816.01/312
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs (Wilson)
Mr. Cohen, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Chile, in calling today, said that he had a cable from his Government that it was considering recognizing the Martínez regime in Salvador and would like to know what the position of the United States Government was. I told Mr. Cohen that at the request of the Central American countries we had supported the principles of the 1923 treaty regarding non-recognition of revolutionary governments. The other four Central American governments had unanimously interpreted the treaty as barring Martínez from recognition and we have taken the same attitude. We felt that the treaty had unquestionably been of benefit to the Central American countries through discouraging revolution and assisting them to promote stability.
Mr. Cohen said that the Martínez administration had extended recognition to Davila when the latter came into power in Chile and he believed that the Davila government had likewise extended recognition to Martínez. He thought, therefore, that as the present Chilean government was in the line of succession from the Davila government, Chile had in fact already extended recognition to Martínez. However, he understood that Martínez was carrying on considerable propaganda for recognition from all the American States and probably wanted some positive act of recognition on the part of Chile. I inferred that there is not much doubt that Chile will formally extend recognition.