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2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Meeting with AMBANG-1
2 August 1963
1. I met with AMBANG-1 on 27 July 1963 in Miami.
The following is a resume of the business transacted at that
meeting.
a. Request for High Explosives
AMBANG-1 stated that in view of my outline
of strategic targets inside Cuba during our last meeting which
took place in Washington on 21 June 1963, he had decided to
attempt a sabotage operation against the Havana power plant.
He informed me that he has a man employed in the power plant
in Havana who is capable of launching this operation. In this
connection AMBANG-] asked if we could make available twenty
pounds of high explosives as well as six to eight thermite grenades.
AMBANG-1 asked if it were possible to have the twenty pounds.
broken into smaller lots. In our further discussion of this subject,
it became apparent that A-1 would be willing to receive the materiel
either in San Juan or inside Cuba, but that he definitely preferred
the latter if this were possible. Like in mast other instances during
our conversation, I advised AMBANG-1 that I would need to discuss
this matter with my superiors but that I could tentatively assure
him of our ability and willingness to furnish the high explosives in
San Juan and possibly inside Cuba. At this point I asked AMBANG-1
if he could foresee the need for materiel of this type inside Cuba.
I told him that I asked this question because if his group were
prepared now or in the near future for meaningful sabotage action
inside Cuba it was conceivable that we could begin the caching of
needed materiel inside Cuba. AMBANG-1 assured me that they
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were in a position to sabotage the electrical plant in Havana. (I
did not ask, neither did he specify which plant.) He did not promise
immediate action, adding that he wanted to assure himsell of the
details of the planned operation and the safety-odds of the man
involved. A-1 then indicated that he would certainly be in a
position to accomplish this mission and others in the future and
would be most grateful for any materiel we could put in place.
I left the matter with him with the understanding that if it were
possible we would proceed with caching the high explosives in
the general area of Havana. He assured me of their capability
to service and retrieve the cache.
b. Request for Contact in Guantanamo
AMBANG-1 asked me if it would be possible for us
to arrange some means for Rogelio Cisneros to visit Guatanamo
and talk to his brother who is an employee of the Naval Base and
another agent of theirs likewise employed there. The reason A-l
gave for the request was that they wished to inform Ramon Cisneros
Diaz of the JURE plans to begin the implementation of their plan
of resistance and overthrow of the Castro Regime. I advised A-l
that whereas I would look into this matter as I could tentatively
tell him that the chances of accomplishing this were remote.
c. AMBANG-1 Political Plans
AMBANG-1 informed me that he was planning at
this time to be in New York on or about 10 August and that following
this trip he intended to go to Santo Domingo and Caracas, In Santo
Domingo he hoped to set up a small base for operations such as a
small house on a farm near the shore which could be used for boat
travel to Cuba. Once he had made such arrangements he intended
to talk to President Juan Bosch telling him of the plan and asking
his acquiescence if not support. AMBANG-1 intends to tell Bosch
that he will not embarrass him and will go about his business in a
secure and professional manner adding that if he should embarrass
Bosch, the latter could disclaim him and A-1 would desist from
any further activity there.
So far as AMBANG-1's trip to Caracas is concerned, that
will be principally devoted to orienting the JURE representation
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in that city. In addition, AMBANG-1 will attempt to see and talk
to Venezuelan Government officials including President Betancourt,
Some time after this trip AMBANG-1 intends to visit
Central America principally Costa Rica and if he can procure a
visa, Mexico. The purpose of all his travel is the raising of funds,
the general tightening of his organization and discussions necessary
to coordinate their efforts.
d. Isolation of Cuba.
AMBANG-1 made it exceedingly clear that the
lifeline to his assets inside Cuba had been severely restricted
when PAA flights were suspended. Nothing could suit AMBANG-1
more than to have these flights resumed. AMBANG-1's obviously
great interest in the resumption of these flights was the most eloquent
statement yet of his belief that he has a network, or that he can
revive a network within Cuba. At least at this stage of JURE
operations, AMBANG-1 does not appear to consider the infiltration
of manpower as necessary.
