Transcript of 104-10338-10018.pdf

================================================== Page 1 ================================================== T Laaaaa 607103870018] 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 LN= SEERET Lr NO FOREIGN DISSEM OCI No _ 1586/64 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY OffIce of Current Intelllgence 4 June 1964 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM SUBJECT: Cuban Subversion in Latin America S1nce July 1963 1 Cuban subversive efforts 1n Latio AmerLca are continuing at a steady pace , desplte recent major setbacks 1n such countries as Venezuela and Brazll From July 1963 through December wben Havana evidently belleved a "second Cuba" was likely in Venezuela Cuban propaganda stressed _ the Inevl- tability Of Castro-inspired revolutions Ln the hemisphere _ Since the fIrst of this year however Cuban leaders have muted direct exhortations to VIo- lence and have . emphagized other policy priorities _ Nevertheless' the Cuban potential for subverslon In Latin America remaIns hlgh _ 2 In his speech of 26 July 1963 Castro rez captured much of the militant tone of bis speeches In late 1962 . He made It clear that he regards Cuba as tbe ma in source Of inspiration and guidance for Inevltable revolutions in the rest of Latln Anerica He claimed that what has been done In Cuba can take place "exactly the same way In: many Latin AmerIcan countries " Tbe hemlsphere '8 m1ll- tants he saLd must take advantage of conditions presently favoring revolution and "open the breach . 1 On 28 September Castro saId tbat while "impertal- Ists believe they can destroy the Cuban revolution," " the Cubans believe that before that could be accom _ plisbed 'many other revolutions like ours will ap- pear on the continent m On 24 November _ Che Guevara sald the spreadLng of revolution in the hemlsphere "Is a1so our responsibility and It Is part Of our daily preoccupation. NO FORBIGN DISSEM SECRET ================================================== Page 2 ================================================== 13-00000 SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM 3 What emerged from these and other Cuban pronouncements was the apparent conviction of Castro and his aides that further Communist revolu- tions In Latin America are inevitable, that Cuba can speed up the process and that in Cuba S own Interest It is urgent that revolutionary action be initiated wherever possible and as soon as pos _ sible It is logical to assue that despite recent official soft-pedaling of the Issue the basic Cuban viewpoint remains the same Cuban leaders continue t0 believe that the very presence of thelr regime will inspire other Latin American revolu- tionaries to action and undoubtedly will continue to give assistance to these efforts_ 4 Cuba 's policy of revolution in the hemi- sphere has suffered severe defeats however since the 3-ton Cuban arms cache was discovered on a Venezuelan beach on 1 November 1963 For example, OAS action stemming from that discovery Is pendIng ; despite the Cuban-supported terrorist campalgn , constitutional government in Venezuela was success- fully transferred following President Leoni S dra- matic election victory last December and the out- breaks of violence in Panama last January failed to upset constitutional processes there_ The April re- volt In which President Goulart of Brazil was over- thrown was also a severe defeat for Havana These reverses may have produced a feeling in Havana that a breathing spell 1s necessary In addition Castro may have been cautioned to moderate his revoiutionafy @CEcs wen ne visited Te TSST Tast_Qanwary- TbIS year has been deslgnated Tthe year of the economy This and Cuba 's all-out campaign to obtain needed commercial and industrial goods from West also may be factors prompting Favana to lessen its public expressions of support for revolution_ More- over Castro may believe that a soft-pedaled policy on revolution now may pay dividends after the US elections in November He probably assues that conditions for a US-_Cuban modus vivendi--on hls terns-~will be more favorable then _ 5 . Nevertherless evidence presented in the accompanying country-by-country index shows that Cuba has continued sInce the first of the year to promote finance_ and otherwise support pro-Castro groups and individuals in Argent ina , 9 Brazil (be- fore the April revolt) Chile, Panama British 2 NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECREF ================================================== Page 3 ================================================== 13-00000 SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM Guiana and other countries Indeed on at least two recent occasions Che Guevara was quoted as restating familiar Cuban views on revolution _ In an interview published In an Italian newspaper In March , Guevara reiterated that the road to "national lberation" in Latin American must take a_ turn to violence _ He emphasized that violence would be "necessary in "almost a11" Latin American countrles , for "there is no other way . Mt In an April intervlew 1n Algiers Guevara said: "It 1s very very , very, very but very hard to achleve liberation in Latin America by empioying peaceful means 1 6 , A nuber of reliable clandestine sources have provided Information on the many facets of Cuba S subversive effort in Latin America The most serious_form of_ subversion_frow. 09 Havana 1s. its.traio ing_Qf_other_Latip Americans in the_practical arts_ @f_guerrlla warfare As_many as 1500_receLved such_training in"1962 _ It is estimated that several hundred 613 fJi{ Erabasta Hteriedns who traveled to Cuba in 1963 also recelved such