REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFIED Authority State Leher Tahz by ML, NART Date 24981 THE FOREIGN SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA RESTRICTED na it 818. 00 2849 REC MAY ACTION ARA No. 202.
Guatemala, April 28, 1949.
SUBJECT: Guatemalan Congress sends Message to Costa Rican Constituent Assembly urging latter to Intervene in favor of Carlos Luis FALLAS, ex Vanguardia Deputy and Labor Leader, Sentenced to Prison for Activities during Civil War.
PARHAAT OF STATE 0:FICE OF LA SERICAN REPUBLIC AFFAIRS MAY 11 1949 THE HONORABLE INFO DCR OLI ITP THE SECRETARY OF STATE, WASHINGTON.
SIR: have the honor to report that the Guatemalan Congress on April 21 approved, with one dissenting vote, a motion introduced by Deputy Manuel PINTO Usaga to address the following message to the Costa Rican Constituent Assembly urging freedom for Carlos Luis FALLAS, ex Deputy and member of Partido Vanguardia, now imprisoned: 818. 00 2849 The Congress of the Republic of Guatemala sends courteous greetings to the Constituent Assembly of the Republic of Costa Rica, begging such intervention as may be possible on its part, to gain freedom for the great labor fighter, and his companions, whose imprisonment profoundly distresses the democratic Peoples. Mario MONTEFORTE Toledo, President of the Congress of Guatemala.
Deputy Pinto Usaga introduced his motion as spokesman for the Confederación de Trabajadores de Guatemala, which labor organization had for several days waged a.
lobbying campaign in favor of Congressional action protesting Fallas! imprisonment. The CTG likewise gave public distribution to a circular calling upon the Men and Women of the Guatemalan Revolution to Demand the Liberty of Carlos Luis Fallas. Unfortunately, from our standpoint, pro Fallas propaganda was directed largely against the United Fruit Company and the dark forces of imperialism which allegedly dominate the present regime in Costa Rica. This CTG circular, a translation of which is enclosed, was accompanied by a lengthy monograph entitled Who is Carlos Luis Fallas. and copies of equally lengthy letters written by Fallas from his prison to Señor Otilio ULATE under dates of December 30, 1948, and Jan uary 10, 1949. Also included with this propaganda was a cartoon showing men behind prison bars depicted by the Stars and Stripes of the American flags The MAY 16 19 BILHD RESTRICTED MasacTION COPY DMR RETURN TO DO FILES WITHIN 14 DAYS. WITH NOTATION OF ACTION