AAR A 
Paws 
SUMMA IN 
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OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE 
COPY NO. 
OC! NO. 0275/61 | 
43 Aprit 1961 
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
7 APR 19/6 
date 
ARCHIVAL 
PT RASE RETURN TO 
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY 
Cuba and Hungary signed a 
five-year trade agreement on 5 
April, and on the following day 
the Cuban cultural delegation 
now touring bloc countries 
Signed a cultural agreement for. 
1961 with Poland, 
The latter 
pact provides for an excharge. 
of teachers, artists, and exhi- 
bitions, and for radio and tele- 
vision cooperation, 
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. 
There are new press rumors 
of » Khrushchev-Cast.o meeting 
before the end of the year, 
possibly in Cuba, Khrushchev 
accepted an invitation to visit 
Cuba which was proffered last 
June and renewed at the UN last 
September, 
Soviet sources said 
in October that Khrushchev was > 
planning to visit Cuba sometime 
during 1961, probably following 
a Castro visit to Moscow, 
The 
present report is attributed by 
Mexican press sources to the . 
Soviet ambassndor 
in Cuba, who 
recently returned to Havana 
following a trip to Mexico, 
The press reported on 6 
April that many Communist tech-~ 
nicians were leaving Cuba be- 
cause of disgust with the in- 
efficiency of the Castro govern-~ 
ment, 
Groups of Czech aviation 
instructors and bank advisers 
‘were also reported to have re-~ 
turned home recently, 
Passen- 
ger manifests of the new Havana- 
Prague route 
to Cubana Airlines, 
however, do not show any note- 
worthy change in either east- 
ward of westward movement 
of 
CUBA 
bloc personnel through 
March, 
Anti-Castro Activiiy 
The pace of anti-Castro 
activity both inside Cuba and 
among Cuban exiles is mounting, 
and sabotage efforts against 
Cuban industrial and commercial 
installations are being stepped 
up. 
Insurgent bands are ac- 
tively engaging Castro's forces 
in several Cuban provinces, 
> 
Skirmishes between govern- 
ment forces and insurgents in 
eastern Oriente Province are 
continuing to occur, although 
Raul Castro asserted on 6 April 
' that government army and mili- 
tia troops had liquidated the © 
centers of resistance there, 
According to information reach- 
. 
ing the US Naval Base at Guan- 
tanamo Bay, the sovernment's 
saturation of the area with 
militia forees is forcing sone 
of the ill-equipped anti-Castro 
guerrilla bands in the area 
to disband, 
After seven months, 
guer~-_ 
rillas are still active in 
the Sierra Escambray region 
Of Las Villas Province, 
al-~ 
though government courter- 
action and shortages of sup- 
plies have considerably re- 
duced their numbers and mo- 
bility to the point where re- 
sistance may not be continued 
much longer, 
\SEC 
WEEKLY REVIEW 
Tazo 7 of 
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13 Apr 61
Economic Difficulties 
The increasing freyuency 
with which Czastro and other 
government leaders attempt in 
their speeches 
to minimize pres- 
ent material shortages’ under- 
lines the regime's mounting con- 
cern with economic difficulties, 
On 6 April President Dorticos 
referred to the responsibility | 
of "aggressive imperialism" for 
"minor shortages" in Cuba, and 
Castro conceded on 8 April that 
"some things, it is true, are 
lacking, but only luxury items 
used by the minority." 
Later 
in the same speech Castro said 
his regime was "ready to ration 
articles so the people will not 
have to suffer," 
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A recent reliable report 
stated that the Cuban Bank of 
Foreign Commerce instructed all 
of its commercial attachés.abmad 
to attempt to purchase a nunber 
of critical parts for electrical, 
industrial, and couwmunications 
facilities, The majority of the 
parts being sought were former-~ 
ly supplied by American compa- 
nies, the report said, 
An un- 
tested Cuban source also renort- 
ed on 5 April that the Castro 
government plans to announce 
before the end of April that it 
will recall all outstanding peso 
; 
notes and replace them at the 
rate of one new peso for two old, 
The new pesos reportedly will 
be inscribed "People's Republic 
of Cuba," 
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUISIARY 
At the UN 
Cuba has enlisted the sup- 
port of the Afro-Asian bioc in 
its efforts to have the 
_...... 
call 
bilateral discussions 
between Havana and Washington, 
Indonesia 
has 
been 
circu- 
lating a draft resolutica 
along these lines which 
re- 
portedly has the support of 
some Latin Americans, 
. 
To forestall 
the Afro-.. . 
Asian initiative, the 12 Latin 
American countries which have 
diplomatic relations with Cuba 
have agreed 
that 
they 
must 
submit a resolution, 
The. 
Venezuelan UN delegate cone 
siders that the debate on the 
Cuban complaint will be "so 
explosive that he could not 
imagine it being conducted 
without a resoiution,” 
 --. 
