REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED NND 760040 DECLASSIFIED Authority Stateletter in he by me NARS Date 24981 EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA No. 1621 San JoséCosta Rica February 20, 1946.
CONEIDENTIAL DER SUBJECT: Review of the First Half of President Picado Administrat ron DEPSITMENT OF STATE OFFICE OF AMERICAN REPUBLIC AFFAIRS The Honorable A101 21Goog of The Secretary of State, WON OF AMERICAN Washington, ARHAT AC ANALYSIS AND se LIATSONAS RECEIVED DEPARTMENT OF STATS 28 Sir: 818. 00. Peade have the honor to report that with the holding of midterm congressional elections on February 10 of this year, President Picado has reached the half way mark of his period of office. Picado was elected, it will be remembered, on February 13 and inaugurated President on May 8, 1944. Having reached this point it is felt that a review of the President two years in office may be of use to the Department. Accordingly, the various factors which have been of political significance to President Picado and his Government in the past two years will be analyzed along the lines laid down in the Embassy despatoh No. 298 of April 12, 1945 STABILITY 1818. 00 1248 phis, IN om 818. 00 2046 dell, eca, MAY 4 1946 17 MAR 2 1946 Any observer reviewing the events of the past two years in Costa Rica must be struck at once by the feeling of instability which has permeated the political scene.
President Picado came into office as a result of what are generally considered the most widespread electoral abuses as in recent Costa Rican history. Moreover, the situation was complicated by two factors: first, the fact that one Picado had a very limited personal following on which to rely; and second, the 1944 elections differed somewhat from the traditional Costa Rican pattern in that the two factions taking part therein represented not only forces aligned behind a popular leader but also clearly definable political ideologies. Picado candidacy was postulated by retiring President Rafael Angel CALDERON Guardia and the Vanguardia Popular Party leader, Manuel MORA Valverde. oes The CS VJ OLO100 MAR 2 1946 1Subject: Transmitting Report Prepared by Watrous Review of Administration of President Picado.
DOR. ARA Unit Le MAYO 1946 FILID harry HECTO SENT TO FR