INVASION PLAX ALLEGED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25247, 28 July 1947, Page 3

INVASION PLAX ALLEGED

FEARS OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

NEIGHBOURING STATES DENY KNOWLEDGE

(Rec. 1 a.m.) WASHINGTON, July 27. The Dominican Ambassador to the United States (Mr Julio Ortego Frier) asserted that “an army of Communist revolutionaries” assembled from Cuba, Guatemala. Venezuela, and Porto Rico was poised in Cuba to invade the Dominican Republic. He said that this army consisted of 3000 men. 1000 of whom were scheduled to leave the Cuban port of Antilla last Friday night. The remainder of the army was grouped in other Cuban, ports.

He said his Government knew all their military plans, what types of weapons they had. and who had paid for them. The entire Dominican Army has been disposed to meet the attack. “We have protested to the Cuban Government and informed it of every detail, but in spite of this the invasion army seems to be on its way,” said the Dominican Ambassador. “The United States Government has also been informed.”

The Venezuelan Ambassador and the Guatemalan 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 were sugar ships, which were operating normally.

The Associated Press recalls that Venezuela and Guatemala, in 1945 and 1947 respectively, severed diplomatic relations with the Dominican Republic. whose Government is headed by President Rafael Trujillo. There are Dominion exile groups in Cuba. Porto Rico. Venezuela, and Guatemala.