Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The American Republics, Volume V

840.50/2370: Telegram

The Ambassador in Colombia (Lane) to the Secretary of State

Bogotá, August 12, 1943—noon.
[Received 9:15 p.m.]

1384. My 1378, August 11, 4 p.m. Local press of this morning publishes United Press report from Caracas dated August 11 referring to article published in El Nacional to the effect that Colombian Ambassador Galvis²³ in a speech before the Chamber of Commerce of Maracaibo referred to a uniform movement on the part of those countries which had broken off relations with the Axis, such as Colombia and Venezuela. El Siglo published the Caracas report under the headline “Colombia may declare war”.

Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me this morning that Galvis statement was an indiscretion and was made entirely on his own responsibility. Turbay said that obviously the Government here could not disauthorize the statement in view of negotiations now pending, but that he considered it most unfortunate.

Turbay said that he had spoken to local diplomatic representatives of all countries mentioned with exception of Paraguay (Paraguay has no representative here)—namely, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela—regarding three points of memorandum transmitted to respective Governments, but had not informed them of his conversation with me. I informed Turbay that I likewise had not informed any of my colleagues here regarding my conversation with the Colombian Government on this subject.

In connection with the Department’s circular telegram of August 10, 10 p.m.,²⁴ I reminded Dr. Turbay of the last paragraph of the United Nations Declaration. The Minister stated to me that he considered this of the greatest importance and said that he would have this in mind in connection with the countries involved.

Turbay said that as yet no reply has been received from the Paraguayan Government.

Repeated to Caracas.

Lane

23. Alejandro Galvis Galvis resigned as Minister of War and was named Ambassador to Venezuela in March 1943.
24. Sent to the Ambassadors in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela; it read: “In connection with current discussions of possible adherence of certain South American states to United Nations Declaration, please refer again to Department’s instruction of March 25, 1942 which sets out conditions for adherence.” (740.0011EW1939/3070b) Instruction of March 25, 1942, not printed.