HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY Papers of NATHANIEL DAVIS Extract From My Diary, March 3, 1948 memon line. At midnight, Monseigneur Hidalgo telephoned me and, in an agitated voice, asked if could come immediately to the Archbishop palace to discuss a matter of the greatest urgency. went at once and arrived in less then 10 minutes The Archbishop was in a state of agitation and indignation. He said, Colonel Calixto Madrigal had just been with him to inform hin, on behalf of the President, that the government had no desire to place any restraints on the movements of Mr. Ulate and that he was being liberated within an hour. The Archbishop said it was clear to him that this would result in Mr. Ulate being assassinated while passing through the streets of the city. He had gasd this plah ly to Col. Madrigal who replied that the government was granting Mr. Ulate full liberty of action and that if his blood should be spilled, the blood would not be on the head of the government but on the head of the Archbishop. The Archbishop had sent Madrigal back to.
the President to ask for a stay of twe giving him time to consider the matter and he was awaiting a reply momentarily. He asked me, in the event of the President refusal, to accompany him to the President in order that might be a witness when he told the President that the proposed action was immoral and warned him that any bloodshed would be on his head. agreed.
Also present in the room with us were Monseigneur Hidalgo and Mr. Juan Dent who wag intro to me as a member of the opposition party who had come to tell the Archbishop that Mr. Ulate would be in imminent danger if released. During the conversation while we awaited word from the palace, suggested a possible course of action in the event that the President should refuse to delay.
The Archbishop had mentioned that Ulate was welcome to come to his house and he was confident he would be safe at least from Costa Ricans though he could not guarantee what foreignerg might do. asked him whether or not. in the event of a refusal, he would be willing to Ask Col. Madrigal to accompany him to the Artilleria, take Ulate in his car upon his release, and drive him to the Archbishop palace. He said he would if would accompany him and said would be glad so to do.
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