817.00/9055
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Chief of the Division of Caribbean and Central American Affairs (Cabot)
Ex-Presidents Chamorro and Sacasa called on Mr. Duggan2 at their request. After a lengthy exchange of amenities, Dr. Sacasa launched into a rambling discussion of political conditions in Nicaragua. He said that he had always been a staunch upholder of Pan-Americanism, denounced the present regime in Nicaragua, referred to previous political situations which had arisen in Nicaragua with the obvious intimation that we should intervene in the present situation with our moral influence, and said that Central American public opinion was becoming more and more bewildered at the present trend of the Good Neighbor Policy, which appeared to be supporting dictatorships.
After Dr. Sacasa’s disjointed comments had run their lengthy course, Mr. Duggan briefly re-enunciated our policy as to non-intervention. General Chamorro then pointed out that the American Ambassador,3 by accompanying President Somoza on his political trips, appeared to be placing the prestige of the United States behind Somoza. Mr. Duggan said that it was his understanding that the Ambassador had stopped going on political trips with President Somoza since the beginning of the political compaign, and turned to [Page 1393] Mr. Cabot for confirmation. Mr. Cabot said that Mr. Stewart had in fact been going on less political trips recently with President Somoza in order to avoid any appearance of partisanship in Nicaraguan internal politics. After a further exchange of amenities the two ex-Presidents departed.