Office of the Historian

835.01/207: Telegram

The Ambassador in Paraguay (Frost) to the Secretary of State

Asunción, March 8, 1944—noon.
[Received 9:25 p.m.]

143. Argentine Ambassador83 has officially requested Paraguayan declaration of recognition. Foreign Minister84 believes that refusal would constitute act of defiance. He is delaying until noon March 9 on pretext of consulting Cabinet. He also expects to receive official statement from Aranha,85 March 9. He renewed his statements that Clorinda and Formosa86 are filling up with Paraguayan exiles ready to take part in a possible revolt here. Paraguay has suspended [Page 297] traffic with. Clorinda. On 7th instant Argaña telegraphed his Ambassador Buenos Aires87 to protest to Argentine Government regarding its tolerance of preparations by Paraguayan enemies of Morínigo88 government.

Argaña also states that Brazilian Ambassador89 has recognized impracticability of rejection by Paraguay of Argentine demand and has telegraphed Aranha advising acceptance of following declaration by Paraguay formulated by Argaña yesterday.

“It is the intention of the Paraguayan Government to continue its relations traditionally cordial and friendly with the Argentine Government. Such relations will remain inalterable so long as the position of Paraguay does not impair in this respect the supreme interests of the continent, its security (America) in the face of the actual world conflict and the spirit of fraternity of the Americas.”

He emphasized that the conduct of Chile90 and Argentina’s formal demand constitute two new vital complications. I pointed out that his instructions to Pecci at Buenos Aires to lodge a complaint with the Argentine Government constitute recognition. Without admitting this, he declared that it is now too late for the instructions to be canceled and, moreover, that the danger of a coup aided by Argentina such as the Villarroel91 coup in Bolivia seems very imminent.

Department’s telegram No. 70, March 7, 7 p.m.92 evoked his warm appreciation.

Brazilian Ambassador believes that a joint visit by himself and me to Argaña on the morning of March 9 may result in delaying the publication of the Paraguayan declaration an additional 24 hours, i. e. to March 10.

Repeated to Montevideo, Buenos Aires.

Frost
  1. Luis S. Castiñeiras.↩
  2. Luis A. Argaña.↩
  3. Oswaldo Aranha, Brazilian Minister for Foreign Affairs.↩
  4. Towns on the Argentine side of the Paraguay–Argentina boundary.↩
  5. Francisco Pecci.↩
  6. Higinio Morínigo, President of Paraguay.↩
  7. Lafayette de Carvalho e Silva.↩
  8. Reference is to Chile’s recognition of the Farrell government; see telegram 406, March 3, midnight, from Santiago, p. 294.↩
  9. Maj. Gualherto Villarroel, head of a revolutionary junta in Bolivia. For correspondence on the problem of recognition of the Bolivian regime, see pp. 427 ff.↩
  10. Not printed; it indicated that the Department did not expect a public statement of position on the Argentine situation by Paraguay (835.00/2528a).↩