2 w DISSEM USE ONLY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WASHINGTON 25 D C 1 May 1963 5 MEMORANDUM FOR The Director of Central Intelligence SUBJECT Interview of U S Newswoman with Fidel Castro Indicating Possible Interest in Rapprochement with the United States 1 On 30 April 1963 Liza Howard U S newswoman associated with the American Broadcasting Company returned to Miami from Cuba where she had interviewed a number of high ranking Cuban officials including Fidel Castro Raul Castro Ernesto Che Guevara Vilma Espin de Castro Raul Roa and Rene Vallejo Her conversations with Fidel Castro totaled about ten hours and included one session on 22 April which lasted from 12 45 a m to 5 30 a m Following is an account of these conversations and Liza Howard's observations concerning the present Cuban situation 2 It appears that Fidel Castro is looking for a way to reach a rapprochement with the United States Government probably because he is aware that Cuba is in a state of economic chaos The October blockade hurt the Cuban economy Liza Howard believes that Castro talked about this matter with her because she is known as a progressive and she talked with him in frank blunt honest terms Castro has little opportunity to hear this type of conversation Castro indicated that if a rapprochement was wanted President John F Kennedy would have to make the first move In reSponse to the state ment that Castro would probably have to make the first move Castro asked what the U S wanted from him When a return to the original aims of the revolution was suggested Fidel said that perhaps he President Kennedy Mimi-J mun- NI A rial QC Ei Vrmew ahg b I Samar N0 FOREIGN DISSEM USE ONLY s atci i ii is NO FOREIGN DISSEM USE ONLY and Premier Nikita Khrushchev should discuss this Liza Howard said that she thought it was a more likely topic for Castro to discuss with President Kennedy Castro said that he doubted that President Kennedy would talk with him without Khrushchev being present When HoWard pressed Castro for further information on how a rapproche ment could be achieved he said that steps were already being taken Pressed further he said he considered the U S limitation on exile raids to be a preper step toward accommodation It is Liza Howard's opinion that Castro wants to pursue the discussion of rapprochement with proper progressive Spokesmen Based on her discussions with the following persons Liza Howard feels that Guevara Raul Castro and Vilma ESpin oppose any idea of rapprochement Roa and Vallejo favor these d15cussions 3 Castro asked Howard who had previous1y interviewed Khrushchev for an appraisal of him When Howard said that Khrushchev was a shrewd'politician who would break and diSpose of Castro when the Soviets no longer needed him Castro made no comment but only nodded his head as if in skeptical agreement 'Liza Howard had no insight or advance notice on Castro's travel to Moscow 4 Castro appears healthy has no visible nervous twitches or tics and was calm rational humorous and non argumentative during all discussions Vallejo Castro's personal physician also acts as secretary interpreter and confidant 5 Castro is in complete control in Cuba No major decision is made without him Neither Guevara nor Raul Castro would be able to rule Cuba if Fidel were assassinated 6 In discussions with Castro about terror and secret police methods Liza Howard received the impression that he was not completely aware of the extent to which terror has gripped Cuba NO FOREIGN DISSEM USE ONLY n WEE NO FOREIGN DISSEM USE ONLY 7 Castro refers to Soviet troops in Cuba as technicals and indicated that they have a training mission in Cuba He made the point however that if an internal revolt takes place in Cuba Soviet technicals would fight with Castro to put down a counterrevolution 8 Liza Howard said that Emil Stadelhofer Swiss Ambassador to Cuba is an overworked timid man who does not have Castro's ear She believes that the'Swiss need a larger staff in Habana and that Stadelhofer needs recognition for a job well done Howard also said that in her Opinion the Western diplomatic comm nity in Habana has no influence on Castro or his government 9 While discussing a possible rapprochement Castro asked for full assessments of President and Mrs Kennedy and Robert Kennedy and wanted to know if Adlai Stevenson had power in the U S -and if his voice was heard in President Kennedy s councils -Castro commented that James Donovan was a good man it was Liza Howard's impression that Donovan had not talked politics with Castro but that Donovan had a platform from which he could launch political discussions on the philosophy of revolution 10 Liza Howard said that she was willing to undertake further discusSions with Castro concerning a possible rapprochement Other possible candidates whom she suggested were Edwin M Martin Adlai Stevenson and Luis Munoz Marin She also mentioned Donovan but was not quite certain that he was progressive enough Liza Howard is willing to arrange a meeting for any U S Government-Spokesman with Castro through Vallejo who will be the point of contact ll Liza Howard definitely wants to impress the U S Government with two facts Castro is ready to NO FOREIGN DISSEM USE ONLY f N0 FOREIGN DISSEM USE ONLY discuss rapprochement and She herself is ready to discuss it with him if asked to do so by the U S Government Orig The Director of Central Intelligence cc Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs The Director of Intelligence and Research Department of State The Director Defense Intelligence Agency The Attorney General The Department of Justice 'The Deputy DireCtor of Central Intelligence Deputy Director for Intelligence Assistant Director for National Estimates Assistant Director for Current Intelligence -NO FOREIGN DISSEM USE ONLY This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu