298. Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Hughes) to Secretary of State Rusk1
INTELLIGENCE NOTE
Jagan’s Pitch for Improved USBG Relations
Jagan called in our Consul General in Georgetown, September 5, expressed his concern about the deterioration of USBG relations, and asked what could be done to improve them. Jagan said he had concluded that the US had adopted a policy of Jagan must go.” He warned that if he were pushed aside the extremists in his party would take over and the US would then have the Castroite situation it was seeking to avoid.
Jagan’s Sincerity Doubted. Jagan’s concern about the deterioration of USBG relations seems highly inconsistent with (1) the vicious attacks he and his party paper have been making on the US and President Kennedy in the last several weeks, and (2) a series of actions since midsummer resulting in closer links between BG and Cuba.
Ability of Extremists Questioned. Furthermore, Jagan’s analysis of his possible succession by extremists seems questionable. We do not deny that the extremists may have subjected Jagan to increasing pressure. We are inclined to doubt, however, that there is any individual or group among Jagan’s lieutenants that could command sufficient popular support to run the party and the government without Jagan.
Jagan’s Probable Motivation. It seems probable that Jagan’s pitch has been motivated by his apparent failure to get aid from the Soviet Bloc in the face of his great need for such assistance. Although his government has recently obtained a $1 million dollar loan from Cuba, and there have been disputed reports of fund transfers from the USSR to BG, the Guianese economy and the government’s finance are in poor, though probably not yet disastrous, shape.
- Source: Kennedy Library, National Security Files, Countries Series, British Guiana III. Secret; No Foreign Dissem; Limited Distribution.↩