REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES 19871, 04177 Timis 91 ASWAJAVOR GEDISS 7930 DEPA DI ISION OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLICS MERICARD May 31, 1943 Costa Rica 1943 Mr. Cabot: Mr. Walmsley: Political conditions in Costa Rica total s1943 21765 ta Rica.
Herewith a despatch from San José describing in more detail the political situation in connection with the introduction and with drawal of the proposed electoral reform law, and discussing the activities in onnection with the attempt of the Administration and Leon Cortes to agree to il 818. 00 1763 the designation of a compromise candidate.
itch no. 1796 of From this despatch it appears that the law in Costa overwhelming demonstration of public opinion 31 and 434 OfSER ON POLITICA was the principal factor in the withdrawal. 10 a. anu of the electoral reform law. Both the three he honor to the wwwska day student demonstration and that of the ed new electoral public at large, including a large number of the Government women, exceeded by far the number of persons can Congressa TENT OF STA!
who participated in the Communist Party public opinion demonstration on May The Embassy stated that the Administration was compelled to withdraw the bill from Congress because of has public opinion division within the ranks of the Administration. tested against any In this connection Señor Tinoco influence ex President León was most important.
on, particularly ctoral law, and The chief obstacle in deciding upon a tor of the Diario compromise candidate appears to be Teodoro ieputies in the Picado refusal to withdraw as a candidate ght against the of the Administration party. It is reported any well knit that President Calderon Guardia favors Jorge recting head.
exception, naturally, Hine lin administration ue puties, 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 number 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! JIS Corrnunist