Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–10, Documents on American Republics, 1969–1972

188. Airgram A–283 From the Embassy in Mexico to the Department of State¹ ²

Mexico City, June 11, 1971

SUBJECT:

• Echeverria/Figueres Meeting: A Footnote

REF:

• Mexico 2872

1. An anthropologist, who accompanied President Echeverria during his recent Yucatan tour with Costa Rican President Jose Figueres Ferrer, reiterated to the reporting officer that Mexican officials were taken aback and at times embarrassed by the statements made by President Figueres during his state visit (reftel).

2. Specifically, the source stated that Figueres made rather harsh anti-US comments during his tour of Cordomex installations. President Echeverria, while interested in strengthening ties with his southern neighbors, was disturbed by the possibility that there might develop the impression of a joint position overly critical of American interests. Consequently, at the President’s personal direction, these and other (unspecified) remarks were deleted from press accounts of the Figueres’ visit.

Kubisch

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 7 COSTA RICA. Confidential. Drafted on June 8 by Zweifel and approved by Matthews. It was repeated to San José. Stamped notations on the Airgram indicate that it was received at the Department of State’s Bureaus of Inter-American Affairs and Mexican Affairs on June 16.
2. Ambassador Kubisch reported that anti-U.S. comments made by Costa Rican President José Figueres embarrassed Mexican President Luis Echeverría so much that he had the remarks “deleted from press accounts.”