This photo, apparently previously unpublished, was found in the LIFE photo archive by Bill Mullen, but without the details of where or when it was taken. I guessed it was from one of many parades in Central and South American cities, during several trips taken by U.S. President John F. Kennedy to promote his "Alliance for Progress" plan to provide aid and resist Communism in Latin America. The military uniform in the foreground looked like Mexican Army, but the receding hairline on the passenger beside JFK clearly did not belong to Mexican President Lopez Mateos.
By comparing the photo to a number of other pictures and newsreel video clips, I was able to determine that the photo was taken in San José, Costa Rica in March 1963. JFK was there to address the "Presidents' Conference," a meeting of Central American leaders, devoted to the goals of the Alliance for Progress, improving economic cooperation, and isolating Fidel Castro's Cuba.
A Secret Service agent rides on one side step of the M606 preceding the President's Lincoln.
Final confirmation of the date and location of this parade came from the newsreel "President Kennedy In Costa Rica 1963" at
British Pathé. It shows Costa Rican President Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich beside Kennedy.
It also reveals that the President's car was in fact basically surrounded by Jeeps, outside the immediate perimeter of Secret Service protection.
Another shot clearly shows lines of Jeeps on the left and right sides of the motorcade, and the driver of the point Jeep gesturing in an apparent attempt to get things moving faster.
The reason for the slow progress is obvious in this newsreel shot taken from the rear of the procession.
There was a large number of Jeeps involved. Did they belong to the Costa Rican Civil Guard? The country has not had an army since 1948. Perhaps the Jeeps and the helmeted soldiers were actually brought in from Mexico? Any information is welcome.
According to an article in LIFE, 29 March 1963 about Kennedy's trip, "A wild parade down Avenida Central looked like the down-the-street corridas at Pamplona when more than 200,000 Costa Ricans ran jubilantly behind, beside and practically on top of the presidential car, completely overwhelming curbside guards of uniformed schoolchildren linked hand in hand."
The photos in the LIFE article were taken by John Dominis (who was honored with a retrospective in the LIFE archive when he turned 90 in 2011) so it's likely the picture at the top of this page is also Dominis' work.
Thanks to Bill Mullen for finding the photo.-- Derek Redmond
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