AMBANG-1 stated that the use of flights from Spain and
Mexico to Cuba was difficult and costly whereas the Miami-Havana
run had been most useful in maintaining contact within Cuba. It
was AMBANG-I's opinion that the resumption of PAA flights would
be an operational boom to JURE and that whereas he could see
Castro making some political capital out of the flights, he believed
that some appropriate statement such as "there is no political
significance but only a humanitarian and compassionate reason for
the reestablishment of this link, " would be sufficient to negate any
political advantage by Castro.
e. AMBANG-1 Phasing Out of his Employment
AMBANG-1 gave me to believe that he is closing shop
and giving up his position with the Corporacion de Renovacion Urbana
Y Viviendas where he is employed as an engineer in charge of building
pre-cast concrete houses. AMBANG-1 stated that during the past
week Governor Munoz Marin gave final authority for the erection
of a plant to produce these houses in Puerto Rica. AMBANG-1 is
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torn with the thought of leaving this project which he believes
will be most successful, and which would assure his livelihood,
but he knows that he must devote himself to the fight against
Castro. It is obvious to me that AMBANG-1 will within the next
two months phase out of this employment to devote full time to
the liberation of Cuba.
f. A JURE Radio Link
AMBANG-1 asked me if I would be able to assist
him in the establishment of a San Juan-Caracas-Miami radio link.
He explained that the JURE has spent a great deal of money on
telephonic communications between these points and were most
anxious to set up a means of radio communication in order to
economize. I guess that AMBANG-1 could tell from my reaction
that I was not too sympathetic to his request for he withdrew it
almost as soon as he had made it. He went on to say that this
was a problem which they could overcome and I presume that he
will seek to establish such radio communications without our
assistance.
g. Aerial Maps of Cuba
AMBANG-1 informed me that the JURE membership
had brought out of Cuba an entire series of maps showing key roads,
bridges, industrial plants, et al, which they had copied by the Aero
Service Corporation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. AMBANG-1
stated that they had received most of these photos from the Aero
Service Corporation but that the 101 were still missing. He gave
me the numbers of those missing and asked if we could procure them.
I have since informed. AMBANG-1 that it would perhaps be best it
he could, or his organization, do this instead but that we would
pay the travel of one of his men, should this prove necessary. ·
Attached, hereto, is a copy of the missing photos in question.
h. JURE Organization and Strength
AMBANG-1 informed me that the membership of the
JURE in San Juan was now at about 500 members and that each
of these individuals makes a weekly contributionto the organization.
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In addition there are large JURE organizations in Caracas, Venezuela
and Dallas, Texas. There are according to AMBANG-1 a total
of thirty delegations in Latin America, the U. S. A. and Europe.
He cited as an example the delegation in San Francisco which had
recently purchased a typewriter through the collection of green
Etamps. He added that Rogelio Cisneros had travelled to San
Francisco some time ago to communicate with that group and to
tighten its organizational activities.
i. AMBANG-1 Asks About ARTIME and the Activities
in Central America
AMBANG-1 raised the question of Manuel ARTIME's
activities in Central America and particularly in Nicaragua. He
stated that any association with Somoza would not help in creating
the mistique and political coloration necessary to inspire revolution
and resistance from the non-Communists elements in Cuba. Whereas,
I had expected AMBANG-1 to go into a long harangue as to the
positive damage that ARTIME's actions with Somoza could cause,
he left the matter at about this point. I agreed that the Somozas did not
have a liberal political reputation throughout Latin America, but
added that whatever Cubans could do from that or any vantage point
against Communism in Cuba would in my estimation be helpful,
while I am sure AMBANG-1 did not agree with me, he did not say
80. In respect to ARTIME and Miro Cardona, whose name entered
into the conversation later, AMBANG-1 took a fairly objective view.
He stated that Miro had arrived in San Juan and that he wished him
the best as he figured he had suffered enough. Insofar as ARTIME
was concerned I gathered that AMBANG- might feel that the associ-
ation with Somoza would not do ARTIME any good in a post-Castro
Cuba. As AMBANG-1 is convinced that a government after Castro
must be of a progressive liberal stripe, ARTIME was not doing
himself any good by identifying himself with the Somozas.
j. A List of Cuban Diplomats
As AMBANG-1 had asked for a list of Cuban Diplo-
mats abroad while we were in Paris, I advised him that such a list
had been prepared and we would make it available to him. In this
connection he asked if we could include the addresses of each of the
Cuban installations. Speaking of diplomats, AM BANG-I wanted to
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know if Ambassador Gustavo Arcos had returned from Prague.
1 informed him that I did not know. AMBANG-1 was most interested
to learn that Franqui's wife and children had actually come out of
Cuba, and indicated that he would intensify his efforts to maintain
contact with Cuban Diplomat Cabrera Infante in Brussels as a
means toward the eventual recruitment of Franquí.
k.
AMBANG-1 Relation with Jorge Volsky
In conjunction with questions regarding propaganda
sent to Cuba, and the JURE's general plans in this field, I asked
A-1 about his relation with Jorge Volsky. A-1 stated that he con-
sidered Volsky to be an extremely able, serious newspaperman.