train- ing It has been learned that "scholarship students" who g2 to Cuba ostensibly to study "agriculture"_re- celve guerrliia warfare training Tbis instruction encompasses the use and management %€ communlcations equlpnent the 'techniques of military intelllgence , including methods of establishing IntellTgence net- works to obtain information from peasants; tralning in a variety of weapons Including rifles and sma11 arms which are readily avalable in most Latin Anerican countries; training_ in explosives and trafning in guerrilla tactIcs Including instruc_ tion on how to operate independently in the country- side for extended periods of time. A separate traln- ing_school_reportedly_ trains_Communist__youth_ from other Latin American countries The school S one- year course is divided between the study of Conmu- nist theory and practical tralning in polltical agitation and subversive activities Reports from returnlng trainees confirm tbat the Cubans are de- veloping extensive files on most Latio American countries onsubjects pertinent to"the_planning and development of further subversive actlyity Detatled-qquestionnaires submltted to 621 58240446 trainees requested comments on possible a1r drop zones weather conditions locations of military bases competence of authorities border and frontier controls and a long list of Similar ques- tions obviously designed to build up a body of basic knowledge 0qgezE 3 NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECRET ST0 locai ================================================== Page 4 ================================================== 13-00000 ~SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM 7 _ Latin AmerIcans returning to their coun- tries after having recelved training in Cuba often take a round-about route to conceal tbe fact that they have been in Cuba Bao {02 @ilightz"rto pregue_ They then g0 through Europe to some other Latin American country, from which they enter their own Cuba gives these travelers docuents which show no indication that they had been in Cuba Some guerrilla warfare tralnees are chosen for intelilgence assignments and are given_gpecial _training In_cTandestTne com- muicattons wbLch_ permits them to_maintain &_CQp- tact with Cuba afterthey bave returned home. 8 In addition, Latin Americans who receive guerrilla warfare and other types of training Ln Cuba are encouraged on their return home to pass on what they have learned Cuba-trained men are known to have been conducting Su6 tralnitg in tt Tosta Rica Panama Brltjsh .Gulana Peru ) and else- "7rrert wheze Thus the Castro-oriented revolutionary ef_ fort in Latin America has a potential for steady growth even if there should be a lessening in the actual training program in Cuba _ 9 Numerous reports bave alleged that Cuba 1s supplying arms clandestinely to some Central and South American-based extremist groups Only 1n the case of the arms cache discovered in Vene- zuela on 1 November however has there been In- controvertible proof of Cuban complicity in such efforts A good deal of the undeniably extensive arms traffic which goes on In several areas of the hemisphere is basically a continuation of long- establlshed patterns of arms smuggling between natlonals of the countries Involved Cuba does possess over 100 fishing vessels and some cargo planes which are well-suited to gun-running or air drops but we cannot confirm that they are used for this purpose _ In addition, Cuban leaders have always stressed the importance of Latin American revolutionaries procuring their own weapons from local sources Moreover some financing from Havana undoubtedly is used to buy arms 10 _ Another important aspect of Havana s ef- forts Ln Latln America is centered on supporting and gulding hemisphere front organizations _ Havana bas long sought to establish a new hemlsphere-wlde NO FOREIGN DISSEM ~SECRET ================================================== Page 5 ================================================== 13-00000 ~SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM labor organization which could serve as a platform for spreading pro-Castro propaganda among urban labor movements _ The embryonlc Single Center of Latio AmerIcan Workers (CUTAL) which held Its con- stituent congress In Brazil In January 1964 9 ends Havana 's quest . Thls Brazlllan congress was such a total fallure_ 9 however ) that It Is doubtful Lf In the near future CUTAL will provlde Havana with the type Of organization It envisaged Cuba s sup- port for the 9 March Second Latin American Youth Congress (LAYC) also was well established This conference too, ended In near-failure _ Havana Dow 1s attempting to organize another hemLsphere "soli- darlty-With-Cuba " congress 1n 'Montreal Canada In July _ This proposed congress--which however Is belng Officlally discouraged by the CanadLan govern- ment--would: be. modeled on a sImflar effort staged Ip Nitero1, Braz_1 in March 1963 _ 5 NO FOREIGN DISSEM ~SECRET ================================================== Page 6 ================================================== 13-00000 SECRET NO FORE IGN DISSEH ANNEX Country-by-Country Rundown on Cuban Subversion 1 Argentina Clandestine reporting for the past year con- firms that the Cubans are cooperating with sma11 extremist Peronist groups in an attempt to estab- lish a coordinated subversive effort in Argentina Extreme-left wing Peronists 3a0 JJpuiivx 3o717e 1uezecorBar5ab J fege 2716 Heleztox iiialon have been in close liaison with Cuban agents and elsewhere (Gaqego appears to be the principal support agent of a group 0f Argentine terrorists and left-wing Peron - ists believed to be directed and supported Wxihe Cubanrem