I 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 OCI No 1586 64 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Office of Current Intelligence 4 June 1964 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM CUban Subversion in Latin America Since July 1963 ___ 1 __ Cqban subversive efforts in Latin America are continuing at a steady pace despite recent major setbacks in such countries as Venezuela and Brazil From July 1963 through December when Havana evidently believed a second CUba was likely in Venezuela Cuban propaganda stressed the inevitability of Castro-inspired revolutions in t-he hemisphere Since the first of this year however Cuban leaders have muted direct exhortations to violence and have emphasized other policy priorities Neverthelesei - ·the Cuban potential for subversion in Latin America remains high 2 In his speech of 26 July 1963 Castro recaptured much of the militant tone of his speeches in late 1962 He made it clear that he regards CUba as the main source of inspiration and guidance for inevitable revolutions in the rest of Latin America He claimed that what has been done in CUba can take place exactly the same way in many Latin American countries The hemisphere's militants he said must take advantage of· conditions presently favoring revolut on and open the breach _On 28 September Castro said that while imperialists believe they can destroy the CUban revolution the Cubans believe that before that could be accomplished ''many other revolutions like c urs-will ap pear on· the continent On 24 November Che Guevara said the spreading of revolution in the hemisphere is also our responsibility and it is part of our daily preoccupation NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECRET '-- · 'e 1 - ·SEERE NO FOREIGN DISSEM SUBJECT I --J - - 13-00000 ScCREr NO FOREIGN DISSEM 3 What emerged from these and other Cuban pronouncements was the apparent conviction of Castro and his aides that further Communist revolutions 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 possible It is logical to assume that despite recent official soft-pedaling of the issue the basic Cuban viewpoint remains the same Cuban leaders continue to believe that the very presence of their regime will inspire other Latin American revolutionaries to action and undoubtedly will continue to give assistance to these efforts 4 Cuba's policy of revolution in the hemisph re has suffered severe defeats however since the 3-ton Cuban arms cache was discovered on a Venezuelan beach on l_November 1963 For example OAS action stemming from that discovery is pending despite the -Cuban-supported terrorist campaign constitutional government in Venezuela was successfully transferred following President Leoni's dramatic election victory last December and the outbreaks of violence in Panama last January failed to upset constitutional processes there The April revolt in which President Goulart of Brazil was overthrown was also a severe defeat for Havana These reverses may have produced a feeling in Havana that a breathing spell is necessary· In addition Castro may have been cautioned to moderate his revolutionar £_£ E _ v1s1 e _ anuary Th s year has been designated the 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 Havana to lessen its public expressions of support for revolution Moreover Castro may believe that a soft-pedaled policy on revolution now may pay dividends after the US elections in November He probably assumes that conditions for a US-Cuban modus vivendi--on his terms--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 Argentina Brazil before the April revolt Chile Panama British 2 NO FOREIGN DISSEM ·SECRE 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 liberation in Latin American must take a turn to violence He emphasized that violence would be necessary in almost all Latin American countries for there is no other way In an April interview in Algiers Guevara said It is very very very very but very hard to achieve liberation in Latin America by employing peaceful means 6 A number of reliable clandestine sources