DASomto Authority Stateletter in her 2: ML, MARC::9 24981 LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA San José, Costa Rica, August il, 1943.
No. 416 Rew Subject: Comparison of the Program of the former Communist Party and the new Vanguardie Popular Party which was formed from le o RA Perage. CRVED IPS Tema 27 13 The Honorable The Seeretary of State, Washington.
1943 TENT OF STATE IS!
Referring to my despatch No. 373) of August 10, 1942, concerning the new political party Vanguardia Popular and especially the attitude of the Archbishop of San José toward it, have the honor to enclose copies and translations of the program and statutes of both parties. 2. striking similarity exists between the programs of the two parties. The statutes of the former Communist Party admitted that Costa Rica was not ready to participate in the Socialist regime and therefore it was not working to impose socialism here, but believed that liberation of the country from imperialism, obtaining the maximum development of industry and agriculture, and vast land reforms, which would allow each farmer to have his farm, could be obtained within the present democratic regime of the country.
818. 00B 129 193 1943 The new Vanguardia Popular Party calls for the same reforms, but in more specific terms. It definitely calls for the expropriation of uncultivated land in excess of 500 hectares in order that such land may be given to the farmers. This is one of the most important objects for which the new party will fight. Their plan also calls for an income tax so that the country will not depend on customs duties. The anti imperialistic program of the former Communist party is emphasized by the Vanguardia Popular Party in the section describing their policy on national defense. The labor laws which the new party will e sponsor are those endorsed by the old Communist Party.
The new party does not state, as did the former Communist Party, its belief that Socialism was a more just and superior form of government but it is obvious that members of the former Communist Party could not divest themselves of their beliefs by simply joining a party with a new name.
Neither does the program of the Vanguardia Popular Party include any mention of its organization. There was no need to do so since they inherited the organization of the former Communist Party. In fact the Vanguardia Popular Gential File party VSHISH Stipetizarte man Mo