LELLASSMED Authority State Letter 8: ML 24 18 ww DEPARTMENT OF STATE ГНЕ DIVISION OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLICS AMERICA Costa Rica. 1944. ARA kr. Vinginan. This 22. Que particularly the last paragraphen Rene Preado letter GOA. tr. doct! She man muust te Crazy Best AMERICAN REPUB Disunity in new administration in René Picado the Calderón. Mora on the lors sharply Costa Rica It wpears that René Picado is somewhat confused as to who was au thorizetto make commitments for his brother administration, and as to who was elected President. He has informed Mr.
Trueblood that during his absence in the United States the Calderón Guardia faction attempted to install certain officers of its choosing into the leading garrisons of San José in order to strengthen their hands in demanding that Francisco Calderón Guardia be named first designate to the President. This raises the question in my mind: Do the Calderón Guardia contemplate an early movement against Picado and seizure of power. The attempted action failed, but René Picado is very indignant and has orally declared that he has committed the new administration to a curbing of Communism in his conversations with the other Presidents of Central America. He herewith the text ised to me by Señor ted Second Designate nister of Public also enclose a in the letter don Rens e will not hesitate me the Presidency thin the next three uence of Communismº this prediction on ord to General Ubico sidents that Communin this country.
adds lleged attempt made e away) on the part va vav vasuurun Guardias to place their own officers in the leading garrisons of San José in order to be in a position to resist if Francisco Calderón Guardia were not elected First Designato on May Don René interprets this as practically a declaration of wab between himself and the Calderón Guardia. Manuel Mora alliance.
The Department has already been forewarned of the growing tension between René Picado and the Calderón Guardias (88s despatch no. 1302 of April 21, 1944, third paragraph) and my conversation this morning, together with don René letter, confirm the fact that these relations have now entered a potentially dangerous phase.
The most amazing development is, of course, that don René will apparently not hesitate to depose his own brother in the event don Teodoro should be unable to rid himself of Communist influences.
CUNFIDENTIAL FILE The