DOMINICANS FEAR INVASION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 244, 28 July 1947, Page 3

DOMINICANS FEAR INVASION

“Army of Communist Revolutionaries” ALLEGATIONS BY AMBASSADOR (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.30) WASHINGTON, July 27. The Dominican Ambassador, Senor Julio Ortego Frier, asserted that “an army of Communist revolutionaries” assembled from Cuba, Gautemala, Venezuela and Porto Rico, was- poised in Cuba to invade the Dominican Republic.

The army consisted of 3000 men, 1000 of whom Avere scheduled to leave the Cuban port of Antilla on the night of July 25. “The remainder of the army Avas grouped in other Cuban ports. His Government knew all their military plans, what types of Aveapons they had and Avho paid for them. The entire Dominican army had been disposed to meet the attack. “We have protested to the Cuban Government and informed it of every detail,” he added, “but in spite of this the invasion army* seemd to be on its way.” The United States Government hasalso been informed. The Venezuelan Ambassador and the Gautemala Charge d’Affaires in Washington and the Cuban Minister of State in Havana have each flatly denied any knowledge of the alleged army. The naval commander at Antilla said he had investigated and found no substantiation of the charge. He added that the only vessels in port Avere sugar ships Avhich Avere operating normally. The Associated Press recalls that Venezuela and Gautemala, in 19455 and 1947 respectively, severed diplomatic - relations with the Dominican Republic, whose Government is headed by President Rafael Trujillo. There are Dominican exile groups in Cuba, Porto Rico, Venezuela and Gautemala.