REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES 1987 19:20 Titan 911insonOGRY LEGIL OBLISSF1930 UNITED STATES OF AMERICASan José, Costa Rica, June 17, 1943.
No. 129 Subject: Political Conditions.
RECEIVED DEPARTMENT OF STATE 91 OL WW ZZ Nr Euro DIVISION DE INICATIONS NO RECORDS RNE TIYDA IDENTIAL The Wongrabie The Secretary of State, Wasalinton, Sir: 218. 00 1765 have the honor to refer to this mission despatch No. 181. of Kay 18, 1943, and aircran No. 650, Hlay 22, ám. regarding political conditions in Costa Rica and to report developments since that date.
ELLT OU. 313 SRO Following the great public demonstrations on May 2014 and 15 against the electoral reform bill, in which demonstrations women took a prominent part, it was proposed in the press that woman suffrage should be adopted in Costa Rica, since Costa Rican women had shown in this crisis a real interest in and understan) ing of political matters. considerable amount of discussion of this proposal has occurred since that time, both in the press and in Congress itself, and a number of prominent personages have stated their views.
The strongest advocates Of woman suffrace are the opponents of the Government who were instrumental in defeating the reform bill. The Government itse.
been non committal. The so called official candidate for the Presidency, Teodoro Picado, has made a number of public statements eulogizing Costa Rican womanhood since he was accused of having made disparaginc remarks against the female demonstrators on liay 15, and has obviously been endeavoring to overcome the bad impression made thereby. The Archbishop of San José announced that he was opposed to woman suffrage. The discussion, particularly in the press, still continues but public interest in the matter seems to be decreasing 100, 00B Compruenitulli The dissolution of the Cormunist International had immediate political repercussions in Costa Rica (see my strictly confidential despatch NO. 1, of May 29, and aitgram No. 725 of June 16, 1) a. The Communist party here dissolved itself and a new organization was formed which took the rene Popular Vanguard. Its leader, the Secretary General of the former Communist Party, Manuel mmunicated in writing with the Archbishop of San José and obtained a letter in reply from the Archbishop