617.18/7–954
Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Holland)1
Subject:
- Costa Rican Situation
- Participants: American Ambassador Robert C. Hill—San José, Costa Rica
- Assistant Secretary Henry F. Holland
Ambassador Hill telephoned Mr. Holland and asked if he had received … cables2. … Mr. Holland had not.
[Page 848]Ambassador Hill reported on developments up to seven o’clock last night. He said the information was from the two top men in the government. They had told him that Somoza was moving troops to the frontier; that they were going to make landings at El Coco and Sabena, the airport in the city; that the plan is to attack the presidential palace, garrison, the gas depots, railroads and cut communications to the north; that they also planned to try and suck troops from San José up to the border, leaving the area around San José open territory. Up until seven o’clock the Costa Ricans did not know the date of the proposed invasion. Ambassador Hill said Ambassador Whelan in Managua had suggested a meeting at the border between representatives of the two countries. President Somoza said he couldn’t remain President unless President Figueres goes.
Ambassador Hill reported then on developments from seven o’clock to ten o’clock last night. He said President Figueres called him to the presidential residence last night and said that he had just received a cable from Managua stating that there would be an air attack on Costa Rica last night. (Ambassador Hill said it was now seven o’clock in the morning and nothing had happened. The lights were shut off at 2:00 a.m. There was a heavy garrison of troops around the palace. The airport was under guard, and they had put heavy trucks across the runways. There had been no public alarm or newspaper reports due to lack of power.
Ambassador Hill said the Costa Rican President had asked for considerable assistance. Ambassador Hill then put … on the telephone to outline his needs. (In reply to Mr. Holland’s inquiry Ambassador Hill said he was speaking on the private telephone at the Embassy.) … said he wanted:
. . . . . . .
Ambassador Hill said he had instructed Col. Welsch3 at twelve o’clock last night to alert his men and cooperate fully in line with the military agreement with Costa Rica. He explained that the military mission there has an agreement which says what they are to do and that they are at the Ambassador’s instructions under the circumstances. On Mr. Holland’s further question Ambassador Hill said it meant that the military mission was to be cooperative but was to wait for further instructions from Washington.
Ambassador Hill said.…
Ambassador Hill said again that he had sent several very important cables to Mr. Holland … which would give full details on the information given in this phone call.
Ambassador Hill said that Somoza had made the statement that he would do what he could to harry Figueres. Hill said it wasn’t being [Page 849] taken in that way in Costa Rica and they are alarmed. He said there are supposedly two areas they are going out for—San Carlos and Peña Blanca. He said that the No. 1 man there had been assured of all-out support of the country by Chamorro who is the opposition leader in the country to the north of them.
In reply to Ambassador Hill’s inquiry, Mr. Holland said he did not have any further instructions at the time but that he would look at the cables and would get in touch with the Ambassador later.