16. Memorandum of conversation, October 22, among Kennedy, President Paz, and U.S. and Bolivian officials1
SUBJECT
- Meeting between President Kennedy and President Paz of Bolivia: Latin America—Importance; Chinese Communist Appeal; Military Coups
PARTICIPANTS
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Bolivia
- President Victor Paz Estenssoro
- Minister of Foreign Relations José Fellman Velarde
- Minister of National Economy Alfonso Gumucio Reyes
- Ambassador Enrique Sanchez de Lozada
- Mr. José Paz, President of Bolivian Oil Enterprise (YPFB)
- Mr. Jorge Paz, President Paz’ uncle
- Mr. Raul Vivado (Interpreter)
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United States
- President Kennedy
- Under Secretary George W. Ball
- Mr. Ralph A. Dungan, Special Assistant to the President
- Assistant Secretary Edwin M. Martin
- Ambassador Ben S. Stephansky
- Ambassador-designate Douglas Henderson
- Mr. Teodoro Moscoso, Coordinator for the Alliance for Progress
- Mr. Ragnar Arnesen, Acting Director, Office of West Coast Affairs, AID
- Mr. Herbert B. Thompson, Acting Director, Office of West Coast Affairs, Department of State
- Mr. Fernando A. Van Reigersberg (Interpreter)
- Mr. Donald F. Barnes (Interpreter)
President Kennedy welcomed President Paz and described the importance we attach to Latin America as one of the most critical areas in the world today. For many years our efforts were directed primarily towards Europe. It is regrettable that just at the time we began to make a greater effort in Latin America, we ran into serious balance of payments problems of our own. Of course, the major burden of the Alliance for Progress effort falls upon the Latin American nations themselves. Nevertheless, within the limits of available resources, we want to help Latin America to achieve the objectives of the Alliance for Progress.
President Paz agreed concerning the current importance of Latin America. He said it was to be hoped that with the beginning of improve[Typeset Page 41]ment in US–Soviet relations opportunities to devote resources to assistance to underdeveloped areas in the world would increase.
President Paz said he was concerned at two political developments in the hemisphere. The first is that the Chinese Communist thesis of violence is proving to be very appealing in Latin America.
President Paz described the military coups that have taken place in Latin America as a second motive for concern. Actually, he said, the Communists welcome military coups. These coups are generally against relatively progressive and democratic governments. This suits the Communists because the counter to a military government is not a democratic, progressive government, but a radical one.
President Kennedy noted that we have broken relations with Honduras and the Dominican Republic. He said that in the Dominican Republic we think perhaps we can achieve something akin to the Peruvian situation, with the government promising to hold elections at a specified time. While the Dominican situation could become a full dictatorship, it still has a civilian facade. President Kennedy inquired whether our policy should be to ignore such regimes or to work toward the restoration of constitutionality in these countries.
[Facsimile Page 3]President Paz remarked that US influence was decisive in these cases as it had been in the case of the overthrow of Trujillo. However, the problem is not simply one of holding elections. The real solution lies in achieving basic structural change to alter situations of injustice which prevail under the anachronistic social systems in some countries. Democratic government in most Latin American countries is a short-term solution which has no real viability without structural change. He drew attention to Bolivia’s past history of 166 revolutions in a period of 130 years but noted by contrast that despite severe economic problems, there has been political stability in the country since the revolution of 1952. Bolivia’s experience is not a recipe appropriate for all countries since each must achieve changes in its own way. President Paz noted that President Belaunde of Peru is seeking his own way toward change at the present time. Belaunde is concerned with how to achieve changes without violent reactions.
President Kennedy inquired about the coup in Ecuador. President Paz said that Ecuador was a less clear case than the rest. Other factors were present, including the discredit into which Arosemena had fallen, which made the Ecuador case different. The case of Bosch in the Dominican Republic was a much better illustration of the kind of problem he had been describing. The danger of a coup against Betancourt is a further illustration. The problem is, he said, that the Communists believe in the dialectic of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, and regard themselves as the antithesis of the military and therefore as the beneficiaries of military coups. President Paz said that Bolivia has always been [Typeset Page 42] extremely sensitive to influences from neighboring countries. He said this added to Bolivia’s concern because of the danger of contagion.
Foreign Minister Fellman noted that consideration is being given to holding a meeting of Foreign Ministers to consider the problem of military coups. He said Bolivia would attend an MFM for this purpose if held. Given the possibility that an MFM will not be held, he said consideration is being given to [Facsimile Page 4] a meeting of those democratic countries, including Bolivia, willing to attend. While Bolivia believes in nonintervention, it also believes the countries in the hemisphere can take some action to deal with this problem in line with the Rio Treaty.
President Kennedy asked President Paz what kind of resolution hemisphere countries could approve which would be adequate to cover the last six military coups in Latin America, all of which have been somewhat different. Also, should the resolution provide that diplomatic relations should not be re-established until elections are actually held or should it permit relations when elections are scheduled? The Foreign Minister responded that no such resolution can refer to past coups but what seemed desirable was a general resolution to sever diplomatic and commercial relations whenever a military group seizes power.
President Kennedy inquired about Brazil, which seems involved in a continuing crisis. President Paz said he thought the Brazilian situation was very serious and that this was also Tito’s impression. President Kennedy agreed that Tito had thought the Brazilian situation was very dangerous.
- General exchange of views. Confidential. 4 pp. DOS, President’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 66 D 149.↩