The question has arisen whether any action should be taken to recognize the present Government of Nicaragua. Briefly the facts are as follows:

(a) Dr. Leonardo Arguello was elected President of Nicaragua on April 30, 1947, in succession to General Samoza who had been President for many years. Less than one month later General Samoza, in a military coup, overthrew his successor and eventually made Dr. Roman Y Reyes President. General Samoza continues to be the power behind the throne.

(b) The United States, United Kingdom and Latin American states generally withheld recognition of the new Government.

(c) Canada has no diplomatic mission, consulate or trade commissioner in Nicaragua, We did, however, avoid taking any action which might be construed as recognition of the new régime. Specifically, we did not reply to telegrams from the Foreign Minister announcing the new Government and we did not acknowledge passports issued by the new Government.

(d) The United Kingdom informed us a short time ago that they proposed to recognize the present Government in Nicaragua as soon as the United States did. The United Kingdom Government asked us whether we would like the United Kingdom Minister to Nicaragua to communicate the recognition of the Canadian Government at the same time.

(e) The State Department yesterday informed our Embassy in Washington that the U.S. Government was likely to recognize the Government of Nicaragua some time this week. Some Latin American Republics, including Colombia, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, have already recognized the new Government.

2. It seems to me that we have four choices. We might:

(i) Formally recognize the new régime through the United Kingdom Minister at Nicaragua.

(ii) Formally recognize the new régime by means of a letter from you to the Foreign Minister of Nicaragua.

(iii) Informally recognize the new régime.

(iv) Take no action at the present time.

3. I suggest that the last course is the preferable one. Conditions in Nicaragua are far from settled. General Samoza, the real ruler of Nicaragua, is an unsavoury character and only about six weeks ago intervened in the Costa Rican rebellion. If conditions become more stable or if it becomes in our interest to accord recognition we could then do so. The most acceptable procedure would probably be informal recognition. We would then accept Nicaraguan passports and other documents signed by that Government and generally act towards Nicaragua in the same way as we do towards any other country with whom we have not exchanged diplomatic missions.²

L.B. P[EARSON]

²Note marginale :/Marginal note:
I agree. St. L[aurent] May 10, 1945