onwevide Last January, ea#legg traveled to the provinces of Jujuy and Salta near the Bolivian border where Argentine police discovered pro-Castro guerrilla camps in March _ Some guerrillas who were arrested in that raid are known to have had guerrilla war_ fare training in Cuba Among the propaganda items found at these camps was a book written by Jorge Ricardo Masetti, who was in Cuba in 1963 as a director of Prensa Latina He is thought to be "Commandante-Segundon and is probably in charge of the sma 11 guerrilla bands discovered in north- ern Argentina in March and April_ One of the FAL rifles fqund_in_the_ hands of the_guerrillas pos- sessed the sane specifications as those foundin the 1 November Venezuelan arms cache It is be C Tieved to-"6z"zog 'Cuban origen 436r6en #Jntoiek pan' #(0le Augen ned E17 nuevoanttene 0801e Q{Oc 0 ~SUv5772 3e0lba pinee1960 Te:s? Ttk He2014u6 9iex Sotaus 68 Aey 3370)} 14964 2 Bolivia Cuban subversive activity in Bolivia has been centered on attempts to strengthen pro-Castro sentiment among the followers of extremist Vice ~1- NO FORE IGN DISSEM SECREF 601 ================================================== Page 7 ================================================== 13-00000 ~SECRET NO TOREIGN DISSEM President Juan Lechin , Through itS embassy in La Paz, Cuba reportedly has given Lechin and his sup- porters some arms and money to aid his bitter strug- with President Paz Estenssorg_for[olitical dopination 0f the count- Ventaubez Gean 5G {e9ai(e Awe velniShicaiekrdens Cuban Charige Roberto Dassale said the Cuban . government believed it necessary to organize well-armed combat cadres from among various leftist-extremist groups _ He said Havana was prepared to supply the required arms Calie Tin&8 35odi 6 Oott 0elO Oi 3f) JK Lda 413 9) Ze 2{9i-] 213E21B igav hiu twO boxes 01 arms %o be distrubuted anong the volatile Bolivian tin miners who at that time were in_revolt against his_government nEaOh 014 Dieem Jui3g augm2 L82uw iha t the euban government was willing to provide financial and ma terial support to Lechin for his campaign to unseat President Paz in the 31 May presidential elections Lechin was scheduled to meet with Cuban agents in early April to discuss his financial needs and to determine what he was prepared to of- fer in return for the proposed Cuban assistance _ In addition, the Comittee of Anti-Imperialist Struggle a pro-Castro Bolivian youth group which aspires to establish a terrorist organization on the model of the Venezuelan Armed Forces of Na - tional Liberation, was organized last year with the help of Mauro Garcia then an officer of the Cuban enbess as3 Members of this group were caught in November attempting to plant bombs at the home of the commander of the Bolivian Air Force and near the residence of the US Ambassador The Cuban government continues to regard_Bolivia as a staging area Tron _wbiq to_ send trained sub- versives into neighboring Lnta count ires- It iS pos _ Sible that some Cuban support Tor guerrillas in northern Argentina may have come across the border from near-by Bolivia Bolivia algo_has long been a favorite transit area Tor terrorigts_eturning to_Pery @fter hav received_guerrilla warfare training in Cuba In August 1963 a Bolivian Com _ munist Rarty ~(PCB) member in north Bolivia led -2- NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECREF gle Ne] 2e ing ================================================== Page 8 ================================================== 13-00000 ~SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM police to an arms cache which was to be used to sup- port guerrilla operations in Peru Bolivian authori- ties have uncovered and dispersed at least three pro- Castro guerrilla groups in this area in the past year _ 1td S )ie 31060 3 6 J2g nalE aye "{erde.une1 140 Yiejaie XAre? 623 guerljJu Tiyatjio 615,m11 71740}0 Rr 46 W3m6jercQ )i8Y Jejb014 (9hsmiassaais Kusk yeted 62' Gudxe ejjier ia G6 {[pnoagh 2902 7 11964 3 _ Brazil Before the overthrow of President Goulart Cuba was engaged in an active subversive effort in Brazil providing funds guerrilla training, and propaganda support to Communist and pro-Communist groups Operat- primarily through its embassy in Rio de Janeiro, Havana collaborated closely with Francisco Juliao 's Peasant Leagues in northeast Brazil and with Leonel Brizola, Goulart 's violently anti-American brother- in-lawv , The former Cuban ambassador privately described Brizola as having the best prospects for starting a Castro-stule revolution in Brazil The ambassador appeared to be favoring hin over Juliao from late 1963 until the April overthrow . iKe_ Je18351] Genduz 42 Jo)iinlae 4 {3 d S 0,4 Acubap 30k9 @reed so Tinance his "expanding press and radio activities and to "buy some arms@ from_ his Popular MobiLization Front , @helisaneasricecreporteda Gw6 6 #ihnies to buy arms In addition a usually reliable: 3a 808ax72 lbassy Iuexico Ciiy reports that-about 10-days before the beginning Of Goulart s overthrow Ha - vana sent money to Brazil in an effort to bolster the Brizola forces Four Cuban couriers_reportedly took the money to Brazil Mrd) 0ci Cuba- also ma intained a substantial propaganda operation in Brazil, primarily through the local office of Prensa Latina A Communist party member in the state Of Bahia revealed for example= that the local Communist newspaper was financed by Cuba _ The number of Brazilian-Cuban Cultural Institues -3- NO FOREIGN DISSEM ~SECRET W!Peo ing 3019 ================================================== Page 9 ================================================== 13-00000 SECREF NO FORE IGN DISSEM had increased to the point where they covered 411 major