REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority Stateletter Inhz ML NARS Cze 2458 Despatch no. 67, February 14, 1949, American Embassy, San José, Costa Rica.
CONFIDENTIAL Page Nuñez continued that some day when the incidents which led to the termination of the war and saving the city of San José from tragedy will be fully known. He added that it was necessary to undertake every possible step except dishonor for this purpose and that among the sacrifices it was necessary to make was the interview at Ochomongo behind the backs of our valiant boys and with evident risk to our lives.
Even the full text of the Nuñez letter to President Figueres, portions of which have been quoted above, adds nothing to clarify the obscure points of this matter.
One editorial in a local paper assumed that there was probably no doubt that Father Nuñez had written the letter and rather cynically stated that it was perhaps a. necessary political trick of no great importance.
Continuing this piecemeal disclosure and as further evidence of the tortuous course of Mora, the Diario on February 1l published the text of a telegram dated Mexico, December 18, 1948 to Otilio Ulate from Manuel Mora in which the latter stated he was not in accord with the civil war which had broken out, nor for a long time had he maintained any connections with the group which was behind it. It continued: But am so convinced of the great magnitude of the tragedy which menaces Costa Rica and Central America that consider it a crime to refrain from taking this step through vanity or passion. Leaving aside all consideration of political and personal nature in order to inform you that history will justify every sacrifice to put a rapid end to the struggle which has broken out, my personal criteria is that on the basis of your presidency and the effective fulfillment of the guarantees which put an end to the former civil war, you should and must endeavor to bring about an arrangement before events develop and conflict even more.
For Ulate to have assumed the presidency in one form or another at the moment suggested by Mora would undoubtedly have suited the latter and his political friends.
He would thus utilize the occasion offered by the internal conflict not only to deal his enemy, Mr. Figueres, a body blow but to recover some of his lost prestige and perhaps eed in again becoming a factor in the political life of the country. Mora is undoubtedly aware from the many statements Ulate has made, and from his consistently democratic outlook that Ulate would undoubtedly allow Mora return and possibly, although not in sympathy therewith, the reestablishment. of the Vanguardia Popular even though perhaps under another name and with certain restrictions, restrictions which Mora could easily work around in due course.
The Diario COMF DENTIAL