Western Hemisphere 123
Narrative: In February 1885, Colombian officials accused Cerruti, a private Italian
businessman, of giving aid and weapons to rebel forces. Cerruti fled to a nearby Italian
ship, but his property and other Italians’ property were confiscated by local officials.
The Italian government responded, ultimately sending the warship Flavio Gioia to
Colombian waters; it dropped anchor on July 6, 1885, and Cerruti’s case became a
civil matter by July 8. However, Cerruti was arrested again on August 5, and the Ital-
ian warship returned to Colombian waters. On January 2, 1886, Colombia’s judiciary
began new criminal action against Cerruti while his property was ordered returned.
Cerruti refused to accept his property, citing significant depreciation of value in the
time elapsed. Both sides opted for negotiation to sort out important questions of Cer-
ruti’s nationality, his culpability, and the damages owed to him.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from Missing. End Date changed from Missing.
Outcome changed from Compromise.
MID#2341
Dispute Number: 2341
Date(s): July 1898 to August 7, 1898
Participants: 325 Italy/100 Colombia
Outcome (and Settlement): Yield by side B (Imposed)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This is the second dispute concerning the claims of Ernesto Cerruti, an
Italian national living in Colombia whose property was confiscated after accusations
that he had conspired with rebels during an uprising in 1885 (see MID#1764). That
particular dispute ended with a protocol signed in Paris on May 24, 1886. This named
Spain as arbiter, who ultimately ruled in favor of Italy and the restoration of Cerruti’s
property. Still, this never settled the dispute as the full resolution of the claims lingered.
US President Grover Cleveland eventually intervened in 1894, ruling that Cerruti was
entitled to his claims but that he had to pay off his creditors. This was unacceptable for
the Italians. The year 1898 constitutes another part of this decades-long affair. The Ital-
ian foreign minister informed Colombian Foreign Minister Jose Marcelino Hurtado that
an Italian fleet in the area was coming to Colombia, a tactic the Italians had used to force
negotiations in the Caribbean (see MID#2045). The idea specifically was to force com-
plete execution of the Colombian side of the protocol announced by Cleveland since the
Colombians had only executed a fraction of their obligations. The Italian fleet arrived
three days later and dropped anchor in Buenaventura. The Colombians were notified of
the demands a week after the fleet’s arrival. The tactic worked, prompting quick action
by the Colombian legislature to appease the Italians and their superior naval forces.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from July 14, 1898. End Date changed from
August 14, 1898.
100 Colombia/710 China
MID#51
Started in June 1950. See the narrative in the 731 North Korea/732 South Korea dyad
dispute list.