14-00000
104-10265-10118
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
"
SECRET
20 October 1959
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJAOY
Highlights of Tape-Recorded Conversation in Mord Betwoen
Mr. William D. Powley and an Unidentified Cuban during
Period 17-18 October
1. On 20 October the undersigned and Owen Faust of WH/3
Listened to the play-back of a tape, brought to Washington from Mand
and given to Colonel King by Mr. Paley on 19 October, which was a
recording of Mr. Pawley's conversations with two Cubans during the
period 17-18 October. The first conversation was with on widentified
Cuban, bollaved to bo a member of a group of wealthy anti-CASTRO Cubans,
members of which have talked to Mr. Pauley recently about their
plans for sabotage of the coming sugar harvest as reported in UMWA-32
dated 2 October. The second Cuban was AMPACA-1, & Cuban journalist
of operational interest to Station Habana, and a separate mmorandum
is submitted on that conversation.
2. The unidentified Cuban, who had somewhat of an accent and
spoke indistinctly, was difficult to understand. He mentioned a
moeting "with some of our people who came up from Cuba" to disouse
plans. He said his group had been contacted by a representative of
General Jose Eleuterio PEDRAZA, leader of Cuban revolutionary groups
in the Dominican Republic, who wanted to know what action their group ·
bad taken and was told that they had a plan to start sabotage". The
Cuban said the PEDRACA representative said their group (the PEDRAZA
group) had four provinces organised in Cuba, mentioning Comaguey and
Santa Clara, and that they had two provinces yet to be organized —
Habana and Matonsas.
3. The Cuban said his group needed two things -- moral backing
and money; he pointed out that Cubans in Cuba are afraid to start an
underground movement, and there was no way to raise funds, etc. Mr.
Pawley gave him no encouragement on the money angle, saying that even
if there were Americana willing to run the risk of becoming involved
in Cuban revolutionary activities by furnialding money for such a
movement, which he doubted, he felt that at the present time it would
be like "putting money dom a rat-hole" for the following reasons:
(1) there is no unity among the anti-CASTRO groups, and there are at
least 10 that he knows of who are working absolutely independently of
one another; and (2) CASTRO is in control of the country and has the
support of a large number of Cubano, especially the under-privileged.
Mr. Pawley said he felt the Cuban economic situation was worsening
fast and that if it gets bad enough, a large number of Cubana will
turn on CASTRC; but until that time comes it would be dangerous to
try to organise a revolutionary movement.
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201-77378
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4. Mr. Padley oaked the Cuben if his group felt they had moral
support of the U. S. and the Cuben replied that they wented 9. 8.
moral support but whether they had it or not, they felt they were
obliged to carry through with their plans. Mr. Pouley maid bé didn't
know what to tell him would have to think about it and see if 'nny-
thing could be done. Ho said, "having been connected with the U. 8.
Government, I can't get involved in revolutionary movemonta”,
Also
said he would hate to and the Domininan Government got involved,
which might be difficult to avoid with so many Cuban exiles there,
but commented that ho unvierstood "the Dominican Government hasn't
given them a diso".
SECRET
Martha Tharps
WR/III/CARIB