REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES 158711, 420 Titty 91 ins WAJAOS CUISS1030 LEGĂTyror Tira UNITED STATES OF AMERICA San José, Costa Rica May 4, 1943 No. 1755 SUBJECT: Political Conditions. May Day demonstration.
yes STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL POLITICAL RELATION.
SEH DUN WWIGAN MAY 20 1943 The Honorable. The Secretary of State Wonington, RECEIVED.
well AlTMENT OF STATE Sir: have the honor to report that an unusually large labor demonstration took place on May Day in San José and that the government was successful in avoiding any disorders on that occasion. The President was also fairly successful in preventing any political tendencies in the speeches, but, although no references were made to the so called official candidate, Señor Picado, deliberate criticism of Señor Cortes and of the Diario de Costa Rica was expressed by the Communist leader, Señor Mora.
ConfiaenteIl 812. 00 1758 hol Fue et att byta ECONOMIC STUDIES ANAY 27 1943 DEPARTMENT OF STATE As reported in my telegram no. 401, April 30, p.
there was a fairly general belief that disorders of one sort or another were bound to occur in connection with the labor demonstration and the speeches to be delivered at its conclusion in the Temple of Music in Parque Morazán, The Communist Party announced in the press some days earlier that the parade would constitute a demonstration in favor of the social legislation sponsored by President Calderón Guardia, including the proposed labor code, which is to be considered by Congress this week. The Cortés Party, however, announced that the parade was not a manifestation in favor of the President: but would be a labor demonstration of a general character.
Members of the Democratic Party (Cortesistas) were there fore urged to participate, and also to make use of the te special trains and other methods of transportation to San José, provided by the government for persons desiring to take part in the parade. The President announced in the press of April 30th that any attempt to create disorder during the parade would receive immediate punishment. Both parties urged their followers to avoid the use of banners of a purely political nature calculated to cause irritation to political opponents, and not to use slogans or to make outcries of such character. One of the afternoon papers, on April 30th, reported that members of the Demooratic Party were arming, themselves with knives and clubs, to be used in connection with the parade. Many rumors were current to the general effect that President Calderon Gua Guardia had arranged a coup état, which would be introduced by PS HILD PS VGG speeches