EXTRACT FROM LETTER ON COSTA RICA

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP83-00423R000301240001-0
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
November 9, 2016
Document Release Date: 
November 16, 1998
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 13, 1953
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP83-00423R000301240001-0.pdf62.67 KB
Body: 
r' iIl'`FVP AX 23 Approved For Release 1999/09/10 : Cl ..'1048 Country: Costa. Rica a--, CuS rA J1 "C- Subject: Extract from Letter.-te Place Acquired: Date Acquired: M Date of Info.: 9 April 1953 Source Description: 25X1A6a 25X1A2g 25X1X6 1. Costa Rica is trying to interest foreign firms in the exploration and development of mineral and oil lands, to further bolster the economy of the country. The Union Oil Company of California has five geological teams in Costa Rica, and it is reported that defin- ite indications of oil have been found in the country. Italian Immigrants 2. Costa Rica has already initiated its plan to obtain 70,000 Italian 'migrants by 1960. The first group landed at Golfito recently and will settle along the Costa Rican-Panamanian frontier. Other groups arriving later will settle in Guanacaste Province, which is still undeveloped but potentially wealthy. Political Conditions 3. United in a common front against Figueres, the Union National and Democrata Parties have chosen conservative Castro Cervantes, wealthy coffee grower and businessman, as official candidate. Elections will be held in July 1953 and women will vote for the first time. 4+. That Figueres is quite radical and Leftist in his views was proved during his term as President pro-tem, after bringing his revolution to a successful termination. His present program consists of a ten per cent levy on capital, nationalization of all electric power, higher wages for city workers, and possibly a land reform-program of some sort. He is reported as saying that he wants to broaden the base of the country's economy by taxing large capital holdings, which up to now have been lightly taxed, if at all. ^ji er'p~ti~J 01MIQ T fL 25X1A2g UBLARY