[104-10170-10125.pdf — page 7]
# Latin America ReportOffices : 721 National Press Building, 14th St. N.W. Washington D.C. 20004 Phone: 793-7507Editorial: 301 Langford Building, 121 S. East Street Miami, Fla. 33131 Phone: 373-0631.Editor: Paul D. Bethel Vol. 8. No. 7 - July, 19:## Latins Want U.S. Help in Ousting CastroAt least six Latin countries seem eager to dump the Red tyrant, but are hampered by State's 'non-policy' toward CubaBy PAUL BETHEL> [Figure: Coast Guard Exhibits Arms Taken From Alpha-66. Exiles Say They Were Intercepted In International Waters.]On April 17 (the anniversary of the 1961 Bay of Pigs fiasco) the Cuban exile military organization Alpha-66 landed 13 commandos on the east coast of Cuba. They allegedly were captured, but if so only after Fidel Castro threw an estimated 25,000 troops into the fray. Castro lost several men as well.Then on May 6, Alpha-66 "naval units" sank, in Cuban waters, two of Castro's high-seas fishing trawlers (used, as well, for spying and infiltrating guerrillas into Latin America).These two actions set off a chain of events in Washington that would have done credit to the LBJ and JFK Administrations. With Castro massing his mobs for a circus of protest, the State Department hit the panic button and on May 13 called together representatives of federal law enforcement agencies to figure out ways to protect Castro from further forays of this nature.What really teed-off the State Department was a momentary aberration by Alpha-68 to trade 11 crew members of the fishing vessels for the freedom of survivors of the April 17 landing. They soon thought better of it and sent a telegram to the Red Cross giving the location of the men and asking that they be returned to Cuba.'CIA Invasion'Meanwhile, Castro staged a demonstration in front of the former U.S. Embassy in Havana, which is now being used by the Swiss government. He charged the Swiss, who represent U.S. interests in Cuba, with complicity in what he called a "CIA invasion" by mercenaries.Two Swiss employes were prevented from leaving the embassy for two days. The strategy was to mount Swiss pressure on Washington to crack down on the Cuban exiles. It worked, obviously, and the State Department again danced to a Castro tune.The demonstration was also used to "welcome" the returning fishermen, who were soon to land at the airport in Havana, but the fishermen were late in arriving.They were late due to an unforeseen need to change clothing. When Alpha-66 rescued the crews from the sinking vessels (turned around, Castro would have had them shot as he has ordered the shooting of thousands seeking to leave his island in small boats), they found them literally in rags.Shoes were patched with palm bark: shirts and trousers were in tatters. So, before setting them free, Alpha-68 provided the men with shoes and new cloth-ing. When the men arrived at the airport in Havana, they were divested of the new goodies and forced to don old worn clothing. Some, we are told, protest vehemently.The bearded dictator took the occasion of the "welcome" extended fishermen to announce that the 10-million-ton sugar harvest was a failure. Despite closing down factories, schools and offices and marching the poor out to the fields, the harvest on which Castro had placed "the honor of Revolution" failed to materialize 1952, 350.000 guajiros cut and ground 7.3 million tons in 100 days; Castro had twice that many working and produced about 8.5 million tons in 3 days).Back in Miami, federal agents acting on State Department interpretation of antiquated neutrality laws entered Alpha-66 headquarters. The search warrant alleged that there was evidence that 1) Alpha-66 had launched its attack from U.S. territory; 2) Cubans were![image] 21477