cities; Rio alone had seven _ Similar or- ganizations existed at the national level, such as the Society of Friends of Cuba and the National Committee Against Intervention in Cuba _ Cuba also broadcast daily to Brazil in Portuguese _ Brazil under Goulart also affordec Cuba an excellent base for promoting hemisphere-wide, pro- Cuban front groups The constituent congress of the Single Center of Latin American Workers (CUTAL) - 30 which is planned to replace the moribund Confedera_ tion of Latin American Workers (CTAL) --was beld in Brazilia in late January_ The Brazilian delega - tion to the Cuban-supported Second Latin Anerican Youth Congress (LAYC) held in Santiago, Chile on 9 March, was headed by President Goulart's nephew , who brought a letter from the President warmly sup- porting the conference_ Brazil was also used as a transit area for some Latin American subversives returning to their countries after having received training in Cuba In late April the dissident Communist Party of Brazil (CPB) 9 which follows a pro-Chinese line , was reported to have directed two Cuban-trained leaders to begin paramilitary operations in Sao Paulo and Goias _ CPB members have been encouraged by their Cuban comrades--many have been trained in Cuba__but Havana is not known to have given them direct support ed #to cubatuitnv 0906 4 _ British Guiana The government of Premier Cheddi Jagan is openly pro-Castro Thus Cuban activities In British Gutana, in contrast to subversive efforts elsewhere in the hemisphere, are designed to support rather than to bring down the existing regime Clinton Adlun_ the Cuban_trade_representatiye in Georgetown,Ts_probabzy_giving_both political and economic advice to_ Jagan S People S ProgressiveParty 7(PPP) . Tuban Ships call frequentiy at British Guiana ports to deliver food and fuels and to pick up rice. ~4- NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECREF ================================================== Page 10 ================================================== 13-00000 SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM Numerous unconfirmed reports have stated that these ships also transport arms to British Guiana which allegedly are then shipped elsewhere in Latin America _ The vehicle for British Guianese trade with Com - munist countries as we 1l as for Cuban funding of Jagan S regime and the PPP , is the Guyana Import_ Ex- port (GIMPEX) Havana ordered payment 6E4 2,300F.0006 torthezuaqager} of GIMPEX TE Sephember) ostensibly for payment of goods_ according to a usua lly reliable source It iS unclear however whether the money was ever actually paid GIMPEX has loaned such funds in the past both to the government and to the PPP publishing house Another source reports that the publishing house passes the funds to Janet Jagan for PPP salaries and expenses _ Georgetown {OIz officials believe Cuban- trained terrorists are behind much of the sporadic violence which has occurred during the months-long strike by the pro-Jagan sugar workers union; it is attempting to gain an official endorsement by the Guianese sugar industry A seniorlepri2@a official has told the US Consul General that; Six or eight Cuban-trained youths provide the technical support for this group S growing terrorist efforts in George _ town Another source reports some Guianese were receiving guerrilla training in the interior of the country in November 1963 presumably for the newly-formed Guyana Liberation Army 4 58172 cece 04275+; @0j516~ 44ZG Wa 5 _ Chile The Cuban effort in Chile concentrates on sup- port for the presidential campaign of Salvadore Allende_ Allende is the candidate of the Communist- doninated Popular Revolutionary Action Front (FRAP) , and be has a_ chance of being ele cted in the September presidential elections Allende hasgisited_Cuba on sexeral occasions his campaign @anager was in Havana in January- While there ) he was promised financial support for Allende 's campaign A usually reliable source reports that Che Guevara recently said "Watch Chile, it will be the next Latin Ameri- can country to enter our camp _ _5- NO FORE IGN DISSEM ~SECREF ================================================== Page 11 ================================================== 13-00000 SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM A clandestine source 0po# 01 [cnueze = #aaa #0 C1at_reported in February that a dedentx pedv sibudent said some 40 Chileans wou ld soon be leaVing Cuba to return to Chile The 7 source said These Chileans had received political training in Cuba and were returning with funds from the Cuban government for Allende S presidential campaign _ Chilean police are reported to have identi- fied 400 Chileans vrho have visited Cuba over the past three years as "subversives, I1 but we have no evidence of any 01 ganized guerrilla training of Chilean groups in Cuba 3o" Kar Ee EO eupa.50 6 Colombia Cuba has been_proyiding_funds_ to subversives 77Y in Coiombia ~1g60 The pro-Castro, Worker- Student-Peasant Movement (MOEC) the United Front for Revolutionary Action (FUAR) -~whose members are building up the newly activated National Liberation Front (FLN) and the recently organized National Liberation Movement have been the principal recip_ ients of Cuban funds A fairly_ reliable source reported 01)n57 S1ie Je834312 to eva luate the FLN and its prospects and to pass funds for further activity Cuba has established some contact with bandit gangs infesting Gts tne Colombian P cO4nEryside Army troops who are fighting the bandits ha ve found Cuban propaganda in the possession of these bandits _ Some bandit leaders may have had guerrilla training in Cuba but Havana does not appear to