Page 805

818.00/541: Telegram
The Charge in Nicaragua (Curtis) to the Acting Secretary of State
MANAGUA, January 28, 1919, 12 a.m.
[Received 8.53 p.mr.]
This morning the President showed me letters from the Nicaraguan
Consul General at Puntarenas, who resigns because of continued
discourtesy, et cetera, by Costa Rican authorities, reporting unjusti-
fiable imprisonment incommunicado of several Nicaraguan citizens
for whom he has been unable to accomplish anything; these citizens
are mostly from Rivas and Nicaraguans near Costa Rican boundary
are much excited, making the situation very difficult. Reports also
state that Costa Rica has mobilized 5000 soldiers of whom 1000 are at
Puntarenas under Samuel Santos, renegade Nicaraguan, and equal
numbers at Las Canas and Liberia near Nicaraguan boundary.
The President repeats his assurances that he desires to assimilate
his policy to that of the United States, but requests that the United
States take some active step even if only stopping American mer-
chant vessels calling at Costa Rican ports.
CURTIS
818.00/550
The Costa Rican Agent (Lara) to, the Acting Secretary of State 2
WASHINGTON, February 20, 1919.
YOUR EXCELLNCY: I have the honor to bring to Your Excel-
lency's knowledge that the Government of Costa Rica, informed of
the dispatches recently published through the American press about
an intended upheaval in Central America and of statements lending
to the Department of State the affirmation that official news had been
received by it stating that Costa Rica has massed forces at its
frontier with Nicaragua, has requested me to formally declare:
That Costa Rica harbors no ill will toward Nicaragua or any
other nation and that there are not any Costa Rican armed forces
at the frontier, with the exception of the usual detachments of police
required to maintain order;
That notwithstanding the situation created by the open protection
and help accorded by the Nicaraguan Authorities to a group of Costa
Rican malcontents in their endeavors to discredit the present Admin-
istration of Costa Rica and their intrigues and manouvres against
2 Text received in Englisht
805
COSTA RICA