289. Telegram From the Embassy in Nicaragua to the Department of State and the Embassies in Venezuela, Panama, Santo Domingo, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala1
3255. Subject: (S) Intransigence of New President.
1. S-Entire text
2. I tried for two hours to budge President Urcuyo from his dogged unwillingness to resign and permit the GNR to take power. He persisted in saying he was prepared to dialogue with all sectors. I told him that he was betraying Somoza’s and his commitment to us and that his intransigence was going to lead this country to further tragedy.
3. I tried to appeal to General Mejia, who is a honorable man who has been deceived by Somoza and Urcuyo. Ironically, he is a prisoner of his training and commitment to serve the constitutional order. In answer to one of his questions, I observed that there was no feasible option other than to turn power over to the Junta, that any other course would lead to the destruction of the Guard.
4. Urcuyo is a loss, clearly set in place and being manipulated by Somoza.2 Somoza is orchestrating calls of support from the Nicaraguan [Page 706] Financial Committee in Miami and the North Tier CA countries. Urcuyo was called twice by President Paz of Honduras during our conversation and referred to calls from private sector figures outside the country urging him to “not permit the Communists to take over.”
5. I will spend the morning trying to influence Mejia. He is the only hope now.3
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P850036–1979. Secret; Flash; Nodis.↩
- In telegram 5458 from Panama City, July 18, the Embassy reported that Royo had told Moss that he had heard “from a very confidential source close to Urcuyo that Urcuyo and his closest advisers thought they could succeed because the ‛Cabinet crisis’ in Washington proved that the USG was going through a period of extreme weakness and would have no choice but to support his govt.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P840148–2203)↩
- In telegram 3259 from Managua, July 18, Pezzullo reported that both Urcuyo and Mejia remained opposed to transferring power to the provisional Junta. Pezzullo commented: “We have run into a stone wall. Meanwhile, the GN is collapsing.” He also recommended his recall. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 36, Nicaragua: 7/18–23/79) In telegram 3256 from Managua, July 18, Pezzullo requested flash reaction and approval of press guidance for release in Washington at noon and in Managua at 10 a.m. The guidance included notice of Pezzullo’s recall to Washington and the reduction of Embassy staff by the U.S. Government “to demonstrate its strong displeasure with the intransigence shown by the new GON and its refusal to enter immediately into discussions with the provisional government for a ceasefire and peaceful transition of power.” (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, North/South, Pastor Files, Country Files, Box 36, Nicaragua: 7/18–23/79)↩