Evening star., 1941-07-20
Nozi Envoy Expelled,
BoIivio Acts to Bar
Threatened Putsch'
Siege Is Proclaimed;
Further ExpuIsions
Of Germans Seen
BACKGROUND

German infItrdtion into South
American countries has been re-
ported intensified since the start
OF the European lUar, Gllegedly
1Uith the hope Of bringing pro-
NG1i regimes to pOUer as part
OF program OF hdmpertng
hemisphere defense. Nd3i sub
UerSiUe actiUitieS hare been re-
ported in MANI other Latin
American countries, principally
Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
BY the Associated Press.
La PAz, Bolivia, July 19,-Thc
Bolivian government proclaimed
a state Of siege tonight and or
dered the German Minister to
leave the country within 43
hours in swift move to suppress
what informed persons called a
threatened Nazi putsch.
The government announcement
said the siege decree was to thwart
"a revolutionary attempt bein5
plotted by groups with totalitarlan
tendencies"
Although the government cid not
directly link the two actions stimuli
taneously with the declaration OF
a state of siege, it announced tina,
the German Minister. Ernest Wend-
Ter, had been declared persona no:i
grata at a cabinet meeting this
afternoon and was ordered TO get
out of Bolivia within two days.
Further Expulsions Expected.
The announcement did not men-
ton the other members of the Iega-
/ ton staff, but unusually Well-ln-
| formed persons said It was belleyed
| they likewise would be expelled.
/ Police authorities took precaU-
tionary measures to maintain order
/ throughout the republic. and o-d-
cial reports said the situation We
tranquil everywhere.
Armando Arce, director OF the
newspaper La Gale, Augusta Ces-
pedes, assistant director, and CarloG
Montenegro were reported detained
by the government.
The text of the decree on the
state of siege, signed by President
/ Enrique Penaranda and members OF
his cabinet, follows:
Enrique Penaranda, constitu-
tional President of the republic,
considering:
That the most urgent obligation
of the executive is 10 preserve do
mestic peace in order to maintain
the position of neutrality and dig
nifty of the republic, in the face OF
world warlike occurrences;
That the present administration
! fulfills an absolute program of ma
tional resurgence;
That the Jealous performance {
the constitutional regime is belr
taken advantage of by political DEM
agogy to foment alarm and anarchy
/ in the country.
That there is evidence Of the eX-
istence of plans and activities agains.
order and legal powers, in plotting
with foreign political interests of a
totalitarian character.
Therefore, with the approval Of
/ the Council of Ministers, it is de-
creed:
Article one-A state of siege IS
declared throughout the republic
under section three of the consti-
tuition. The Minister of Govern
ment remains in charge of the eX-
ecution and fulfiiment of the decree.
1T is signed in the governmental
palace, city of La Paz, July 10, l94l,
Bolivia has had somewhat similar
! troubles several times in the past.
but has not attributed them as
| clearly to Nazis as in the present
case.
Last May 81 it was announced
that steps had been taken to sup
press "totalitarian" action.
President Enrique Penaranda last
October decreed amnesty for vari-
Gus political offenses in an an
nounced attempt to unity the coun-
| try. This followed a clash in La
Paz last July between Leftists and
alleged FaScists in which one per-
son was killed and several were
wounded.
March 26, 1910, the government
put down a revolt by an army regi-
ment which government sources said
had been aimed at assassination Of
the then President Carlos Quinta-
| nilla and PreSident-elect Penaranda.