Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973–1976

463. Telegram 866 From the Embassy in Barbados to the Department of State¹

Bridgetown, May 10, 1976, 1937Z.

866. Subj: Barrow Continues Attack on U.S. as By-Election Nears. Ref: Bridgetown 835 and Bridgetown 845.

1. PriMin Barrow on May 5 charged the United States with attempting to “de-stabilize” Caribbean governments (reftels) and, without specificity, said the U.S. does so through “nationals” of these islands. On May 7, before a massive Friday night rally of the Democratic Labour Party in the city’s main square, Barrow charged that it was the CIA which was the U.S. agent of the destabilization of which he had spoken. Barbadians should beware of joining American-based international groups, Barrow warned, for they may thereby unwittingly abet the CIA, which operates under the cover these groups provide. One such group, according to the PriMin, who cited a book written by “a former CIA agent is the International Federation of Women Lawyers (IFWL). It happens that the opposition, the Barbados Labour party, has put forward a candidate, Miss Billie Miller, who is a well-known member of the IFWL.

2. As Barrow explains, the U.S. is attempting to destabilize the Govts of Jamaica, Guyana and Barbados because the U.S. believes they will be influenced by Cuba and because Jamaica and Guyana in pursuit of their Socialist policies had made decisions anathema to U.S. concepts of capitalism. Barrow reaffirmed his own belief in democratic socialism.

3. Comment: We have reported that Barrow has taken to this anti-U.S. campaign because he and his party, in power for 15 years, are failing politically. A loss in the May 12 by-election would confirm this, so Barrow and the DLP want desperately to win it. Barrow hopes—vainly, we believe—that slanging the U.S. will improve the DLP’s situation. We do not know how much support he has within his party for the course he has chosen, but it does not matter since the PriMin is an autocrat. There probably are some DLP dissenters, albeit secret dissenters, from this foolhardy and crude attack on the opposition through the U.S.

4. We also said that in attacking the U.S. Barrow may be speaking his true sentiments. In understanding Barrow one must appreciate that he is a British Socialist, parlour variety. To think of him primarily as a Black leader taking his country to full independence after centuries of white colonialism is to misunderstand the man. Even if he has no antipathy to the U.S. as such, he has that mild cultural aversion to the U.S. found among some elements of British society, usually but not always of the Left. The campaign seems to be bringing these attitudes of the man out into the open. End comment.

5. Advocate-News reports on Barrow’s remarks at the DLP rally and the opposition’s response being reported septel.

Britton

1. Summary: The Embassy reported on charges by Barrow that the United States was engaged in an effort to destabilize his government and those of other Caribbean countries.

   Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D760180–0615. Confidential. Repeated to Georgetown, Kingston, Nassau, and Port of Spain. In telegrams 835 and 845 from Bridgetown, May 6 and 7, the Embassy reported on Barrow’s allegations that the United States was seeking to destabilize the Governments of Jamaica, Guyana, and Barbados, and suggested that Barrow’s comments were an effort to revive the faltering popularity of his political party. (Both ibid., D760175–0360 and D760177–0354) In telegram 1826 from Kingston, May 6, the Embassy reported on a conversation with Manley on charges by Jamaican officials that the United States was involved in destabilization efforts there. (Ibid., D760176–0268)