825.00 Revolutions/213: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Culbertson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 4—1 a.m.]
215. Principal political parties agreed yesterday to support Oyanedel government and to hold elections on October 30th. Other parties of the Left and workmen’s associations will be invited to subscribe to the agreement. On this basis a Cabinet is being formed and an effort is being made to include in it men who will command public confidence and represent the different political groups. Javier Figueroa who resigned as President of the Supreme Court under Dávila has taken office as Minister of the Interior. Although Conservative his integrity, sincerity and fairness are guarantees to all factions. Jorge Matte, Minister for Foreign Affairs in several Cabinets prior to Ibañez administration, has accepted that portfolio. The Minister of Finance is Julio Perez Canto.
Some optimism, which I hope is justified, exists. But the fundamental difficulties referred to in my despatches remain.
This regime will take the position that it inherits the constitutional right to govern from Montero by virtue of article 66. This fiction is useful in internal politics but it will be best for us to guard reserve with respect to its effect on diplomatic relations until I receive a communication from the new Minister for Foreign Affairs and until we have had time to consider all its aspects. It presents more difficulties for countries which recognized the intervening regimes than it presents for us but, without this complication, we may finally classify it as an attenuation of a theory which approximates fatuity.