3An interesting sidelight story concerns Señor Julio Muñoz Fonseca, one of the Calderonista deputies, who is probably the new Costa Rican Consul General at San Francisco. He made a statement which was given considerable publicity in LA TRIBUNA of May 3, accusing Dr. Grillo of disloyalty not only to his party but also to President Picado, and of having surrendered the government first line of defense (i. Congressional committees) to the Cortesista opposition. This was an obvious exaggeration and it is perhaps significant that a week prior to the election of the Directorate of Congress Señor Muñoz was offered, and it is understood accepted, the post of Costa Rican Consul General in San Francisco. President Picado is confidentially known to have stated that the offer was made because the public was fed up with certain deputies who must therefore be sent elsewhere.
The developments described in this despatch, when read in the light of my despatch No. 333 referred to above, would seem to be avidence of the foresight, and perhaps of the political finesse, of Don Fernando Soto Harrison, Minister of Government. The leftist alliance of the Calderon Guardia family and the Vanguardia Popular group is, however, by no means finished. The events of May Day were probably foreseen and explain the purchase of LA TRIBUNA by the Calderonistas and other measures described in my despatch No. 370 under reference.
There is every prospect that Costa Rican politics will, during the next nine months leading to the Congressional elections, show as much and perhaps more, vigor and fire as have ever been seen in the history of this country whera polities is the favorite outlet for a disproportionately large group of people who must have some means of expressing themselves emotionally or intellectually.
Respectfully yours, Oba Mallett Johnson Enclosure: List of Congressional Committees. Tous appointed May 1, 1945 ce Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua 800 SWW:ms