REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority Statele her hz by me NARS Cate 2498 Enclosure No. 1, Despatch No. 132, March 19, 1948 American Embassy, San José, Costa Rica.
RESTRICTED Page adapted to the necessities of the country. As an illustration he said that the Marxist theories could be compared to medicines used by a doctor. doctor, he said, would not use all of the medicines available to him to cure a disease but only those indicated by the symptoms.
He added that he had many times been called a Communist.
both within Costa Rida and abroad, and more especially in Central America where he felt Costa Rica was very poorly represented by its diplomats since the true position of the country was never adequately explained. He said that he himself felt faith in his ability and surficient trust in his intelligence to feel no need for guidance or assistance from abroad. He said that it would be contrary to his entire. upbringing as a Costa Rican and member of a Costa Rican family olosely associated with most of the important events in the historical development of the country to have connections with any other government.
In regard to the feeling against Costa Rica in Central America and the lack of understanding of what had been undertaken here, he mentioned the fact that President Arevalo of Guatemala had stopped in San José Por several days while proceeding from Argentina to Guatemala before his election to the Presidency. He said that he found Arevalo bad no well thought out purposes or possible course of action; that he was extremely theoretical, as subsequently shown in his speeches; and that a pronounced difference of opinion had arisen between them on the racial question since Arevalo had maintained that it would not be possible to educate the Indians in Guatemala to, such a point as to bring about equality with the white element. He said that he had argued with Arevalo regarding the possibility of establishing schools and a program or education which would make this possible and was surprised at the latter lack of comprehension. He said that Arevalo was friendly with a group which included Betancourt of Venezuela and Haya de la Torre whose politioal positions were a matter for speculation. Mora said he was well acquainted with Betancourt since they had both been at the local university during the same period, although they were not in the same class. He said that Arevalo in discussing Somoza had emphasized his dislike of him because of his participation in the assassination of Sandino, while he, Móra, had fought and always would fight Somoza bega use he had established a dictatorship and because of his denial of all the democratio rights.
In reference to possible participation of Guatemala on the side of José Figueres in the present trouble, he said that he could not state definitely whether Arevalo himself RESTRICTED