824.00/6–1846: Airgram
The Ambassador in Mexico (Thurston) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 25—10:23 a.m.]
A–926. The Counselor of the Embassy21 called upon Dr. Tello, the Acting Minister of Foreign Relations, and brought to his attention, in accordance with instructions, those parts of the Department’s circular telegram of June 15, 2 p.m., 1946,22 concerning instructions sent to the Ambassador in Bolivia recommending discussions with the British Minister and with the Dean Resident of the Diplomatic Corps in La Paz concerning the possibility of collective representation to the Bolivian Government on recent events in that country.
Dr. Tello stated information from the Chargé d’Affaires23 in La Paz indicates that those elements which have opposed the interests of the Bolivian people have also opposed the present Government. He said no word has been received from the Chargé d’Affaires regarding the expression of any “collective views” by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps as suggested in the Department’s telegram. He said in any case the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, in the opinion of the Mexican Government, could not express “collective views” on behalf of the other nations represented in Bolivia without the consent of those countries. He did not regard the situation in Bolivia sufficiently serious to warrant the suggested action by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps on behalf of the other countries represented in Bolivia, which step, he said, the Mexican Government regarded as very grave, which would require the most serious consideration.
Although Dr. Tello expressed no disapproval of the method of action suggested in the Department’s telegram, he appeared somewhat startled at the suggestion that the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, acting on behalf of a majority of the members of the Diplomatic Corps, might undertake to express “collective views” to the Bolivian Foreign Minister, apparently feeling that under any circumstances the Mexican Government should be consulted upon what he characterized “so grave a step”. From the conversation the impression was gained from Dr. Tello’s attitude that he regarded the suggested action as a step in the direction of intervention which, as is well known to the Department, is an anathema to the Mexican Government.