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# CONTINUATION OF DISPATCH## SECRETOSMA-24,212reduced to a very narrow circle and since Cuba was "in" economically it was now necessary to give attention to the political and cultural fields. He later commented on the fact that Cuba is practically unknown in Spain, Chat Caban products are never seen in the local stores and that the view of Cuba of the average Spaniard has come from the exiles. He has continued to discuss the need for advertising Cuban products and considered decorating his office and his home with Cuban items and furnitüre so he could show a little bit of Cuba to his Spanish and foreign contacts. Another consequence of this desire to put Cuba's best foot forward is a certain harshness in dealing with the shortcomings of his colleagues and fellow Cubans outside the mission, calling attention to any deficiencies in their conduct and ways of dealing with the persons they meet. As recently as in a QUDOZE report of 13 July he was complaining that the Cubans seem to have lost the elegant touch in their public functions.3. RUIZ's attitude toward money follows logically from his desire that Cuba's prestige increase and he is quite willing to spend money where it will show. The Embassy's 6 January reception was an expensive affair, the Embassy and Commercial officers take their Spanish contacts to the best restaurants, he and his wife pay 30,000 pesetas (approximately $ 430.00) rent per month for a house deemed suitable to his position and buy new clothes without hesitation for the various diplomatic functions. Before he went on home leave on 6 August 1968, he was encouraging his staff to rent better apartments that would more nearly match their status as diplomats and his wife was looking for a different house for them, one with fewer maintenance headaches and with rooms large enough for small receptions of as many as 40 people. All of this is quite in accord with RUIZ's own bourgoisa tastes, reflected more than any thing else in his great Interest in clothes and in being well dressed. Yet the Cuban mission operates on a slim budget and the salaries are not high. Station Madrid has no information on whether Cuban mission personnel receive a housing allowance but assumes they must as otherwise RUIZ, at least, could never make ends meet. RUIZ earns à gross salary of $681.50 per month and all his living expenses including clothes, food, medical expenses, education for the couple's 5 children and perhaps utilities must come from this sum. RUIZ also expects to be able to invite Cuban officials transiting Madrid and his Spanish and foreign contacts home for lunch or dinner at any time. There is no indication that he receives a representation allowance yet he will allow his wife to charge nothing except the salaries of two maids to the Embassy and she can't economize on food when they are alone because he will go out to a restaurant rather than eat rice and beans. RUIZ is plainly cautious in his dealings with Havana over money, even while wanting to live as well as possible in Madrid. The difference in the couple's manner of living between Havana and Madrid must be striking since RUIZ had a good position in the Ministry of Foreign Commerce prior to becoming Charge d'Affaires and yet his wife told Vera, the Embassy secretary and her closest friend, that she did not have a refrigerator in Cuba and would like to take one back with her if they did not return to Madrid after home leave!