

Although Fernandez was not clear, I believe that Foreign Office intends to publish these notes without delay or at least to publish fact that they have been delivered. I told Fernandez that in case of note about Secretary’s reported remarks we might well decide to return note unanswered. Fernandez later telephoned to say that while three other notes would be given to press this evening decision on whether to publish note on Secretary’s reported remarks would be deferred until tomorrow and that I would be advised.

Texts will be cabled tomorrow.

Bonsal

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 110. 11–HE/3–2560. Confidential; Priority.
2. Text of this March 25 note was sent to the Department in telegram 2537 from Habana, March 26. (ibid., 110. 11–HE/3–2660)
3. The note cited Herter’s statements as reported in a UPI despatch of March 22 and an AP despatch of March 23.
4. Text of this March 25 note was sent to the Department as an enclosure to despatch 1360 from Havana, March 26. (Department of State, Central Files, 737. 56311/3–2660)
5. For text, see Department of State Bulletin, May 2, 1960, pp. 704–706.
6. For text, see ibid., p. 708.