Evening star., 1932-01-17
LATIN AMERICA FACING
TROUBLED YEAR In 1882
Financial and Economic Problems and
Many Political Changes Face
Southern Republics.

enumerated: Severe budget reductions
to offset the losses of revenue income. !.
devising of new means OF direct ana
indirect taxation; diverSiflcation Of In
dusfry to avoid the evils of single
crop" production; industrial readJust-
ments, and perhaps social legislation 10
cope with unemployment and other IA
Dor difficulties which the current oe-
preston has for the first time oeVei-
oped in that part Of the world.
Important as the economic problems
are. thev will not make all the 'front.'
page news from Latin America during
| 1882. Politically this is going to be
most interesting year in Central and
South America.
Four Elections Scheduled.
Four presidential elections: two more,
and maybe four more, presidential In
augurations: negotiations for the Solu-
| ton Of two of the most dittcult and
| long-Standing boundary controversies;
consolidation of three recently 1nau-
gurated conservative regimes-these are
| the outstanding events formally sched-
uled for 1882. To this list many unex-
pected additions may have to be made
before the year is over.
The presidential elections will take
place in four Central American repub-
lics-Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras
and Nicaragua. Ell Salvador and Bra
zil also may join the list.
The first to elect new chief execu-
tive will be the Costa Ricans In Feb
ruary they will choose him from among
three outstanding candidates-D. Ri
cardo Jimenez, representative OF the
group of elder statesmen" who have
governed the country for number of
n Tnr r1 81 in
of the former. who Is opposing him,
and D. Manuel Castro Quezada, former
Minister to Washington.
Costa Rica is considered the most
advanced, politically and intellectually,
of the Central American states. Popu-
lar education has cut illiteracy to 90 per
cent Of the population. Political con-
troversies have not been fought in that
country during this century with the
bitterness characteristic of It's neigh
bors. Since 1870 Costa Rica has seen
no successful revolution except the IL
noco coup d'etat of 1917.
Elections are generally fair and free
from disorder in Costa Rica, but any,
thing may be expected in a period like
this, when unusually critical conditions
obtain throughout the continent.
Panama to Select President.
The Panamans will be next In Sc
lecting new President. This also will
be three-cornered contest, although
1t promises to be more hardly fought
than that in Costa Rica. Dr. Harmodio
Arias, former Minister to Washington
and leader of the Doctrinal Liberals,
who are now in control of the govern
ment, appears as the outstanding can
didate He will have a strong oppo-
nent, however, in DR.. Francisco Arias
Paredes, who until recently was men,
ber OF the cabinet Of President Alfaro,
and has started new sector, with Lib
eral elements to support his candidacy.
The other candidate is DR. Augusta
Boyd, backed by the National Liberals,
or "Chiaristas," who follow the inspira-
tions of former President CHAR. This
group was ousted from the government,
after many years of power, by the jan
uary revolution of last year
The alignment of candidates for the
presidential elections in Honduras and
Nicaragua, to take place in October, is
not yet definite, but the variety and
the prominence of the names already
being mentioned is indicative Of the i'm
portance which these contests will have
The Honduran government Is one of
CONTINUED Of Fourth Pagel