NICARAGUAN COUP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26473, 29 May 1947, Page 7

NICARAGUAN COUP

PRESIDENT “ INCAPACITATED ”

PROVISIONAL SUCCESSOR INSTALLED

Rec. 9 p.m WASHINGTON, May 27. The Nicaraguan Congress has declared President Leonardo Arguella incapacitated, and has appointed Senor Benjamin Lacayo Sacasa as provisional President, according to official despatches received by the State Department to-day. The American Embassy at Managua also reported that Senor Arguella who was outsted by an army coup d’etat, has taken reluge in the Mexican Embassy, together with his wife and 11 loyal officers of the National Guard. Some 20 other loyal guard officers are in other embassies and legations. Senor Arguella had been in office for less than a month. General Anastasio Somoza. who led the coup took Senor Arguella prisoner yesterday, but released him after the diplomatic corps called upon the general and arranged refuge for Senor Arguella. The majority of the National Guard rallied to General Somoza and guards still surround the presidential palace.

UNITED STATES IMPLICATED Rec. 10 p.m. NEW YORK, May 27. A State Department official in Washington said that the United States decision to recognise the new regime established by the coup d’etat would be made only after full consultation with other American Governments. The New York Times correspondent in Mexico City, citing “ the best diplomatic sources,” says that the Nicaragua issue is virtually certain to come up at the Pan-American Conference at Rio de Janeiro, and the United States will associate itself with any joint action censuring General Somoza. The officials of several countries expressed the opimcn that the dictator’s return to power behind the guns of an Americantrained Nicaraguan army was bound to embarrass the United States irrespective of what action it took. A United Press report from Guatemala City says that the Nicaraguan General Policarpo Gutierrez declared himself in open rebellion against the new regime in Nicaragua, and took to the hills with his followers, whose number is undisclosed. Many army officers, who also disapproved the coup, have been arrested.