have provided information on the many facets of Cuba's subversive effort in Latin America The most s er i ou s fo cJILQ f __s_µ b l r J on _ r p _JI a v_a_n -· i it s tr ain1 ng o C oth er_J _ti L - c n § __ th P r ctical __a_rj §_ of gl _ rrilla warfare As many as 1 50 0__r_ec eiv ed such ti -afiifng-··nc-19·62 It is estimated that several huncfred- 4 a •11Ai iM iuk 1f H fW 6¥ tn who traveled to Cuba in 1963 also received such training It has been learned t oa t_' scholarship students who _ 9 JI_l o te iblY t U Y '' gricult 1 n e receiv g_l 1 r i -_i pa_ w rf_a r e _tra _ i 1 1_1 g This instruction ericc mpasses th - s_e and management f - -- communications e 9 uip Jmt the techniques of __milita - 1fil_l_igence including methods of establishing intelligence networks to obtain information from peasants training in a variety of weapons including rifles and small arms which are·readi y available in most Latin American countries trainin in e Q_§Jy_es and training in guerrillatactics including instruction on now to operate indep'endently in the countryside for extended periods of time A_separate training -§9- 10 __ r P-P r tJ _gJ_y__ J i - -- Il1_1 1 Il_i t Y9 th__ JE 2 other L t 1- Amg - -µ __ Q n 1 _ r _i es The school's oney-ear· course is divided between the study of Communist theory and practical training in political agitation and subversive activities Reports from returning trainees confirm that the Cubans are developing extensive files on most Latin American cmfift F £s 2 lf- 3ti j t cP eI'tin n ·•·tq·_dtn r -t i Iifiip g and development of ftg· t 'ler- _§ 1 r l v __ac t l_y_ i ty Det ai 1 ' d--que·ift fi rinaires submitted to @RI IL trainees requested comments on possible air drop zones weather conditions locations of military bases competence of local authorities border and frontier controls and a long list of similar questions obviously designed to build up a body of basic know 1 edge i RWil 3 NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECRET 13-00000 ---5-EERE-T- NO FOREIGN DISSEM 7 Latin Americans returning to their countries after having received training in Cuba often take a round-about route to conceal the fact that they have been in Cuba 411fli8 l i i C They then go through Europe to some other Latin American country from which they enter their own Cuba gives these travelers documents which show no indication that they had been in Cuba Some guerrilla warfare trainees are chosen for intelligence assignments nd are gi v E-§ P - J l _p i_ ng ln cland esf ine c' om - Il1 Sa i-2M - JY _l _p rmi t -th m --to ___ m aint l J l JL q_n tact with Cuba a ter they have _returnefl __ home 8 In addition Latin Americans who receive guerrilla warfare and other types of training in Cuba are encouraged on their return home to pass on what they·have learned Cuba-trained men are known to have been conductingsucli'-trafrifffg i- -• -cos ta Rtc · ··-·panam· c 13 Jt Isfi· G lijiia ··-•- •p·er i affir'el sewhe t • -Tlius·· ··- fiie·castro-·or· 1ented- --· evolutionaryeffort 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 have alleged that Cuba is supplying arms clandestinely to some Central and South American-based extremist groups Only in the case of the arms cache discovered in Venezuela on 1 November however has there been incontrovertible 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 longestablished patterns of arms smuggling between nationals 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 efforts in Latin America is centered on supporting and guiding hemisphere front organizations Havana bas long sought to establish a new hemisphere-wide 4 NO FOREIGN DISSEM -5EERET- 13-00000 -SEER-Ef NO FOREIGN DISSEM labor organization which could serve as a platform for spreading pro-Castro prop ganda among urban labor movements The embryonic Single Center of Latin American Workers CUI'AL which held its constituent congress in Brazil in January 1964 ends Havana's quest This Brazilian congress was such a total failure however that it is doubtful if in the near future Ctn'AL will provide Havana with the type of organization