REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority State better lahz B: ML, NSRI Date 24981 perhaps fortunate for the Administration that the opposition was so hopelessly split into segments, since it appeared unable at any one time to present a common front to the Government. In point of fact, Minister of Government SOTO Harrison, presumably acting with the approval of Picado, took the lead in attempting to win over a portion of the opposition to the Government ranks. By July, 1944, this policy had progressed to such a point that many prominent landowners and business men had agreed to give Picado their public support in return for a radio address by the President setting forth his governmental aims and objectives. At the same time, another group of the opposition was refusing to have anything to do with the President policy of mappeasement. and redoubled their efforts to unify the opposition into an unyielding attitude of enmity towards the Government.
The Vanguardia Popular Party, during this period, was obviously not unaware of the increasing rapprochement between the Government and an apparently substantial sector of the opposition. Vanguardia leader Manuel Mora, therefore, announced that his only interest in the Administration was in seeing the common electoral platform of the National Republi.
can Party and the Vanguardia group carried out to the letter.
When during the end of the year rumors were heard to the effect that the fruit of the President understanding with the Right would be the substantial modification of the Labor Code.
Mora at once took a firm stand and let it be known that any such move would be met by a general strike. It was now beng increa isingly clear to the President that while he could continue his attempts to obtain backing from the greatest number of groups it would be unwise for him to alienate his one source of organized support, the Vanguardia Popular Party, and for that reason on January 10, 1945, the President delivered his now historic speech in which he promised to govern for and with his friends. This speech had the result of maintaining the Government solidarity with the Vanguardi dia Popular Party, and also forced the President brother, René, the Minister of Public Secu ty to resign.
While this resignation caused a period of several days uncertainty it can now be seen clearly that it was all for the best in the long run. René, be cause of his frequent and violent expressions of opposition to the Vanguardia, had in reality caused the President considerable difficulty, and it seems unquestioned that his departure from the Government was a help rather than a hindrance.
This condition of things continued substantially un.
changed throughout 1945. The President was tireless in his efforts to persuade the country that his only intentions were to give Costa Rica a good Government, and to remain neutral in the many personal and political disputes which took place.
He publicly stated on many occasions that he realized that his Administration was handicapped by economic factors, and that his greatest desire was to straighten out the financial chaos