ha ve had substantial success so far in directing bandit activity for political ends {016343)775 87 ;o {3505 Jieto qqax1 Ji}0 inojsrs 7o6 Costa Rica The Communist Popular Vanguard Party (PVP) continues to send members for subversive training in Cuba Some of these militant returnees have ~6- NO FORE IGN DISSEM ~SECRET Since X8t ================================================== Page 12 ================================================== 13-00000 SECRET NO FORE IGN DISSEM begun training sma 11 groups of party members but they appear to have no immediate plans for antiu governnent action Much_of_the_pro-Castra-actiz vity in Costa Rica appears have been_ directed against neighboring Nicaragua - Cuba-trained revoIutionaries based in Costa Rica have on OC - casion crossed into Nicaragua _ The police in- spector at a town in the Pacific banana zone re- ported in early February that two unidentified Cubans who traveled from Panana to Costa Rica at- tempted to stir up Costa Rican banana workers in support of Panamanian charges against the US _ The CostaRican_Society for_Friendship with Peoples a Sma11 Communist-front group desighed- to propagandize on behalf of the Cuban revolution "1 and ' pro-Castro "revolutionary movements in other Latin American countries, is an important Havana asset in_ San Jose ammi= J4l9a JAA cuua4 Yeita Je 8 Doqinican_Republic The country's two militant pro-Communist or- ganizations the 14th of June Political Group (APCJ) and the Dominican Popular Movement (MPD) are faith- ful supporters of Castro Havana Radio quickly voiced support for last December's abortive APCJ guerrilla campaign, but we have no firm evidence of Cuban material support for this effort. The quick response from Radio Havana suggests how- ever, the existence of a communications link with one or more pro-Castro or ganizations in the country. Quick response by Havana to unrest in the Dominican Republic also was reflected during the transit workers strike in early May _ One Dominican who has received guerrilla train- ing in Cuba organized the 14th of June Revolutionary Movenent (MR 14J) earlier this year out of the old APCJ and MPD _ The immediate aim of this new or- ganization is to promote urban terrorism_ A ter- rorist captured by police in mid-March is said to have told police that this group 18 receiving arms and_guidance from Castro: 1018 _ NO TOREIGN_DISSEM ~SECRET to_ ================================================== Page 13 ================================================== 13-00000 ~SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM 9 Ecuador Since the 11 1963 military coup, the Ecuadorean government S careful monitoring of anti-government activities has hampered Cuban ef- forts there When the junta began to exile Com _ munists and pro-Castro extremists lastfall Severaltook up_residence in Havana 866 {ier Eerjer Bo Via- old a clandestine Source in Taze March that exiles in Cuba were receiving guerrilla warfare training before returning to Ecuador to initiate anti-government activities Rafael Echeverria leader of the hard-line faction of the Ecuadorean Comnunist Party (PCE) is re- portedly planning a trip to Havana in late May to confer with Castro Echeverria expects to have laid the groundwork for guerrilla operations by then So that he can "prove his good faith" to the Cubans; he expects to be offered financial aid Other clandestine sources report Cuban aid has been offered to supporters of former presi_ dent Velasco Ibarra and that aid is being of- fered C0 followers Of former president Arosemena 4i0n4nee2n 4e ;id Gipa 10 _ El Sa lvador There has been little evidence of direct Cuban- supported subversion in El Salvador during the past 10 months _ The Castro government probably helps members of the Salvadoran Communist Party (PCES) and its front groups to get to Cuba for guidance and training Havana radio, heard clearly in El Salvador provides 2 propaganda line which can be echoed in locally published Communist_publications 4 Mavanazhasaat lleagtwone Well-tratned Salvadoran intelligence agent who provides intelligence on selected targets_ He was trained in Cuba for a year and a half not only in guerrilla warfare but in clandestine communications Like many other Cuban agents, he iS not actu ally working in Sa lvador but in a neighboring country _ fron which he deals witb Sa lvadoran operations across the border on direct instructions from a Cuban intelligence officer 4 NO TORZIGN DISSCM SECREF July ================================================== Page 14 ================================================== 13-00000 SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM 4 fh 4a670 mri inw 9 81963 Seweler {6554, 3i4446620181 11 Guatena la Cuba has been giving assistance and guidance to Guatemalan guerrilla and terrorist groups for over two years_ While we have no firm evidence of substantial Cuban assistance in1963 two clandes _ tine_seurces_reported ilanee [rems g508 Wartt € 8oa ~Ss* X r; 0n4e * Eu7gTowers: emere FAw SrChba Jnjie; 92015 Hojs 7777, rand Eretuuzeds Innee Mstr # {a1a eniznhiidz hevneactiyi 62582 D addltio another source reports 6e ( T4 412 Desazos X 27 oatober%y +he apyubuurer€ homamade 40J" Tnr &rronJ ledged_by-the 4 Svig Gteien {m} 0mi 346}6mvu; #y Ae ~Cubar tratned ex SieJ6#m 40 31524w2s Mexican Marxistt journaTist Victo Rico GaTan, often used by Castro as an agent in Central America, s2w Yon Sosa in October and is said to have urged him to work more closely with the Guatemalan Communists_ Strong anti-Subversive measures by the Peralta Government have curtailed, but have by no means eliminated the insurgency threat in Guatemala The assassination on 11 April of a colonel with special antiguerrilla duties indicates the' guer- rillas are still at large in the mountainous areas of the country _ They maintain reliable communica - tions and contacts and have the capability to stage damaging raids on carefully chosen targets _ At least 64 Guatemalans are known to have traveled to Cuba in 1963 _ On the basis of clandes _ tine reporting, it i9 estinated that another 50 traveled secretly and that these received training in guerrilla_ tactics or political indoctrination _ 12 Haiti Known Cuban activity in Haiti is limited to two daily propaganda broadcasts by Havana Radio. ~9- NO TORCIGN DISSEM ~SECREF #N~ 80, 0.