According to a report from the U.S. embassy, the street-based distribution network in San José was managed by Carmen Lyra.

[5] Trabajo was distributed in neighbouring countries, where the communist movements were suppressed and unable to issue legal organs of their own.

The newspaper claimed to have subscribers and readers in Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Honduras, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador and Argentina.

[7][8] By 1934 Betancourt was appointed director of the newspaper, as part of his duties as a Central Committee member of the party.

[13] In the aftermath of the 1936 election, in which the communists lost their parliamentary representation and the pro-fascist León Cortés Castro emerged victorious, the political discourse of Trabajo shifted.

[15] Whilst the Costa Rican communist were unable to maintain publication of Trabajo, the communist-controlled trade union organ Combate (1943–1953) continued to appear.