For a good, small Latin American specialist, contact Last Frontiers (01296 653000; www.lastfrontiers.com), which can tailor-make a range of trips to the city and beyond.

"The civilians give information to the contras and deny it to the Government," a Latin military specialist said.

Mr. Holloway said a committee of 22 professors and Latin American specialists had reviewed Mr. Machado's application and a number of others.

Nonetheless, Latin American specialists said the president's endorsement would help.

Prevented from working in Europe as a philosopher or social scientist, he developed most of his projects in academia as a "Latin American specialist".

Their views prevailed over the hard-line, mid-level Latin American specialists at the State Department, who favored as little cooperation with Havana as possible, officials said.

Latin American specialists, The Ultimate Travel Company (020 7386 4646 www.theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk) can arrange a 12-day tailor-made journey taking in Guatemala and Belize from £1,930 per person.

She is a Latin American specialist in the finance department of the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington.

And near the top of the list of stars are some Latin American specialists that were whacked only a few quarters ago.

Constantine Menges (1939-2004), an American scholar, author, professor, and Latin American specialist for the CIA .