REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority Stateletter Inhz by meNARS Cate 2498 Despatch no. 63, February 10, 1949, San José, Costa Rica.
American Embassy. CONFIDENTIAL Page of an understanding between his party and Figueres which was arranged by me during a long and mysterious conference near Cartago; that this, understanding was based upon an identification of the Vanguardia Popular with the future plans of the Figueres government, and, that the Vanguardia Popular recognized the right of Mr. Figueres and his group to govern the country and to deprive Mr.
Ulate of the presidency. Mora then stated that the civil war had not terminated through any understanding between his party and Mr. Figueres nor had it terminated through the triumph of the Figuerista forces in the battle front but simply because President Picado, under pressure of irresistible. forces! and aided by the diplomatic corps had determined that he would capitulate. Mora then quoted a portion of a letter of April 18, 1948 directed to him and to Dr. Calderon. Guardia by President Picado and previously reported to the Department, wherein Picado stated that extrem mely serious circumstances of an international character oblige. me to put aside my pride and think exclusively of the interests of the country. can assure you that irresistable forces are already decided to force us to lose this battle. o! Mora stated that. when this letter from Picado was received the government, had already capitulated and that he had already taken part in the meetings of the diplomatic corps in the Mexican Embassy.
He said his presence at those meetings had given rise to rumors he had been the true, author of the capitulation and that for this reason on the eve of his departure from the country Picado had directed a second letter to him in which he stated that the arrangements with the diplomatic. corps had been undertaken exclusively by him, During the course of this communication Picado: stated that he had to, acknowledge that mora had interverred: to endeavor to assist at the time when the diplomatic corps was asserting very strong pressure upon me. This allusion to Mora defense of Picado will probably remain unexplained to the majority of Costa Rica for a long time to come. The strong pressure which he mentions was nothing more than the natural endeavor of the various diplomats concerned to obtain a frank. reply to their question regarding Picado purported appeal to General Somoza, evidence of which was, of course, available at the time although Picado endeavored to deny, that he had done so. Since this action, in the midst of the negotiations which had been undertaken at the request of the government, was. olearly a violation of the entire spirit of the negotiations and made the position of the representatives of the diplomatic corps vis a vis Figueres untenable, it would have been nacessary for the diplomatic corps to withdraw at that. point had not counter orders. beon 1ssued by Somoza recalling his troops after the matter became a question of public knowledge through his, having informed the American Chargé in Managua and his delegates to the Bogotá Conference.
After CONFIDENTIAL