& p1toS , ================================================== Page 15 ================================================== 13-00000 ~SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM A French-language transmission is aimed at the educated class and 2 broadcast in Creole is beamed to the masses The speaker has been identified as Rene Depestre a top-ranking Haitian Communist exile in Cuba The content of Depestre 's broad - casts is consistently pro-Cuban and anti-Duvalier Sone Haitians may have received guerrilla train- In Cuba , but we have no firm evidence that any such trainees have returned to Haiti The long- time presence of many hundreds Of Haitian nationals in eastern Cuba provides Castro with material for sizable infiltrations into Haiti if he should So desire Ahent-tthreerHaltr eraveled -torCuba-+n 19665 13_ Honduras Much of the pro-Castro activity in Honduras appears to be directed toward support of similar activities in neighboring Nicaragua Guatemala The country's rugged terrain, the absence Of an effective internal security force and the presence of long-established routes for snuggling into neighboring countries make Honduras we11 suited for_such a role Two recent Clandestine sources report the Cuban government is dissatisfied with efforts of the Honduran Communist Party to establish an ef- fective guerrilla movement Cuban leaders are said to favor the establishment of a new organiza- tion with no direct ties to orthodox Communist groups The Cubans are said to have selected Mario Sosa to organize the new movement and to begin making contacts with "liberal "1 leaders to investigate their readiness for armed action against Honduras military government R5 Ternotua;r 1i6,Jii a njar.4/6 -10- NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECREF ing and ================================================== Page 16 ================================================== 13-00000 SSECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM 14 Mexice The Castro regime has been careful in the past to avold antagonizing the Mexican government In ~iew Of the importance to Cuba of maintaining its embassy and Its civil air connections through Mexico . The Cubans continue to use their embassy in Mexico CIty as well as Individual Mexican nationals and exiled Central American residents there to support subversive activities elsewhere In Central America _ The activities of Mexican journalist Victor Rico Ga lan are a case in point Havana may_find it_d-fficult however to avold expoiting Ihe_endemic peasant_unrest_which iS increasing in northern_Mexico. A clandestine sourcer 33l816 04; p isnmer" Cubaqemhasey rez 2 ported #6e Xw pFe cupr tv8 e6 68 674 Mwt 0} 6 5 rb GommuntsEEled 4ee /e4dl245 Genira: (CGT) Swhich nas been behind much 6f the peasant unreest The US consul general at Tampico reported last May that the Cuban consul there was openly preaching revolution apd distributing inflammatory propaganda and that he had stepped up the tempo of his activities consider- ably in recent months Ftans 542MMexitcans' traveledato Cuba-in-2963; 3nw Kb ered corCubatErom JJanuary_ through Aprtl Of O8 15_ Nicaragua Cuban subversive efforts aimed at Nicaragua have been channeled principally through the National Liberation Front (FLN) ) a Communist-dominated revo- lutionary organization Most of this group s guer- rilla leaders were trained in Cuba in 1961-62 along with members of various other Nicaraguan revoiu- tionary movements Cuban aid to the FLN takes the form of financial support training and guidance, but details are lacking regarding its current size or effectiveness In August 1963 the FLN launched an unsuccessful guerrilla foray Into northern Nicaragua from Honduras which cost the sma11 organ- ization some of its key personnel _ Since then , the FLN has been the object of harassment by both Nicaraguan and Honduran security forces _ It has shown no capability to make another move soon . -1l- NO FOREIGN DISSEM 'SECREF J ================================================== Page 17 ================================================== 13-00000 SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM 6" aguansrareekpownrtorhavertraveded 407@uba_2L0b19637 16 _ Panama Pro-Castro and Communlst elements moved qulckly to explolt the January outbreaks of violence in Panama _ For some four months preceding the 9-11 January incidents Havana had been Increasing Its pressure On Its contacts in Panama to cooperate 1n startlng revolutionary action _ Revolutionary leaders of the Castro-supported Vanguard of the National Revolution (VAN) were urged as early as the threatened banana workers strike in October 1963 to cooperate in initiating an anti-government campalgn . Planning quickened after the early November visit of Victor RLco Galan and possibly other Castro agents Some of the approximately 100 Panamanians believed to have received tralning In Cuba were planning to g1ve guerrilla warfare courses in December and agaLn in May - Clandestine reporting also discloses Cuban efforts to