713.00/5–1253
Memorandum of Conversation, by John L. Ohmans of the Office of Middle American Afairs
Subject:
- ODECA1
- Participants: Sr. Don Guillermo Sevilla-Sacasa, Ambassador of Nicaragua
- Mr. John M. Cabot, Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs
- Mr. John L. Ohmans, Nicaraguan Desk Officer
After the usual pleasant preliminaries and reference to Mr. Cabot’s recent visit to Nicaragua, the Ambassador launched into a discussion of ODECA developments. He said Nicaragua was considering calling a meeting of the Central American Foreign Ministers (except Guatemala) in Managua as soon as possible. Since Guatemala had been noncommittal in its reply to Costa Rica’s invitation to rejoin ODECA, he felt that the other ODECA nations should meet to show Guatemala that the Organization could continue without it.
The Ambassador spoke in general terms about a strong, denunciatory “Declaration of Managua” which would outline the policies of the Central American countries against the menace of communism. However, it was apparent that the Ambassador was not optimistic about the possibility of getting Costa Rica to agree to any clear and strong statement against communism inferentially directed at Guatemala.
Mr. Cabot wanted the Ambassador to know that the U.S. was very deeply concerned about the spread of communism in Latin America, especially in Guatemala. He emphasized the importance of having any action against communism clearly based upon proof of the communist actions of Guatemala which represent a danger to the internal affairs of the other countries.
Ambassador Sevilla-Sacasa recognized that proof would be necessary in order to justify any measures taken by the other countries against Guatemala. However, in his view, it would be perfectly proper and sound for the Foreign Ministers to make a declaration of policy in general against communism without making a specific reference to Guatemala. Meanwhile, the countries were working to document their case against Guatemala.
Mr. Cabot declined to comment directly on the Ambassador’s question as to his reaction to such a meeting in Managua. He told the [Page 370] Ambassador that, naturally, the United States would not wish to intervene in any matter of direct political concern to the Central American nations, but he assured him that the U.S. was very interested in ways of combatting communism in the area. Mr. Cabot added the U.S. could not advise the countries as to what steps they should take to act against Guatemala. The Ambassador said he expected and understood Mr. Cabot’s reply.
The Ambassador agreed that Nicaragua could not and should not intervene in the internal affairs of Guatemala. However, he said that he understood there were many Guatemalan exiles outside of Guatemala who were anxious to return to Guatemala to change the state of affairs within the country. He observed that equally so, it would be intervention for any of the countries to interfere with the actions of those exiles who were anxious to bring about such a change within Guatemala, he added.
The Ambassador concluded by saying that he was leaving on May 12 for New York to take the Queen Mary to England to attend the Coronation ceremonies. He plans to be back in Washington on June 9.
- The Organization of Central American States (ODECA) was established by the Governments of El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras on Oct. 14, 1951 for the purpose of maintaining mutually friendly relations and cooperating to solve common problems.↩