832.00/1296: Telegram
The Ambassador in Brazil (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:25 p.m.]
287. In my opinion 70% of the Brazilian population, which has any opinion on the European war, is pro-Ally; 30% which has an opinion on the war is pro-German or Italian. The pro-Ally elements are entirely unorganized; the pro-Germans and Italians are very well organized. It is very possible that more than half of the population has no opinion on the war at all. The pro-Ally proportion of the [Page 624] population received the Vargas’ speech on June 11 with much indignation and a great many of them have been saying what they think about it.
Since the speech the Vargas opponents (aside from the Integralistas) who have been lying very low since November 193756 have been getting together and they are beginning again to plot on every side. (I am receiving communications which lead me to believe that attempts will be made to involve me by way of demonstrations, et cetera, with one or another of the groups opposed to Vargas.)