Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXXII, Dominican Republic; Cuba; Haiti; Guyana

194. Memorandum of Conversation¹

US/MC-12

Punta del Este, Uruguay, April 11, 1967, 5 p.m.

SUBJECT

• United States Support for Democratic Government and United States Actions During the 1965 Crisis

PARTICIPANTS

• United States
  • President Lyndon Johnson
  • Secretary Dean Rusk
  • Walt W. Rostow, Special Assistant to the President
  • Assistant Secretary Lincoln Gordon
  • F. Van Reigersberg, Interpreter
• Dominican Republic
  • President Joaquin Balaguer

President Johnson congratulated President Balaguer on his ability to lead the Dominican Republic along the road of political and economic recovery and expressed warm support for the continued growth of constitutional, representative democracy. He stated that the Dominican Republic is a good example of what the United States wishes to see in other parts of the world: namely, that people have the right to self-determination, to freely elect their leaders and to choose the type of government they desire. President Balaguer, with the assistance of Ambassador Bunker (who is now trying to achieve the same objective in Vietnam), worked together successfully toward that aim.

President Balaguer thanked the President for his support and indicated that he was constantly working to strengthen his countryʼ economy and its democratic institutions.

The President asked him what groups cause him the greatest difficulties. Dr. Balaguer replied that the extreme right and the extreme left were the most troublesome groups, although their numbers were very limited. The majority of the Dominican people want peace and stability and support their present Government.

The President stated that because of the prominence of the Dominican people in the eyes of the Hemisphere and of the world he hoped that Dr. Balaguer would have a chance to tell his Latin American colleagues of the efforts by the United States to keep Castroite extremists and others from taking over the Dominican Republic and how the Dominican Republic and the United States had worked together to insure free and honest elections there. It would be good to tell some of the more skeptical Presidents how the Dominican people decided not to be swallowed up by communism and it would be helpful for them to hear from an especially authoritative source that the United States is not interested in satellites or in territorial gains—as proved when the United States left the Dominican Republic right after last yearʼ Presidential elections. The President said that some of our best young men had given their lives in the Dominican Republic and that hundreds of millions of dollars had been spent there for the sole purpose of guaranteeing the people the right to free choice. If the United States Government had not acted, there might now be a second Castro in the Hemisphere.

President Balaguer agreed and thanked the President for prompt United States intervention. He added that he and his people, as well as the whole Hemisphere, were aware of how the United States had saved the Dominican Republic from the threat of communism. It is true that many Dominicans, and also some other Hemispheric leaders, donʼt always state this clearly because they prefer to use demagogy for their own political reasons. The great majority of the Dominican people are fully aware of the reasons for United States intervention. He also said that he would he happy to discuss the matter with his colleagues here as well as with the press.

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, ARA Files: Lot 70 D 150, Dominican Republic 1967. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Van Reigersberg and approved in the White House on April 28. The memorandum is part I of IV; part II is Document 195. In part III Presidents Johnson and Balaguer discussed a request by the Dominican Republic for assistance to construct the Valdesia dam that according to Balaguer would increase agricultural production and ease the Dominican Republic balance of payment problem. Balaguer also requested an increase in investment guaranties for housing construction. In part IV Balaguer stated his hope that the Dominican Republic be given preferential treatment at the ongoing Kennedy Round trade talks for 20 to 25 agricultural items in order to improve the balance-of-payments situation in his country. (National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, ARA Files: Lot 70 D 150, Dominican Republic 1967)