Last week little Costa Rica (pop. 710,000), the model democracy of tropical America, had a wild mass meeting. From all over the country skillfully organized followers of Presidential candidate León Cortés Castro streamed into the neat little capital of San José (pop. 76,000). All night they paraded and chanted. A float showed Communists hanged in effigy. Next day 25,000, including many screaming women, jammed into the Plaza Gonzalez Víquez to cheer their candidate. The hospital of San Juan de Dios had installed 50 extra beds. Soon most were occupied. Two men were killed, 35 badly injured.
Such pumped-up political frenzy...