REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority Statele ter lahz MUNARI Cze 245814 DEPARTAMENTO THE PONIBN civic OFFICE OF OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC AFFAIRS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1948 UNCLASSIFIED 818. 00 1948 Tilen M2 DOR Rec a.
July 23 EXON ACTION: ARA XR Complete No. 356 American Embassy, San José, Costa Rica, July 19, 1948 SUBJECT: Outlawing of VANGUARDIA POPULAR Party, aer intra THE HONORABLE TEE SECRETARY OF STATE, WASHINGTON.
INFO: DCR EURI OLA 818, 008 ARIY NAVI AIR CIA SIR: 818. 00 818. 011 4c here the honor to refer to the Embassy telegram NO. 265 01 July 19, which reported briefly the outlawing of the Vedguardia Popular Party in Costa Rioa by means of a dedres law of the Junta, issued late in the evening of July 17th. While not as yet published in the orfloial Gazette, both morning papers for July 18th contained the full text of this doorge law. translation of the text as published in these papers is no losed.
19. 011. It should be noted that after eleven paragraphs of. preamble, the Junta gota down to the real toasoa for the deoree law by stating (Par. 12) that the Committee duart ing the new Constitution is inoluding in its projaat a prohibition expressly prohibiting the establishment of parties or organizations which, on account of their ideology or their aotions are contrary to the domooratio system of government. Further (Par. 13. that the current political situation oounsels the immediate plaoing into arfoot of this futura constitutional prorlolon; and. par 14. In order to keep oonstitutional provisions from bolag mor deolarations of prinoiples, they should be supplemented with or ininal sanctions.
The first two paragraphs of the doorro law prohibit the organization or existence of polltioal partion whioh through their platforms, means of aotlon, tles or back ground azo opposed to representative and domoozatlo governmant or to national sovoro lenty. Sooret groups or polltloal character and those organized on a military basla on whioh advocato violenou ate similaziy barrod.
Paragraph is perhaps the most draatio ond by spoolfying that the moze taot of leadosahip o mllltant momboxship in organizations Otored by the doorso law makes suoh POIS00S gulity of the OSA Speai11. 04 la and punished by article. 354 of the criminal Code. This article, a translation 818. 00 1948 UNO LASSTETED AUG 19487 FILIAD ACTION COPY RETURN TO DC FILES WITHIN 14 DAZS, WITH NOTATION OF ACTION TAKA