CELAS Situ Authority Stateletter Inhz 2: ML, NAC:t 24 181 to inte ting e EMBASSY LEGATIGN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA San José, Costa Rica, March 28, 1944. let RELATIONS No. 1224 Subject: Political Events: 1) Student strike over appointment of Señora de odim; 2) Attempted Bond Issue arouses opposition from banking community. AM 11 06 STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL mitutiou The honorable the Secretary of State, Washington, RECEIVED FPARTNERIT OF STA. wwho DOMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS 1144 APR ette Sir: As indicative of the resentment latent against the Administration of President Calderón Guardia, a large part of which inescapably will be inherited by Teodoro Picado, have the honor to report two developments of the past few days. The first concerns the agitation provoked in school circles here by the appointment of a strong Picado supporter to a teaching post, while the second reflects the desperate situation of the national treasury.
As reported in my telegram no. 183 of March 26, 10 a. the students of the Colegio Superior do Señoritas and those of the Liceo went on strike on the afternoon of March 23 as a protest against the maming of Señora Corina Rodríguez de Odín as Professor of English in the former institution. Señora de Odín, who formerly taught at the Colegio and who is admittedly a capable teacher, has been much in the limelight lately, having taken an active part in the campaign to elect Teodoro Picado, speaking and writing articles in his behalf. Those opposing her charge her with being a Communist sympathizer; whether this is the case or not, there is no doubt that she is a militant and outspoken Leftist, with a considerable flair for publicity. OSPARTMENT LATER. no 2019 1944 The nomination of Señora de oaim was an unfortunate choice on the part of the Administration, for it awakened an immediate and violent reaction among those who had opposed the Administration at election time, and there can be no doubt that the issue of her suitability as a teacher was soon forgotten in the effort to embarrass President Calderón Guardia, on the one hand, and the attempt to vindicate him on the other. JB AS