He added that whereas he saw Volsky frequently on his trips to
Miami, the latter did not work for him. A-1 stated that Volsky's
work was a full-time job which left him little time to do anything
else.
A-1 stated that JURE propaganda was produced by a twelve -
man board.
A-1 added that the JURE expected to shortly introduce a
statement on its position into Cuba.
1.
AMBANG-1 Asks about Two Man Underwater Craft
A-1 asked if I knew anything about a two man type
craft which travels through the water. I presume A-1 was talking
about the "sca-sled." I advised him that I knew little about this
type craft, but in my opinion its usefulness for the type activity
he had in mind was limited. AMBANG-1 would use this craft for.
the final phase of an infiltration effort. A-1 stated that this craft
was being used at the hotel beaches in San Juan as a type of sporting
activity. I will advise him that he could pursue this matter himself
as all knowledge on this subject is publicly available.
m.
AMBANG-1 Trained in Simple Scorch System
A WAVE technician, Culver Ladd, under the name
of Mr. Lane trained A-1 to use a simple scorch system of S/W. A-1
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was given some eighty pills with which he will be able to make
the "ink" used in this system of S/W. A-1 was pleased with the
systera, especially its simplicity. he will use the system to
communicate with his chief delegate in Paris and undoubtedly
other persons in Cuba as well as in the other JURE delegations.
1. AMBANG-1 is Writing an Article for Cuadernos
At the request of German Arcienegas, the famed
Colombian intellectual, A-1 is preparing an article which is to be
published in Cuadernos. The article will deal with the problems
facing Latin America and how they can be resolved. A-1 will be in
select company as Arcienegas has asked a number of prominent
Latin American intellectuals for their views.
0. Communication Between AMBANG-1 and Case
Officer
AMBANG-1 gave me the following addresses at which
he can be reached:
Corporacion de Renovacion
Urbana y Viviendas
PARADA 31
Ponce de Leon,
Hato Rey
Puerto Rico
Telephone No. 723-1671
(NOTE: This is not AMBANG's office or home, but that of a
friend who is always able to reach A-1.)
Also:
Mr. Jaime Mitrani
1260 W. 61 Place
Hialeah, Florida
AMBANG-1 was given the following means of
contacting me:
to me.
Mr. Alfred Fernandez
P. O. Box 1104, Main Post Office
Washington, D. C. Telephone No. 737-8294
AMBANG-1 will use the name "Tony" as a signature in mail
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2.
General Observations
I beleive AMBANG-1 is planning to return to Cuba.
He indicated that he would give the matter serious thought to
even go in, disguised, as a legal traveller if that road were
generally open, i. e., if rather large numbers of travellers were
going in via PAA flights. This line seemed a bit out of character
for A-1, for it seems unrealistic and somewhat remindful of Macaulay's
references to the state of mind that exiles develop. I also detected
what we consider to be a somewhat unrealistic appraisal of the Cuban
situation in A-l's estimate that Castro has considerably less than
40% of the Cuban people with hirm. A-1 may be losing more than a
little touch with Cuban reality.
A-1 remains convinced that he is on the right track in
working for the eventual overthrow of Castro. He is convinced,
however, that two to three years is all the time left for actually
destroying the Castro regime, believing that there will be a favorable
turn in the Cuban economic situation by late 1965. A-1 is likewise
convinced that Castro cannot add to the improvement of Cuba, to
the contrary that so long as the principal decisions are made by
Castro, the general trend will be confusion arising from a failure
to concentrate on specific problems until they are corrected.
AMBANG-1 is likewise convinced that the JURE is building
a political group and general outlook which will have an impact on
Cuba for many years to come. He is especially concerned with the
need to carefully consider cach position of his group in order to
create the lasting impression that JURE knows where it is going
and that its leadership is composed of men who know how to "run"
a country without the false starts, confusion and chaos identified
with the Castro regime.
AMBANG-1 is likewise greatly concerned with the necessity
of not creating an impression inside Cuba that the JURE will return
to mete out "justice." It is essential, A-1 states, to convince the
general populace that the overthrow of Castro will not result in a
bloodbath, rather that the sole aim is to save the revolution that
has been betrayed. He is anxious that the people inside Cuba see
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the JURE as a responsible, intelligent and dispassionate group
which is capable of bringing to Cuba all that the revolution promised.
Distribution:
1 - C/SAS
1 - SAS/Bolten; Hecksher: (Amori_:_:_
1 - Chrono
1- RAY File
Alfonso Rodriguez
SAS/SO