Benjamin Sumner Welles (1892-1962)

United States career diplomat with wide Latin American experience, appointed assistant secretary of state by the Franklin Roosevelt administration in early 1933. Roosevelt and his Secretary of state Cordell Hull decided to send Sumner Wells to Cuba as US ambassador to mediate between President Gerardo Machado and the opposition.  Appointed April 24, 1933, Welles arrived June 1, and sought to persuade Machado to allow political pluralism and restore the office of vice-president. His mediation efforts were supported by several political factions except the conservative followers of former President Menocal and culminated in a general strike, the defection of the armed forces and Gerardo Machado’s flight into exile. A coalition government under Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada was quickly formed under Welles’ direction but was overthrown by the Sergeants’ revolt. Welles failed to persuade President Roosevelt to order United States intervention, but he ceased to be ambassador when, on his advice, the United States refused to recognize Cuba’s new government on September 5, and he left Cuba for good on December 13. When president Grau (whose nationalistic fervor had aroused anti-Americanism) was over-thrown, Welles was instrumental in securing US recognition of the new Mendieta administration, the abrogation of the Platt Amendment, and the removal of other limitations on Cuban sovereignty. He also helped draft a reciprocal trade agreement which reduced duties on Cuban sugar. In 1937 he was made under-secretary of state. His personal account appeared as The Time for Decision (1944).