Influence the outcone of the 10 May 1963 national elections_ Havana 15 rellably re- ported to have provided some funds for campaign assistance to selected deputortal candidates of the Radical Action Party (PAR) G2x5 @E ann547 0i4 Eonigtz 3ruched torPanama 007 Antlate March Db Gter having3pe4Va1 ANg rpertods Diarttmetratningeiu Cuba & Four "0f these were VAN members Another group Tf recently-returned trainees was reliable, reported in early May to be seeking to establish a new revolutionary group in Panama and to launch revolutionary activities In the near future _ (stzt one @namantans-traveled to-Cuba-in 41963 _ 17 Paraguay Cuban subversive efforts directed against Paraguay continue to be confined to supporting and tralning_Paraguayan_exiles based for the most part dpMontevZde dje lenar"e The Paraguayan Communist Party (PCP) and its paramilitary front group , the United Front for National Liberation (FULNA) are the most proninent recipients of Cuban a1d and -12- NO FOREIGN DISSEM ~SECRET ================================================== Page 18 ================================================== 13-00000 SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM attention whichzis-given through-the--Cuban embassy Vontevideo Some FULNA members have recelved guerrilla training in Cuba _ A once-weekly pro-Castro broadcast 1n the Guarani language has been heard in Paraguay S1nce mId-November 1963 The PCP is sald to be keeplng two Paraguayans in Cuba permanently to enable the program to continue to be broadcast in Guaranl _ 0pey"S1xe paraguayans-travered-to-Cuba"in-1963. However probably more exiles in Uruguay traveled to Havana 18 _ Peru The primary recipient of Cuban assistance for armed revolution against the Belaunde government is the Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR) , a mflitant pro-Castro organization composed of some 1,000 members and 3 500 sympathizers Between 450 and 500 MIR members havereceiyed_guerr]lla_traln- ing abroad most 6f them in Cuba Police ralds In Der january and probabiy upset the MIR 's timetable for Inltiating anti-government action, but the mov e= ment Is well-fInanced well-armed and well-organized : It has the potential for carrying out a subversive campaign Of considerable disruptiveness Luis de la Puente the leader of MIR , has visited Cuba on several occasions and is on good terms with Castro Cuba has assisted other pro-Castro groups of lesser importance but such assistance has been limited to guerciila traiging_ One such group, the Army of National Liberation (ELN) organized by Peruvian extremist students in Havana has isolated bands Of guerrillas operating in remote areas of the country. The National Liberation Front (FLN) 1s openly pro-Castro and has sent members to Cuba for subversive training Principal FLN leader Sa lomon Bolo visited Cuba last September Castro-inspired extremists have exploited re- curring peasant unrest in Central Peru for the past several months and they have been behind much of the illegal peasant land incursions which bave OC- curred there _ -13- NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECRET` May ================================================== Page 19 ================================================== 13-00000 ~SECREF NO FOREIGN DISSEM Pi_ty-three Penuvaans Zareknown to:zhave 027 Evec 6705a Fin 79633 16-traveled-to Cuba: 3hrough prz1 pithiawyoar 19_ Uruguay We have no evidence of Cuban support for revo- lutionary activity directed at subverting the Uruguayan government Uruguay s Importance to Favana lies in its value as a place where Cubans and Cuban agents are relatively free to carry On subversive contacts with dissidents from neighbor- ing countries particularly Argentines Paraguayans and Brazilians The_Qubanembassgyip_Monterideq has been particularly useful as a transit point for CDrI aTr Zavelzo_Cuba Gf travelers Wishing to conceal their ultimate destination Uruguay als0 has been useful ta_Cuba_.2s Iujt distribution {0r Cuban propaganda for pezghberzng countries_ Cuban propa- ganda 1s widely disseminated in Uruguay as part of a more subtle policy of building up Castroism among Uruguayan leftists and Intellectuals _ VeTen3t 2233/t24yu5 arenknown tothave * wnaveledetoxCubar;173 1963 422 traveled-to-Cuba 42ugh-April Oftnts Year 20 _ Venezuela The current level of Cuban activity in Vene- zuela is considered fairly low International reprecussions stemming fron the unprecedented dis- covery of the huge Cuban arms cache in Venezuela on 1 November 1963 the failure of the terrorist campaign to disrupt the December national elections , and the presently increased capabilities of the Venezuelan military and security forces will prob- ably dampen Cuban activities in Venezuela In the short run There is no reason to belleve _ however 9 that these setbacks will alter Venezuela S high priority on Cuba S target list for subversion Cuban support for the militantly pro-Castro Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN) doubtlessly will continue, and may even Increase _ The FALN gives S igns of stepping up its activi- ties but on a lesser scale than at the end of 1963 _ The decision in late April Of the central committee of the Communist party to continue using violence -14- NO FOREIGN DISSEM ~SECREF Eo point ================================================== Page 20 ================================================== 13-00000 SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM as a political instrument probably presages a gradual increase of terrorist incidents _ Riots in mid-May led by Communist-dominated students took place in Caracas_ San Cristobal and Merida At the same time_ one successful