it envisaged Cuba's support for the 9 March Second Latin American Youth Congress LAYC also was well established This conference too ended in near-failure Havana now is attempting to organize another hemisphere solidarity-with-Cuba congress in Montreal Canada in July This proposed congress--which however is beirig officially discouraged by the Canadian government--would be modeled on a similar effort staged in Niteroi Brazil in March 1963 5 NO FOREIGN DISSEM -SECRET- 13-00000 SfCREf NO FOREIGN DISSEM ANNEX Country-by-Country Rundown on Cuban Subversion 1 Argentina Clandestine reporting for the past year confirms that the Cubans are cooperating with small extremist Peronist groups in an attempt to establish a coordinated subversive effort in Argentina E t eme-l ii sni l 8'1Jfl dii J L___ _ ___ •• _ J_on have been in close liaison with Cuban agents aa- i and elsewhere appears to be the principal support agent of a group of Argentine terrorists and left-wing Peronists believed to be directed and supported 'Wl-iffl 1ihffliJ 4€¥411fl f£1 t611iQ • Last January ffl•JA'g 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 warfare 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 S2gundo and is probably in charge of the small guerrilla bands discovered in northern Argentina in March and April One of the FAL rifles fo un d_i n_j le handJLof __ the _guerri_lla os- s_id N e m e v i t -- - c- § 'i o r ij 1 wmn ·eu1 an - r 1 diL · _ · ··__ ____ _ 9 It' • ---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 FOREIGN DISSEM -SEC El- 13-00000 EC-RH NO FOREIGN DISSEM President Juan Lechin Through its embassy in La Paz Cuba reportedly has given Lechin and his supporters some arms and money to aid his bitter struggle with President Paz Este - s _ Cuban 61 er o assa e said t e Cub n 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 i e ti iffi-irj ii -i iD rJftltlMf oxeSOl armlllo e ill el amoo g 'l --1 the volatile Bolivian tin miners who at evolt a an n • r · 't financial 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 offer 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 National Liberation was organized last year with the help of Mauro Garcia then an officer of the Cuban embassy Members of this group were caught in November 1963 attempting to plant bombs at the home of the conimander of the Bolivian Air Force and near the residence of the US Ambassador The Cuban government continues to regard B ix as a staging_at filL r O llL W b i_ Li send 'trifinea subversives__ £ gh Q iQ _g count _r It is possible-·tliat some Cuban support for guerrillas in northern Argentina may have come across the border from near-by Bolivia Bolivia tjJ _Q ll JL l o og heEm a favorite transit X - -f-9 t J I Ql' § t §_ x tur i r ig to Peru after havin recei_y§ £ _g 4 e £ t --Y-' r f re in n ER a In August 196 a Bolivian Communist 7 affy PCB member in north Bolivia led -2- NO FOREIGN DISSEM Si RH- 13-00000 -S-EE-fff NO FOREIGN DISSEM police to an arms cache which was to be used to support guerrilla operations in Peru Bolivian authorities have uncovered and dispersed at least three proC stro guerrilla groups in this area in the past year Brazil Before the overthrow of Pr sident Goulart Cuba was engaged in an ctive subversive effort in Brazil providing funds guerrilla training and propaganda support to Communist and pro-Communist groups Oper ting 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 orotherin-law The former Cuban ambassador privately described Brizola as ha ing the best prospects for starting a Castro-stule revolution in Brazil The ambassador appeared to be favoring him over Juliao from l_ate 1963 until the April overthrow - -- • ' J D to-finance his expanain-g pres and-ra-dYo activities and to bu y-some_ar ms r_oIILhis rlopu¾a Mob-il- lzat on--Front i -_ - · _ • · - •- '----b -- r ·--- lLt -· to _buy arms In additi_on ___ Jl_ y_ s_ua_l ly _____ · - - rll · · ireports-t·ha-t-ahout-10-daysJ Lbef-ore-the-he-ginning-of Goulart's overthrow Havana sent money to Brazil in an effort to bolster the Brizola forces Four - Cuban-cour i