Costa Rican Government Forgets The Day Venezuela Rescued Them
In 1978, Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez sent two Venezuelan Air Force planes to support Costa Rica’s constitutional government after Nicaragua’s attacks.
Costa RicaFeaturedInternational Relations
By Jovel Ãlvarez Last updated Sep 18, 2019
Page 17 of the Spanish newspaper ABC on Nicaragua’s attacks on Costa Rica, and the defense by Panama and Venezuela in 1978 (ABC archives).
We are going to narrate this story in parts:
On 12th March 1948, the last armed conflict in Costa Rica’s history broke out. The National Liberation Army (ELN) rebelled against the government of President Teodoro Picado after accusing him of electoral fraud.
The leader was Jose Figueres Ferrer. For 44 days, the liberation forces battled against the government and its communist allies. At the moment of highest tension, President Picado asked Anastasio Somoza for help, which led to an intervention by the Nicaraguan army in Costa Rican territory.
Finally, on 19th April 1948, Figueres won the war and Picado was overthrown. The Founding Board of the Second Republic was formed, and it governed for 18 months.
Cover of “El Pais†in Spain, 13th September 1978.
Two governments came to the rescue of the defenseless country: Venezuela and Panama. El Pais reported the following on 16th September:
Read more at: https://panampost.com/jovel-alvarez/2019/09/17/costa-rican-government-venezuela/
Never knew of this either.
It's interesting, they also refer to an earlier skirmish in 1948.
This is also significant in that, often in Hollywood movies, Somoza, the right-wing of Central America is often portrayed negatively. Too much so.
The headline is in reference to the fact, that most of Latin America supports the Venezuelan opposition government except for a few countries, Uruguay, Bolivia and Costa Rica, maybe a few others.
Mexico supports elections I believe without choosing one side.
