REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES 19571. 020 Tith S LEGAL EGATI GHISS 7930 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AM 10 2(San José, Costa Rica May 18, 1943 No. 1811 UNCATIONS SUBJECT: Political conditions in Costa Rica.
for Distribution H00 17601 720 7627 216. 00 1761 218. 00 1763 The Honofaple The Secretary of State Washington, Sft. Referring to the Legation despatch no. 1796 of May 13, 1943 on the proposed electoral law in Costa Rica and my telegrams nos. 425, 28, 431 and 434 OfCER ON POLO May 12, p. May 13, p. May 14, 10 a. and May 15, 10 a. respectively, have the honor (to Dune report that it appears that the proposed new electoral to aw has been permanently withdrawn by the Government from the consideration of the Costa Rican Congressar This represents a decided victory for public opinion ENT OF STATE over the administration.
POUSICAL AETA stal 1943 8180 BILANO 71765 Seldom in Costa Rica, apparently, has public opinion so spontaneously and energetically protested against any measure. While the Democratic party of ex President León Cortés was energetic in its denunciation, particularly in the newspapers, of the proposed electoral law, and certain persons like Otilio Ulate, editor of the Diario de Costa Rica, and certain Cortesista deputies in the Congress, were conspicuous in their fight against the proposed law, there did not seem to be any well knit organization against it, or any one directing head.
All sections of the populace, with the exception, naturally, of some of the administration and certain administration deputies, were against the law, including the Communist party, which has hitherto supported the administration in order to obtain the passage of labor legislation in which it is interested. It is generally conceded here that the demonstration against the proposed law was truly spontaneous. The press came out with reams of praise in large headlines and pictures of the demonstrators, heralding the fact that democracy was still alive in Costa Rica, and ex President Ricardo Jiménez proposed that May 15 be made the Day of Democracy in Costa Rica. Not only did the students demonstrate for three days, but also Costa Rican women demonstrated in the streets, which fact caused Leon Cortés to state in the Diario de Costa Rica of May 16 that the nation should give greater and more tangible proof of the equality of Costa Rican women by recognizing their civic rights and granting them the right to vote. The er of demonstrators was enormous, and Costa Ricans were pleased that it exceeded by far the number of persons who participated in the May 1st parade organized by the PS! JA Comraunist