er_s_reportedly took the money to Brazill__ _ __ reliable 0 Cuba also maintained 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 sEeREf- 13-00000 SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM had increased to the point where they covered all major cities Rio alone had seven Similar organizations 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 proCuban front groups The constituent congress of the Single Center of Latin American Workers CUTAL -which is planned to replace the moribund Confederation of Latin American Workers CTAL --was held in Brazilia in late January The Brazilian delegation to the Cuban-supported Second Latin American 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 supporting 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 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 dire ct support ------- •--1 -ln1111'il 4 British Guiana The government of Premier Cheddi Jagan is openly pro-Cas_tro Thus Cuban activities in Briti§'li Guiana n contrast to subversive efforts elsewhere in the hemisphere are designed to support rather than to bring down the existing regime -4- NO FOREIGN DISSEM -SEERET 13-00000 -SEERET 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 Communist countries as well as for Cuban funding of Jagan's regime and the PPP hs the Guyana Import Export _LJ i LMEEXL Havana orqer cJ _paymen t 0 · l t - of GIMPEX ffl ' ostensibl for payment of goods accordini 16 -usually 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 he publishing house passes the funds to Janet Jagan for PPP salaries and expenses Georgetown o f f i c i a l s believe Cubantrained 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 endor- E nt by the Guianese sugar industry A senior 1official 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 Georgetown Another source reports some Guianese were receiving guerrilla training in the interior of the country in November 1963 presumably for the llewly-f ormed Guyana Libe 'a t ion ArlJ Y-·---- - ______ r _- - - --- -- - _·- -- -- - ____ ___ l ' --- _-___ 5 - ---- -- - t • · -- ------ I --- --- ---- __ -✓ Chile The Cuban effort in Chile concentrates on support for the presidential campaign of Salvadore Allende Allende is the candidate of the Communistdominated Popular Revolutionary Action Front FRAP and he has a chance of being elected in the September presidential elections Allende has _x isi t d Cub a on S§x_eraLQ £casions __his campaign m al a E w s in Havana in Januarj While there he was promised financ1' al support for Allende's campaign A usually reliable source reports that Che Guevara recently said Watch Chile it will be the next Latin American country to enter our camp -5NO FOREIGN DISSEM -S-EERFr 13-00000 S f-TNo FOREIGN DISSEM A c 1 and est in e _ source ---41-UM t ff • 'reported in February that iii said some 40 Chileans ·would scion lie leaving Cui a·· to return to Chile The sourcesfiia-- fhese·-cnrreansn1ra-1 e·ceive·a·•• po1Tf Cca1 training in Cuba and were returning with funds from the Cuban government for Allende's presidential campaign Chilean police are reported to have identified 400 Chileans who have visited Cuba over the past three ·years as subversivep but we have no evidence of any organized guerrilla training of i hilean groups irl Cuba _ - e -·- '- '-''' 6 Colombia 9 £ J1 a 8 ' Q J2F 2XJ 'c j _ng __ t pJ gp t 9 _s y pye r _ i v _$ in Co ome i JJ ¼ - '1-- § l- The pro-Castro Worker tudent-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 recipients of Cuban funds A fairly reliable source ported 'to evaluate the FLN and its prospects and to pass funds for further activity Cuba has established some contact with bandit s i rl• g·fl · rr -1' @a mtK f o my Cuban propaganda in Some bandit leaders in Cuba but Havana substantial success l t vity or 11 _ the possession of these bandits may have had guerrilla training does not appear to have had so far in directing bandit p' ' i ical end 5_ _ ' - r -Cost Ri The Communist Popular Vanguard Party PVP continues to send members for subversive training in Cuba Some of these militant returnees have -6- NO FOREIGN DISSEM -5-EERE-T 13-00000 --sEeRff NO FOREIGN DISSEM begun training small groups of party members but they appear to have no immediate plans for antigovernment action Ch_Qf ___the___px o Cast_ro a c t i yi t W §_t a ti £ - PJ ea r _ tR y - -11 d iJ E r - 9 against ne_ _ggpq_r-_ i _ng Nicaragua · Cuba-trained r' evolfftionaries based in Costa Rica have on occasion crossed into Nicaragua The police inspector at a town in the Pacific banana zone reported in early February that two unidentified Cubans who traveled from Panama to Costa Rica attempted to stir up Costa Rican banana workers in support of Panamanian charges against the US The Costa Ric Soc1 tx for Friendship with Peoples a small Communist-front·group· aes'i jflf'e·a··· io propagandize on behalf of the Cuban revolution and pro-Castro revolutionary movements in other Latin American countries is an important Havana asset in - 44 _ San Jose • -w - -- - - - - - - - - - - - Dominican Republic The country's two militant p o-Communist organizations the 14th of June Political Group APCJ and the Dominican Popular Movement MPD are faithful 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 quiclt response from Radio Havana suggests however the existence of a communications link with one or more pro-Castro organizations in the country Quick response by Havana to unrest in the Dominican Republic also was reflected during the transit workers strike in early May NO FOREIGN DISSEM -s-EeRE4 13-00000 NO FOREIGN DISSEM 9 Ecuador Since the 11 July 1963 military coup the Ecuadorean government's careful monitoring of anti-government activities has hampered Cuban efforts there When the junta began to exile Com- g1f tannva v J m ni ts_ an p - a ro e · m n - 1 a clandestine sourc-ein late March that e x n 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 Communist Party PCE is reportedly planning a trip to Havana in late May to confer with Castro Echeverria expects to have laicl 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 i l1M 1 %Mfi$S '1 old Other clandestine sources report Cuban aid has been offered to supporters of former president Velasco Ibarra and that aid is being offollowers of former resident Arosemena There has been little evidence of direct Cubansupported 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 a propaganda line which can be echoed in locally published ____ ---Ccmmrnni ublications · - · Cfivana'ii h i's fa ile'ffiftf ii oifEfi Rwe r trEt1n a· silivJ9JlJtift intelligence agent who provides intelligence on j selected targets He was trained in Cuba for a year and a half not only in guerrilla warfare i but in clandestine communications Like many other Cuban agents he is not actually worlting t in Salvador but in a neighboring country from 't which he deals with Salvadoran operations across the border on direct inst uctions from a Cuban · · ' · intelligence office ·'- - - · · -- - -- -· ·---- ·· - -- · · · - __ - · - --- _ - ' -_--U- - - h- -8- NO FOXV IGN DISSEM SECRET ·•• •·' 13-00000 SEeRR- No FOREIGN DISSEM 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 ass· n° 9 3 two cla dmeis - -- 0 x- can an often used by Castro as an agent in Central America saw Yon Sosa in October and is said to have urged him to work more clooely with the Guatemalan Communists Strong anti-Subversive measures by the Peralta Gover nment ha_ve 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· guerriilas are still at large in the mountainous areas of the country They maintain reliable communications and contacts and have the capability to stage damaging raids on carefully chosen targets _ - •· E-• ' l' -t _ · _ ' · __ ' • • •• ••• - -- • _ • _ _ -• · - · - - - •' __ - ' · · · • ' ·• •' ' · _ w __ _ -_ •• - ' --- - ·•_- • C ' • · •· _ • l r· • ' · • 11' '- -i - -- '· At least 64 Guatemalans are known to have ·· · 'traveled to Cuba in 1963 On the basis of clandestine reporting it is estimated that another 50 traveled secretly and that these received training in guerrilla tactics or political indoctrination 2 ' hiiif 'j-•st i ·rr 2 - - - ro Ni · •st-l '-- -- - Ha t 1· f't -1 · - __ J - _ • • • • r 11 ' 1 1 ' _- · • r _ • - · 1 ' tt • 1· Known Cuban activity in Haiti is limited to two daily propaganda broadcasts by Havana Radio -9- NO FOREIGN DISSEM -5EERET I 13-00000 -s-Ee-REfNo FOREIGN DISSEM A F ench-language transmission is aimed at the educated class and a broadcast in Creole is beamed tD the masses The spe ker has been identified as Rene Dcpestre a top-ranlcing Haitian Communist exile in Cuba The content of Depestre's broadcasts is consistently pro-Cuban and anti-Duvalier Some Haitians may have received guerrilla training in Cuba but we have no firm evidence that any such trainees have returned to Haiti The longtime presence of many hundreds of Haitian nationals in eastern Cuba provides Castro with material for sizable infiltrations into Haiti if he should so desire _ ----------- fifr --9ffi1 4- -V ettba--ia2 13 Honduras Much of the pro-Castro activity in Honduras appears to be directed toward support of similar activities in neighboring Nicaragua and Guatemala The country's rugged terrain the absence of an effective internal _security force and the presence of long-est blished routes for smuggling into neighboring countries make Honduras well suited for sch a role ' - Two recen c andestine sources report the Cuban government is dissatisfied with efforts of the Honduran Communist Party to establish an effective guerrilla movement Cuban leaders are said to favor the establishment of a new organization 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 leaders to investigate their readiness for armed action -' - l 'J -8 £ s f a 5 _ t - c l - -- MliZ ' -•i -10- NO FOREIGN DISSEM -sEt- F- 13-00000 ·SECREf NO FOREIGN DISSEM 14 Mexico The Castro regime-has been careful in the past to avoid antagonizing the Mexican government in -view of the importance to Cuba of maintaining its embassy and its civil air connections through Mexico The ·eubans 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 Galan are a case in point Nicaragua Cuban subversive efforts aimed at Nicaragua have been channeled principally through the National Liberation Front FLN a Communist-dominated revolutionary organization Most of this group's guerrilla leaders were trained in Cuba in 1961-62 along with members of various other Nicaraguan revolutionary 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 small organization 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 -11- NO FOREIGN DISSEM SE CRE-f- 13-00000 Pro-Castro and Communist elements moved quickly to exploit 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 in starting 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 campaign Planning quickened after the early November visit of Victor Rico Galan and possibly other Castro agents Some of the approximately 100 Panamanians believed to have received training in Cuba were planning to give guerrilla warfare courses in December and again in May Clandestine reporting also discloses Cuban efforts to influence the outcome of the 10 May 1963 national elections Havana i reliably reported to have provided some funds for campaign assistance to selected deputorial candidates of the Radic l Action Party PAR I ·re_ ··--J a v-- ' · -¥a trt J Q t11 • · ' VAN U a ' 'oNhese were m-em er-s-- -7tn1 tne --gr lip o 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 f ure D l i s ' • t - W E tirCuba-411·· l g682 17 Paraguay Cuban subversive efforts directed against Paraguay continue to be confined to supporting and I a n t United Front for National Liberation FULNA are the most prominent recipients of Cuban aid and -12- NO FOREIGN DISSEM -SEER-ET 13-00000 Sf fl NO FOREIGN DISSEM attentio - -e i• n yt·brough ·tb e--Cuban -embassy • tfN-EiF•• ffl Some FULNA members have received guerrilla training in Cuba A once-weekly pro-Castro broadcast in the Guarani language has been heard in Paraguay since mid-November 1963 · The PCP is said to be keeping two Paraguayans in Cuba permanently to enable the program to continue to be broadcast in Guarani G iRV i Pa-ra-g1 ta - a 111s r-av e½ea bll iit- t96sr 