(2 of 2)
One by one, the ambassadors were called in to discuss the possibility of joint action by the Organization of American States. Said one Latin American ambassador: "Some sort of joint intervention appears to be inevitable. It's a very serious thing." Ambassadors are not governments; yet even Brazil's Jânio Quadros, leading exponent of mediation before the Cuban defeat, was reported to be in favor of some form of OAS sanctions. Known to be deeply shocked at Castro's blatant Communism, Quadros last week issued a joint statement with Argentine President Arturo Frondizi, calling on Latin American nations to repel "any direct or indirect interference of extracontinental forces."
There was less agreement on how far to go. Most Latin American governments still oppose direct military intervention by the U.S., and it is doubtful whether the U.S. would be satisfied with a simple OAS vote to condemn Castro by name (which it has not yet done). The U.S. last week urgently reminded Latin American ambassadors of the 1954 Caracas declaration pledging joint action by the American states to stop Communist aggression in the hemisphere. The State Department is thinking of calling an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the OAS to reach a common decision on action against Castro. But if it looks as if it cannot assemble a majority, the U.S. is in a mood to go ahead with those who will stand up and be counted.