TRIP REPORT OF(Classified)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP63-00314R000200260029-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: October 25, 1960
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release IQ-QQmw' _.rI e-RDP63-003314R000200260029-3
VOW "Ilillo
,JCT 2.5,
Id~RA~Jat1M FOR: Deputy Direator/Intelllaeenae
Assistant Director, Research and Reports
St> CTs Trip Report of
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I.spose of Trip
a. To attend the Sixth General Assembly of the Pan Americas.
Institute of Geography and History, which convened 25 July through 6
August 1955 in Mexico City. Consultations of the Geography Camis-
sion, the Cartography Commission, aced. the History Commission were
herds -ulte eona1y with the General Assembly. These meetings, held
every two or three years in d*fferent cities throughout the Hemisphere,
provide an excellent opportunity for the procurement of new informa-
tion and publications on the geographic and cartographic activities In
Latin Aaerica.
b. To participate in area familiarization travel for two weeks
into areas of Mexico currently exhibiting the most noticeable cook
growth and development.
II. Activities
a. Attendance at the PAIC,H Meetings me" possible the renewal of
former contacts, as well as the formulation of new ones, for the purpose
of a xchanging information on current developmerelts in Latin America.
Over 300 delegates were present, including a few observers from European
countries. In addition to the plenny. sessions of the Institute,
scientific and teechnicmS sessions of the Coen d.seione were held at which
national reports were presented outlining progress in each country, and
during which new joint projects. were instituted for work in the futuz-e.
Representatives were contacted fray various agencies in Argentina,,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dcmini.can Republic, Ecuador, Fl Salvador,
A"? " ? Gueateemalee:, Mxico, Nicaragua, Paragi , Peru, ~, surd Venezuela,
b. It should be noted that presence we of special
significance since this is the first ma~at ng since 1946 when
of geographic and map materials curenw avsilable.
saiu~ nWseif during w aicth negotiations weexe concluded for the
25X1A9a tag tat present.
25X1 A9a The preeence of the Speer.." Assiestosnti for XIMPS rs zeed the Depaxt-
= t of State's nt prog am, and reactivated malt agreements
which were meads quite a ,long time ago's
c. The two weeks following the Conference were devoted to area-
familiarization travel in two distinct regions of Mexico. The first
trip took no south of Mexico City by air to Tuxtla Gutierres in the
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highlands beyond the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Iran there I travelled
in a hired ear for 50 miles along the Pan American Highway, in a section
where the road ascends over 5:000 feet to the village or San Cristobas3.
Las Cases. Returning to Tuxtla Gutierrez, I now to Ixtepec on the
18th =8 from which I vent to the Pacific port of Salina Cruz, than back
north across the Isthmus to Niniatitlan now the Caribbean. Frcym MHanatit-
3.aa, I visited the agricultural colony at Aeayyucan, a project of the
Papaloapan Commission vhich is wnderta.cing the developrsnt of the Basin
of the Papeloapan River--a program similar to TVA on a smaller scale. In
addition to the c oicuiy at Acayuaan, I was guided through the tom of
Ciudad Al an, headquarters of the Commission, around the Maroon Dann,
claimed to be the largest in Latin America and not yet caipleted, and
through several Other aspects of the project such as an ---
agricultural farm, relocated tome flooded out by the waters of the new
lake, etc. I returned to Mexico by air f m Vera Cruz.
The second week was spent in automobile travel vest of Mexico
City, in the famous Rl Bajio, the "breadbasket of Mexico," and through
the agricultural regions new the city of au$dala-jare.. Also visited
were the Doban Power Project, the Rio Lerma Irrigation Region, and the
mining areas and mecnufactuxang activities around Lagos de Miormo, Leon,
Gimuajuato, and Queretaro. I was accompanied on both trips by Mexicans
who were able to expedite all ars~aageaents considerably and very much
to my advantage..
III. Problems or Difficulties
No outstanding problem arose. An necessary arran ements were
carefully handled by the appropriate offices before departure, and no
difficulties were encountered during the trip, other than a few flat
tires, ]aek of acco?wdations, etc., which were expected:
No camditments were sale other than offers to have materiels
forwarded by the Special Assistant for Maps in the routine business of
the Mlap Procurement Program. These arrangemaants are in process of being
carried out by the Procurement Branch or the Ip Library.
V. Reca~eenllatione
a. Attendance at stings such as those of the PAS are of
unquestioned value. Contacts are made which very directly influence
the success of any procurement requests forwarded to Latin American
countries. The Latin American tempereemeat is such that much of their
business is conducted an the basis of friendship, rather than by the
efficient, business-like *ppmach of the typical. North American. In
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addition, data and information are acquired at those meetings which we
cannot successfully acquire by request through the Embassies. *ich of
it is of a special-study nature, in manuscript form, or of limited u s-
tirubtion, and only by first-band contact can we learn of it.
b. Area familiarization travel is worth years of library research.
There is no substitute for first hand knowledge of an area. Although I
covered over 1, 600 miles and saw a great deal of the country,. I highly
recommend that whenever feasible a period of more than 2 weeks be granted.
Travel arrangements, delays cawed by local travel conditions, unforeseen
opportunities for itinerary change, and many other factors make a two
week junket all too brief.
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