REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority Stateletter inha By ML, NARI Date 2498 President with the support of only LA TRIBUNA, which at the time of the President inauguration was operating with a very reduced circulation. This state of affairs continued until April, 1945, at which time the owner of LA TRIBUNA, General PINAUD, sold out to a syndicate headed by Francisco Calderón Guardia. Since the renovation of LA TRIBUNA by this group, its circulation has increased to a point where it is now not far behind that of the DIARIO. This has meant that Presidential declarations, as well as articles and feature stories favorable to the Government, have been receiving a progressively wider press, and it is to be expected that Picado can continue to receive favorable publicity through this medium as long as his relations with the Calderón Guardias remain favorable. The purchase of the paper by the Calderón interests was generally interpreted as another evidence that Dr. Calderón would be a candidate in the 1948 elections and, if such is the case, it is probable that ce his candidacy above all other consider ations. It is interesting to note that the ULTIMA HORA, which is the afternoon tabloid operated in conjunction with LA TRIBUNA, has, in recent months, been serving more and more as the mouthpiece of the Vanguardia Popular Party and the PRESIDENT PICADO IN CONGRESS It has been pointed out in many previous des patches that, while the Congress which President Picado found upon his inauguration in 1944 was composed of twenty eight members of the National Republican Party together with thirteen Cortesistas and four Vanguardistas, this number was actually misleading since it early became apparent that over half of the National Republicans were in fact followers of the Calderón Guardias rather than of Picado. For this reason Picado has had difficulty in obtaining the implementation of several of his campaign pledges, since they involved reform measures which met with the opposition of the Calderonistas.
It may be said that the President has put special emphasis upon the passage through Congress of measures reforming the financial situation of the Government and measures tending toward safeguarding the freedom of elections. It was almost universally agreed that something would have to be done con cerning the lamentable state of the country financial situation, and although a certain amount of opposition was encountered in Congress on various items the financial reform laws, sponsored by Finance Minister Alvaro BONILLA Lara were eventually passed in August, 1945. Although it is still too early to state whether the implementation of these laws will in reality be effective, it can be pointed out that the country at large has been inclined to give the President credit for at least making an effort to straighten out the snarled financial setup. second measure which most persons considered essential for the obtaining of Administration prestige was the Código Electoral (Eleotoral Code. This measure was debated in Congress