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 militant pro-Castro organization composed of some 1 000 members and 3 500 sympathizers tween 450 and 50 Ml membe r s_ la XE 9 Y d gJ - _l L lng aoroaa most o them in Cuba Police raids in January alia''ifay '·probably' 'upse'F'the MIR' s timetable for initiating anti-government action but th movement 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 guerrilla training 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 is openly pro-Castro and has sent members to Cuba for subversive training Principal FLN leader Salomon Bolo visited Cuba last September Castro-inspired extremists have exploited recurring peasant unrest in Central Peru for the past several months and they have been behind much of the illegal peasant land incursions which have occurred there -13NO FOREIGN DISSEM SECRET 13-00000 19 Uruguay We have no evidence of Cuban support for revolutionary activity directed at subverting the Uruguayan government Uruguay's importance to Havana lies in its value as a place where Cubans and Cuban agents are relatively free to carry on subversive contacts with dissidents from neighboring countries ·particularly Argentines Paraguayans and Braz i 1 i ans • The Cub a n em ba JB Mont e d deo has been paz _ 7 • § 8 M - -' _ r P § _' 1 __ pg g t f o x air tfii il l X o f 4l_ua of travelers wishing to conceal their ultimate destination Uruguay also has been us ef u 1 t o CJJ b 1t- A di j j 9µJ _ _g EQ I t J- J P J l ' • e_ropagagru _iQ A Jih mt 99 1 rtr J • Cuban propaganda is widely disseminated in Uruguay as part of a more subtle policy of building up Castroism among Uruguayan leftists and intellectuals 0 t11J tikM ' ' ' ·-· ·-- · · · -···o av ' w-r 'b d iiiJrir t rav·e1 ed o 'Gi' · _ • U Aprir o 20 W· 1 - _· · · · ·• Venezuela The current level of Cuban activity in Venezuela is considered fairly low International reprecussions stemming fron the unprecedented discovery of the huge Cuban arms cache in Venezuela on 1 November 1963 the failure of the terrorist campaign to disrupt the December national electi9ns and the presently increased capabilities of the Venezuelan military and security forces will probably dampen Cuban activities in Venezuela in the short run There is no reason to believe however 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 signs of stepping up its activities 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 -SEERff- 13-00000 SEE·RPf 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 ime 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 its terrorist activities -15- 13-00000 KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMERICANS TO AND FROM CUBA DURING 1963 'S CR T NATIONALITY January To From February To From Morch To From To 18 27 47 34 12 21 13 14 57 12 4 5 6 0 4 0 37 0 7 4 3 3 5 6 0 2 5 3 2 14 0 5 3 21 5 11 19 22 13 9 6 18 7 10 5 6 25 0 0 24 121 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 7 10 0 0 CHILE 31 44 26 20 13 42 20 8 9 14 3 8 20 22 47 175 COLOMBIA 54 39 7 12 13 9 23 5 7 15 3 7 29 6 14 17 COSTA RICA 9 0 0 29 0 11 0 8 0 3 12 0 0 8 0 5 0 DOM REPUBLIC 0 2 0 0 0 6 2 2 0 2 37 0 8 19 0 11 0 0 0 20 0 20 5 10 4 6 2 0 2 7 0 3 4 4 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 0 4 4 0 3 0 6 0 0 30 18 0 5 15 0 2 0 0 0 0 6 0 3 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 18 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 12 20 0 0 0 11 0 8 0 11 o ·o 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 100 81 22 0 26 38 NICARAGUA 4 7 0 0 0 0 PAN AMA 4 20 0 2 PARAGUAY 2 3 0 4 0 PERU 6 2 2 4 3 URUGUAY 19 19 16 14 8 VENEZUELA 26 9 2 3 354 296 212 150 ARGENTINA BOLIVIA BRAZIL BR GUIANA ECUADOR EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HAITI HONDURAS JAMAICA MEXICO MONTHLY TOTALS April From To Moy From 24 31 0 0 0 To June From To July From 33 0 August To From 0 September To From October To From 5 R J 4 To 1963 From 15 ' 222 126 0 69 40 5 17 2 162 0 0 0 0 219 242 0 0 10 0 26 25 51 9 70 9 54 18 7 355 3I 6 8 14 5 10 4 182 122 4 10 0 47 56 3 3 74 24 0 121 20 0 26 12 0 0 64 23 0 0 0 23 22 7 0 0 50 39 0 0 0 38 