State Dept. Stalls Nicaraguan's Visa

A high-ranking Nicaraguan official is scheduled to visit Harvard next month, but the United States government may prevent him from entering the country.

Thomas Borge, the Nicaraguan Minister of the Interior and second in command of the People's Army, applied for a visa in late March after receiving invitations from the Law School, the Business School, and more than 20 other American universities and organizations. But the State Department has yet to approve the request, and an official in the Nicaraguan Embassay in Washington yesterday charged that they were deliberately stalling.

'Harassment'

"Normally it would be a matter of two hours at the most." Francisco Campbell, first secretary for the Nicaraguan Embassy said.

"It's case of harassment," added Angela Saballos, the embassy spokesman.

"We have full diplomatic relations with the United States; the delay is surely trying to demonstrate something."

State Department officials commented only that the visa was "under consideration."

Sandinist Leader

Borge is a leader of the Sandinista movement which gained control of the Nicaraguan government in 1979 after deposing U.S. backed Anastasio Somoza. He first took part in guerilla activities in 1958, and spent nine months in prison, in 1977 and 1978. Since the revolution, Borge has played a major role in the Socialist government.

The alleged squabble over the visa may stem from the Reagan Administration's recent attempts to curb what it has called increasing Communist infiltration in Latin America. In a speech before Congress on Wednesday. Reagan termed the Sandinist government a "new dictatorship."

Portable Violation

Congress last December voted to bar any U.S. efforts to overthrow the Nicaraguan government. But several observers have said recently that the U.S. may have violated that provision. In his speech. Reagan did not deny the allegations, and declared that the United States "shall not--and will not--protect the Nicaraguan government from the anger of its own people."

Frederich E. Snyder, assistant dean and director of clinical programs at the Law School who invited Borge to meet with a few faculty members, said that the State Department was delaying "to precipitate a break in diplomatic relations."

"May be it's because he cuts such a prestigious figure," said Snyder. "A slap in the face of Borge is a very important slap symbolically."

'Atrocity'

"It's quite an atrocity when someone can't come here to speak," said James E. Austin, professor of Business Administration, who invited Borge to a faculty luncheon on May 12. He added, "It's simply a very clear policy of diplomatic isolation."