Foreign Relations: New Warning to the Latins

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The Latins did not take long to respond. Peru's lower house condemned the resolution as "American imperialism." Colombia's Congress denounced it as "openly regressive." Venezuela's ruling Democratic Action Party and Mexico's Popular Socialist Party complained about it. Newspapers of almost every persuasion, from Cuba's Communist dailies to the conservative Jornal do Brasil, blasted it.

In the U.S. the resolution came in for some criticism because it gave every windbag south of the Rio Grande an excuse to fan the air. Since it only stated a known fact, though, there was hardly reason for the fuss. Considering the Communist subversion now going on in Peru, Venezuela and Colombia, the warning did not seem out of order. It also served as a sharp reminder that, despite U.S. pleas, the nations of Latin America have not yet put together a permanent body to cope with attempted Communist takeovers. Many of the loudest complainers last week were those who turn tail fastest every time the U.S. suggests such a force, which would make unilateral U.S. intervention unnecessary.