617.18/7–954: Telegram
The Ambassador in Nicaragua ( Whelan ) to the Department of State
priority
10. Re today’s phone call Holland and Burrows.1
President Somoza reiterated today no training, no plotting, no bases in Nicaragua against Figueres. Information my telegram 9 July 6 still correct.2 He added, however, Figueres still plotting against him and other countries and was crying wolf to try to get sympathy and arms from US. He exhibited report that Costa Ricans had left for Miami Tuesday to buy three P–47 planes and arms and that a Jaime Solera had check for $460,000 to pay cash. He added “I admit I am getting blankety-blank sick and tired Figueres’ constant plotting. He is slapping the Department and me around, but I won’t do anything without telling you first and then I will do it so fast Figueres won’t even have time to put his pants on.”
Other diplomatic officers tell me there is general hatred Figueres, his Caribbean Legion backers and his long record mixing in others affairs. They openly predict trouble will eventually arise from many sources unless he cleans house and shows by action instead of words he desires to cooperate other states this area. In fact many tell me that Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela and Panama are bitterly and actively anti-Figueres and growing resentful what they regard as our apparently staunch support of him. They must be counting on support other countries, the Argentine Ambassador having been quoted as saying he hoped Nicaragua would break relations Costa Rica. The Peruvian Minister told me his country would break relations at slightest excuse. On other hand many admit they do not want Somoza to emerge as strong man of Central America and I do not believe they would give Somoza the leadership in anti-Figueres move. For example, Salvadoran Ambassador told me his country was sure Somoza would come to Salvador’s aid and that his country would reciprocate but not to extent making him Central America’s chieftain. He said “The thing we are afraid of is Somoza may build ring around Salvador”. Moreover, my colleagues know Somoza strongly pro US and unwilling embarrass US in UN and OAS and they do not consider him absolutely safe.
[Page 853]President’s son Tachito, the Chief of Staff, hinted … that Venezuela and Cuba had a tie-up with proposed bomber flight across Costa Rica, the plane recently dropping leaflets being trial run. He also hinted enough anti-Figueres countries to block action by OAS.
From this point of view it does not add up to Somoza starting action though his hatred Figueres and anger at Costa Rica’s whitewash note might easily lead him to lend at least moral support if other nations acted first.3
- Assistant Secretary Holland telephoned Ambassador Whelan in Nicaragua at least three times on July 9 expressing concern over the growing tension along the Costa Rican-Nicaraguan border; memoranda of these conversations, dated July 9, are contained in file 617.18.↩
- The referenced telegram reported that although President Somoza was dissatisfied with Costa Rica’s reply to his note of May 17, 1954, detailing charges against Costa Rica with respect to its alleged complicity in the assassination attempt of Apr. 4, he was neither planning to break diplomatic relations with Costa Rica nor plotting against President Figueres (617.18/7–654).↩
- For additional documentation relating to the Costa Rican-Nicaraguan exchange of notes concerning the assassination attempt, see pp. 1382 ff.↩