student-led robbery of a post office occurred as well as an attempted robbery Of the university payroll_ Robberies have been the FALN ' s favorite means in the past to obtain money to finance lts terrorist activities , eubaZn Fed7co uier Fhrough Eapattrof-this: -15_ NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECRET ================================================== Page 21 ================================================== 13-00000 FSECRET KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMERICANS To AND FROM CUBA DURING 1963 SECREL NATIONALITY January February March Apri l June July August September October November December 1963 To From To From To From To From To From To From To From To From To From To From To From To From To From ARGENTINA 18 27 47 34 12 21 13 14 57 12 5 37 5 3 15 222 126 BOLIVIA 3 3 5 5 3 14 3 21 2 69 48 BRAZIL i9 22 13 6 18 10 5 25 24 121 162 219 242 BR _ GUIANA 10 26 25 51 CHILE 31 44 26 20 13 42 20 3 20 22 47 175 70 54 18 355 316 COLOMBIA 54 39 12 13 23 15 3 29 14 10 182 122 COSTA RICA 9 0 29 12 8 10 47 56 DOM _ REPUBLIC 2 37 8 19 74 24 ECUADOR 20 20 5 10 121 20 EL SALVADOR 26 12 GUATEMALA 30 18 15 23 HAITI 18 8 23 22 HONDURAS 12 20 50 39 JAMAICA 38 MEXICO 100 81 22 26 38 37 18 54 14 42 65 28 34 63 36 23 72 512 530 NICARAGUA 12 PANAMA 15 13 61 24 PARAGUAY 2 PERU 6 2 8 5 3 3 5 2 33 38 URUGUAY 19 19 16 14 12 17 15 10 16 56 13 158 130 VENEZUELA 26 2 22 37 10 3 139 35 MONTHLY TOTALS 354 296 212 150 124 149 223 88 163 144 73 103 319 47 104 214 587 64 76 380 69 99 126 132 2430 1863 The peaks in January , July , and September reflect travel of delegations to the anniversaries of the overthrow of Batista and of the 26 July movement , and to the internotional architects' congress in October 640719 ] May ================================================== Page 22 ================================================== 13-00000 KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMER ICANS TO AND FROM CUBA JANUARY 1964 NATIONALITY JANUARY PURPOSE OF TRIP TO CUBA TO FROM ARGENTINA 9 3 1 UNESCO delegate 2 well-known Communists went to Cuba BBOLIVIA 3 1 attending preparatory meeting of the Latin American Commu- nist Youth Congress in Habana ) 1 will attend a course at the Cuban eguivalent of Soviet Komsomol school BRAZIL BR GUIANA 29 December 1963 not previously_ reported unknown CHILE 14 15 Returning from Habana celebration Sth anniversary of Cuban Revolution COLOMBIA 4 An additional 15 Colombian travellers to Cuba Should be added to the report for December 1963 which brings the total for December to 25 _ It is estimated that 13 of the 25 went to Cuba for the 1 January celebrations COSTA RICA 11 13 3 to Cuba to attend meeting at Habana at which Venezuelan charge against Cuba was: discussed _ The remainder were sent to Habana for 2 January celebration DOM REP 1 attended Architects Congress ECUADOR 5 children 3 adults went from_ Mexico ; EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA 1 % HAITI HONDURAS JAMAICA 0 0 MEXICO 87 45 NICARAGUA PANAMA 1 PARAGUAY 3 0 PERU 3 SURINAM 0 TRINIDAD 0 URUGUAY 9 VENEZUELA 5 TTOTALS 148 91 ================================================== Page 23 ================================================== 13-00000 KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMER ICANS TO AND FROM CUBA JANUARY 1964 NATIONALITY JANUARY PURPOSE OF TRIP TO CUBA TO FROM ARGENTINA 9 3 L UNESCO_delegate 2 wel l-known Communists went to Cuba BBOLIVIA 3 1 attending preparatory meeting of the Latin American Commu- nist Youth Congress in Habana 1 will attend a course at the Cuban equivalent of Soviet Komsomol school BRAZIL BR GUIANA 29 December 1963 not previously reported unknown CHILE 14 15 Returning from Habana celebration Sth anniversary of Cuban Revolution COLOMBIA 4 An additional 15 Co lombian travellers to Cuba should be added to the report for December 1963 which brings the total for December to 25 _ It is estimated that 13 of the 25 went to Cuba for the 1 January_ celebrations COSTA RICA 11 13 3 to Cuba to attend meeting at Habana at which Venezuelan charge against Cuba was discussed _ The remainder were sent to Habana for 2 January celebration DOM REP 1 attended Architects Congress ECUADOR 5. children 3 adults went from Mexico EL SALVADOR 0 1 @ituM 0 1 HONDURAS JAMAICA 0 3 MEXICO 87 45 NICARAGOA 0 PANAMA ParGUN 8 SURINAM 0 TRINIDAD 8 URUGUAY VENEZUELA 5 tTOTALS 148 91 ================================================== Page 24 ================================================== 13-00000 KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMERICANS TO AN D FROM CUBA MARCH- APRIL 1964 NATIONALITY MARCH-APRIL PURPOSE OF TRIP TO CUBA TO FROM ARGENTINA 11 10 1- Going to Cuba is an Argentine Communist Party leader in Buenos Aires Province _ 1 UNESCO delegate 1-Returning is employee of Cuban Construction Ministry BOLIVIA 8 2 3- Attending Day Celebration BRAZIL BR GUTANA 2 2 CHILE 14 Labor Teaders attending May Day CeTebration Returning are members 0f delegation from School of Economy of University of Chile _ COLOMBIA COSTA RICHA 3 En route to East Germany _ 2- In attempt to obtain release of Teodoro Picado Lara DOM _ REP 1 4- Returning from 26th July Celebration ECUADOR 5 2 EL SALVADOR 3 8 2- Attending May Day Celebrations_ 8-Returning from military training in Cuba _ GUATEMALA 1 HAITI 0 1 HONDURAS 0 JAMAICA 0 MEXICO 32 24 3- Attending May_Day Celebrations _ NICARAGUA 1 PANAMA 17 3- Returnees members 0f Vanguard 0f National Action PARAGUAY BtMM 1 TRINTDAD URUGUAY 17 VENEZUELA T 0 T A L S 130 121 May_

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104-10338-10018.pdf

Released: March 18, 2025

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