VELSER Authority Stateletter Fuhr 8: MLHAR Cate 24 181 by NAS DRAMATIS PERSONAL Rafael Angel Calderon Guardia: Son of Dr. Calderón Muñoz, a veteran Catholic politician. Educated as surgeon in Belgium where he spent seven years and married Belgian wife. Returned to Costa Rica, praoticed his profession and gradually became involved in politics. In 1940 he was chosen as the candidato unico to succeed León Cortés, received as a result the highest vote in history and entered the Presidency in May, 1940. Has reputation of being devout Catholic (but this is generally considered a question of expedience) and he is described by his enemies as a jesuit. Suave, affable but moody, inclined to lack decision, weak willod so far as his friends or own desires are concerned (a Costa Rican Harding. Francisco Calderón Guardia, brother of the President: practical, realistic, shrewd and courageous politician who has been the power behind the throne for his brother. He and his brother do not by any noans always agroo. Decisive and forthright, he is known as 20. His health is procarious, surroring occasional attacks where he loses consciousness.
Previous background was as clerk in local bank and on farm in Atlantic area.
13ón Cortés: old line politician from Alajuela, and a concho.
Family background spotty and he has never for this reason and for his lack of raciousness, et cetera, beon especially Tata to the San José ruling olique. His father was aducated in Germany and he has had German advisers, and taken in general a favorable attitude toward Germany. He got his start as Minister of Tomento (1932 36) in which post he managed to build up much popular support. Known as a hard driver and disoiplinarian whose administration (1936 1940) was reasonably graftless (although he went in heavily for nepotism. man known as rather vindictive, severe in character, admired rather than liked by his supporters.
Teodoro Picado: son of a Costa Rican father (with heavy admixture of Indian blood) and Polish mother, both of whom were physicians, studied law in San José and became a school teacher. When still in his twenties he attr attention of powerful local politicians and Prosident Ricardo Jiménez appointed hin Minister of Education in 1932. Picado took this job very seriously, visited almost