DECLASSMU Authority Stateletter in her e; ML, MERC: 24981 or Enclosure to despatch No.
November 23, 1944, from the Embassy at San José.
at San Joo the MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION WITH DON RENE PICADO, MINISTER OF PUBLIC SECURITY This afternoon called on General Rene Picado, Minister of Public Security, who has just returned from a visit to the United States. He seemed to be very pleased with his visit and was grateful for the attentions that were paid to him.
As is usual with him, don René launched forth into a discourse about the dangers of communism, not only to Costa Rica but to Central America as a whole. He said that he could see the influence of the Russians, the Mexicans and the communists forcing its way into every country in this part of the world with the aim of causing disturbances. He expressed the fear that the present Honduran Government and that of Nicaragua would rown as the result of machinations of the above mentioned trio and he said that the Costa Rican Government would then have a pretty hard time.
With regard to Costa Rica he said that the strongholds of the communists are the Pacific Railway and the alcohol monopoly. He said that his brother is too.
loyal to his friends and will never turn against the pod Tho brought him into power. He said that in realization of this he was advising his brother to take a trip out of the country next year and to leave him in his place for a long onough tino to enable him to take the drastic action that is necessary to get rid of the communist influence in the Government. Don René said that there had been much evidence that his brother was gaining the support of the people of the Right, particularly among the bankers and some of the coffee growers, but that every time his brother makes a gesture in response to their advances Manuel Mora and Calderon Guardia did something to spoil it.
When mentioned the policy of the Vanguardia Popular to cooperate with the opposition in the economic Field, don Rone attitude seemed to change a little.
He said that whereas the communist leaders had hardly spoken to him before his departure for the United States he had been surprised upon his return to receive a warm telegram of welcome from Manuel Mora. suggested that advantage might be taken of this attitude to seok cooperation for solving some of the economic problems of the country. Don René agreed and said that although he did not trust Mora he has felt since his return that there is too much playing of politics in preparation for the elections which will not be held until 1946 and something must be done to bring the various forces together to meet the crisis facing the country.
Don