Declaration of Lima

Twenty One American Republics met these past few days in Lima, Peru. Those in attendance signed the Declaration of Lima on Christmas Eve. The document highlights the particular unity among American nations not just as a geographical means but a sprititual one. It provides for pan-American consultation in case of a threat to the “peace, security, or territorial integrity” of any state.

This meeting is a regular occurrence. American nations meet every few years to discuss topics that of interest and concern to these nations.

Members are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.

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The Eighth International Conference of American States,

Considering:

That the peoples of America have achieved spiritual unity through the similarity of their republican institutions, their unshakable will for peace, their profound sentiment of humanity and tolerance, and through their absolute adherence to the principles of international law, of the equal sovereignty of states and of individual liberty without religious or racial prejudices;

That on the basis of such principles and will, they seek and defend the peace of the continent and work together in the cause of universal concord;

That respect for the personality, sovereignty, and independence of each American state, constitutes the essence of international order sustained by continental solidarity, which historically has found expression in declarations of various states, or in agreements which were applied, and sustained by new declarations and by treaties in force; that the Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, held at Buenos Aires, approved on December 21, 1936, the declaration of the principles of inter-American solidarity and cooperation, and approved, on December 23, 1936, the protocol of nonintervention; the Governments of the American States

Declare:

First. That they reaffirm their continental solidarity and their purpose to collaborate in the maintenance of the principles upon which the said solidarity is based;

Second. That faithful to the above-mentioned principles and to their absolute sovereignty, they reaffirm their decision to maintain them and to defend against all foreign intervention or activity that may threaten them;

Third. And in case the peace, security or territorial integrity of any American republic is thus threatened by acts of any nature that may impair them, they proclaim their common concern and their determination to make effective their solidarity, coordinating their respective sovereign wills by means of the procedure of consultation, established by conventions in force and by declarations of the inter-American conferences, using the measures which in each case the circumstances may make advisable. It is understood that the Governments of the American Republics will act independently in their individual capacity, recognizing fully their juridical equality as sovereign states;

Fourth. That in order to facilitate the consultations established in this and other American peace instruments, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the American Republics, when deemed desirable and at the initiative of any one of them, will meet in their several capitals by rotation and without protocolary character. Each government may, under special circumstances or for special reasons, designate a representative as a substitute for its Minister for Foreign Affairs;

Fifth. This declaration shall be known as the "Declaration of Lima."

Lima Mobs beseige German Consulate

The news announcing that Peru's 4-2 victory in soccer over Austria was ruled out by the International Football Federation in Berlin caused indignant crowds to assemble here as well as in Port Callao today to protest the decision.

As soon as the report was received, crowds running in the thousands congregated at the principal newspaper offices to await further information. The local Olympic Committee immediately took up the matter with the President of the Republic, Oscar Benavides, who instructed the committee to withdraw its delegation from the Olympic Games.

Then a shouting crowd started a march to the palace, the thousands in line clogging traffic and pausing en route to tear down the Olympic flag which was flying from the business house, the German manager of which is the Austrian consul here. The arrival of police prevented further damage.

Booing, whistling, yelling and shouting, the demonstrators reached the main square, the Plaza de Armas, where they were joined by others from the Newspaper offices. When they arrived in front of the palace, they urged the President to appear.

Accompanied by Ministers of State and military aides, President Benavides appeared and listened to the speeches. In reply, he said: "I have received cables from the Argentine, Chile, Uraguay and Mexico solidifying the Peruvian attitude against the crafty Berlin decision".

The President further recommended that the demonstrators bind themselves clamly not to imitate the unsportsmanlike Berlin decision. The President of the local games committee read the cables sent and received to the crowd, including cables from the Austrian consul and the local Nazi representative in which reconsideration of the International Federation's decision was asked.

Singing the National Anthem, the crowd continued its demonstration along the main street, where it gained further supporters. With the Chilean, Argentine, Uraguayan and Ecuadorian flags accompanying that of Peru, the crowd surged toward the Plaze San Martin, were it was addressed by various speakers.

Reforming its ranks the crowd later marched to the German consulate where is stoned windows in protest. Police arriving in trucks peacefully managed to get the crowd to disperse.

Stevedores did not work for two hours on the two vessels at Callao, the German Ammon and the Norwegian Remulus, as an act of protest, while various hundreds paraded in the streets there protesting and voicing their indignation. The Police meanwhile guarded the German Consulate.

The Afternoon papers bitterly attacked the federation's decision in the editorials. One said :"It lacks basis as a reason, the Austrians' only pretext was to eliminate the team which had a good chance to win and thereby see its national flag wave from the scene of operations."

The whole press praises the gesture of the Latin American delegations in meeting in Berlin to support the Peruvians. All is quiet here now.