817.00/2741a: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Nicaragua (Jefferson)
51. Your October 13, 11 a.m.9 and previous telegrams relating to the conduct of the elections.
The Department has given very careful consideration to the comprehensive report made by Major Miller of the Presidential elections9 and it has reached the following conclusions:
- 1.
- That fair elections cannot be held under the existing election law.
- 2.
- That so far as any accurate estimate can be made, the strength of the two contending parties in the recent elections was very nearly identical.
- 3.
- That while violence and intimidation, fortunately, were not practised by the Governmental authorities during the recent elections, except in a few scattered instances, gross fraud was undoubtedly practised by the authorities of the Government, both in the registration and in the counting of votes cast.
It is apparent that widespread dissatisfaction exists in Nicaragua with the outcome of the elections and that this dissatisfaction is by no means confined to the members of the Coalition Party, but exists [Page 307] as well among the members of the Conservative Party because of the manner in which the elections were conducted and because of the fact that the election of Diego Chamorro implies the continued control by one family of the Executive power in Nicaragua. It is evident that disturbances are liable to occur unless very radical measures are at once adopted by the Government with a view to satisfying the aspirations of a large majority of the people for immediate reform in the electoral system. The Department believes that if the Government gives at once unmistakable evidence of the intention which it has so often expressed, and as often postponed, to have adopted an election law which shall in fact guarantee to all the voters in Nicaragua equal opportunity to avail themselves of their Constitutional right of suffrage, revolutionary disturbances of a serious character may be avoided.
You are therefore instructed to obtain at once an audience with President Chamorro and inform him of the belief of the Department as above indicated. You may state to him that the Department deeply regretted his unwillingness three months before the elections to adopt the suggestion of the Department made at that time, that he avail himself of the services of some recognized authority in the United States, such as General Crowder, to assist the Government of Nicaragua in drafting a new and fair election law in order that that law might be enforced during the recent elections. You may say that the Department, while regretting the President’s decision, did not press the matter at that time because of the brief period then remaining before the date of the elections and because of the domestic political situation then existing in Nicaragua. The situation has now, however, changed and the Department confidently expects that President Chamorro will now comply with the Department’s suggestion and indicate to you his willingness to avail himself of the services of some expert recommended by this Government in order that he may assist the Government of Nicaragua in the drafting of a new election law to be presented to the Nicaraguan Congress at the next regular session. Since that session must terminate, it is understood, on the 15th of next March, it is evident that work on the project of the new election law should be commenced without delay. Because of the special relations existing between this Government and that of Nicaragua, and because of the official statement made through your Legation last June,10 in which was expressed the earnest hope of this Government that the recent elections would be entirely fair, the Department feels it a special obligation to use its influence with the Government [Page 308] of Nicaragua in order that, in the future, elections may be held under a law which safeguards the rights of every voter.
The Department believes, likewise, that the immediate passage of a fair election law may not be sufficient to remove from the members of the Coalition Party their well-founded resentment at the manner in which the recent elections were conducted. The suggestion has been made that revolutionary disturbances might be avoided if Diego Chamorro were willing to include among the members of his cabinet leaders of the Coalition party. Make discreet investigation both as to whether Diego Chamorro would be disposed to form a Coalition cabinet and whether such a compromise would be acceptable to the Opposition Party.
Cable report as soon as possible, communicating at the same time, your opinion as to the practicability of making representations along these lines to Diego Chamorro and report at once result of your interview with the President.