6 23 27 49 72 512 530 0 0 12 9 2 34 54 14 42 65 28 34 63 84 36 24 2' 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 0 3 0 15 0 6 0 6 13 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 5 8 5 3 3 5 4 0 2 9 8 8 0 5 12 9 0 17 15 10 16 9 9 8 0 4 4 8 0 22 0 3 124 149 223 88 163 144 73 103 319 47 104 2 3 December To From 9 18 37 November To From 71 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 61 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 9 2 0 0 2 2 33 38 56 6 3 27 0 6 13 158 130 0 37 0 11 10 6 0 3 0 139 35 214 587 64 76 380 69 99 126 132 2430 1863 The peob 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 international architects' congress in October 6 0719 J 13-00000 KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMERICANS TO AND FROM CUBA - JANUARY 1964 NATIONALITY RGENTINA BOLIVIA 3RAZIL BR GUIANA CHILE COLOMBIA COSTA RICA i DOM REP ECUADOR EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HAITI HONDURAS JAMAICA MEXICO NICARAGUA PANAMA PARAGUAY PERU SURINAM TRINIDAD URUGUAY VENEZUELA roTALS JANUARY PURPOSE OF TRIP TO CUBA FROM TO 9 3 1 UNESCO dele ate 2 well-known Communists went to Cuba 1 1 attending preparatory meeting of the Latin American Commu3 nist Youth Congress in Habana 1 will attend a course at the Cuban eauivalent of Soviet Komsomol school 0 0 0 1 14 15 4 0 11 13 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 D 0 87 45 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 5 0 5 0 0 7 0 148 91 0 0 29 December 1963 - not oreviouslv renorted - unknown Returning from Habana celebration 5th anniversary of Cuban Revolution An additional 15 Colombian trtvellers 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 Januarv celebrations 3 to Cuba to attend meeting at Habana at which Venezuelan charge against Cuba was discussed The remainder were sent to Habana for 2 Januarv celebration 1 attended Architects Con ress 5 children 3 adults went from Mexico 13-00000 KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMERICANS TO AND FROM CUBA - JANUARY 1964 NATIONALITY JANUARY PURPOSE OF TRIP TO CUBA FROM 9 3 1 UNESCO dele ate 2 well-known Communists went to Cuba 1 1 attending preparatory meeting of the Latin American Commu3 nist Youth Congress in Habana 1 will attend a course at the Cuban eauivalent of Soviet Komsomol school TO RGENTINA BOLIVIA RAZIL R GUIANA HILE COLOMBIA COSTA RICA i DOM REP ECUADOR EL SALVAOOR UATEMALA AITI ONDURAS JAMAICA EXICO ICARAGUA ANAMA PARAGUAY PERU SURINAM 'RINIDAD RUGUAY · 1 ENEZUELA IT'OTALS 0 0 0 1 14 15 4 0 11 13 0 8 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 87 0 1 0 1 0 45 0 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 7 5 0 148 91 5 29 December 1963 - not oreviouslv renorted - unknown Returning from Habana celebration 5th anniversary of Cuban Revolution 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 Januarv celebrations 3 to Cuba to attend meeting at Habana at which Venezuelan charge against Cuba was discussed The remainder were sent to Habana for 2 Januarv celebration 1 attended Architects Con ress 5· children 3 adults went from Mexico I 13-00000 KNOWN TRAVEL OF LATIN AMERICANS TO AND FROM CUBA - MARCH-APRIL 1964 NATIONALITY MARCH-APRIL TO FROM ARGENTINA 11 BOLIVIA BRAZIL BR GUIANA CHILE 8 0 2 14 10 2 0 2 SI PURPOSE OF TRIP TO CUBA 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 3- Attending May Day Celebration 4- Labor leaders attending May Day Ceieoration 16- Returning are members of delegation fr0m School of Economy of University of Chile ft COLOMBIA COSTA RICA 7 0 3 s DOM REP ECUADOR EL SALVADOR 1 5 7 2 3 8 GUATEMALA HAITI HONDURAS JAMAICA MEXICO NICARAGUA PANAMA PARAGUAY PERU SUR IfilM TRINIDAD URUGUAY VENEZUELA T O T A L S 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 1 14 32 2 2 0 9 u 0 u 0 0 0 14 17 130 11 u 121 1- En route to ast Germany 2- In attempt to obtain rele s of Teodoro Picado Lara 4- Returning from 26th July Celebration 2- Attending May Day Celebrations 8-Returning from military training in Cuba 3- Attending May Day Celebrations 3- Returnees members of Vanguard of National Action I