The 12 countries have 
drafted a resolution which in 
effect equates 
the 
US 
with 
Cuba, thereby dignifyize 
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Cuban charges. 
It also fails 
to'define the problem 
snecif-~ 
ically as a hemisphere matter 
° 
that should be handled ty the 
Organization of American States, 
The Latin Americans, however, 
have indicated a willingness’ 
to amend it, 
Their initie- 
tive makes it virtually certain 
that the General Assembly will 
issue a resolution in some forn, 
) 
13 Apr ol 
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CENTRAL INTELL 
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
COUNTRY Cuba 
REPORT NO 
, 
2,1, 062 
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DATE OSTA. 
1982 
Reaction to Regine’ s Activities 
NO PAGES 
REFERENCES 
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info. 
To Lb Apr 61 
MACES 
1. 
received the folloving 
in letter in Spanish dated 14 Apr 61 frome 
close relative vho resides in Cuba: 
oS 
econstent persecution and proragenda vhich han: been increased 
for different 
against what the Videclistas call the 
estirres, worms, 
full agreecent with the regire and against persons vho do not celebrate 
and applaud all that is going on and what Fidel states in his now alnoct 
deily speeches vhich have several hairs’ duration each. 
bh, ". 
» The insults to the priests are 80 rany 
£0 evful that I do not 
like to rerest then. 
As an exemple of vhut the regime does, it publisted the 
Shalow of the Sacred Feart Crurch over the eity of Hivana with the clain 
"Havaca Under the Jemiit 
priests, egbirres, who are 
undertaking eriminal acticns en 
rez 
Fecult af 
Yankse prescure end money. 
Brery 
act of exdotag: which carnot be hidden “is 
on the priest 
end the US President. 
Last nicht [13 Apr 61) at 7 
there was 
terrible fire 
at El Encanto. 
The whole building vas in fleces which eculd be seen from all 
‘ 
“2 
over Havana. 
This started a general feeling of 
ani reny of the 
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people were heppy abart the ssbotaza, so the Pitelists 
sot hold of their 
trained brigades end started 
their 
is, ‘Tu 
the wall, etc.’ 
Woll, it- was fantastic. 
The bullding finally collapsed. 
Tolay the excitement has been at its peak and there hes been considarable 
«activity 
the militia. 
Everywhere cre goes he can hear the Fidslistas 
saying, "We mist kill those werms, etc.,! and Revolucidna’s editorial 
points to Kennedy 
the gutity ons act calls hiss crizinal, 
pation. 
through lo:dspcakers in the streets end after the rusic keep 
: 
6. "These also was @ fire e% & 
on Puentes Grandes, Dut, it seens the 
° 
wet. 
tee Are 
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ty 
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T. 
hean @ priest friend who usually rides 
in 
say that each 
time he tock 
ride in one, he wes required to have un argucent. 
He said, 
*Probebly e-ong the publi there ere sare Catholics, but no one dares 
answer, so T baw to defend ce by myself." 
This priest ts one vho dares 
to speak 
vith an answer, 
Others keep qilet just as if they did not heer. 
6, ". . 
. Our main streets are full of mall cuunters 
the Pitelistes 
sell books on 
propaganda about the JSS, Cazznics, etc. 
Alco they write 
up @ lot of laws which they publish ard cell at these places 30 that the 
peorle learn about then, 
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9. 
« » There is @ ley which allows that ore xay carry Jewelry vhich veighs 
lesa than 18 ‘adarmes," adait 32 ‘grmos.' 
If anyone is found vith scme- 
thing heavier then this, the regime sizply confiscates it. 
One is expected 
Se 
to take the rest of his Jevelry to the Natioral Bunk so that if the country 
Bie? 
|e My 
Beeds it, the country will have it at hand. 
At the secu: cauntere are also 
sald photographs, revolutionary insignia , etc., so that our Havane 
sidewalks really heve quite a different expect than they used to have. 
= 
10, 
“Many of our good residential heres which have been teken and are being 
used by Soviets, Chinese, or Czech diplacats or Instructors are 
‘wing fortified; that is, big walls are being raised all around thes 
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ll, "At the present time it is typical to see large qieves 
cutcide the 
ae 
merkets in order to be able to buy things which ere found just now and 
Teter 
we 
ie hy 
then. 
The markets will sell just one iten per person of such things as - 
soap, cleaners, etc. 
At this tine the regine sends cars with laid- 
Speekers vhich say 
not cazmlain of forming lines to tuy. 
It would 
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be worse if you had to form these lines in order to identify the corpses 
> 
of your children cut 
severe). This lack of things is due to'traitors 
AR 
latifundistas, imperialists, etc.’ 
12. 
. » Every day mre necessary food is scarce and the prices go higher, 
At the lerge rarkets one sees a Int of erpty areus and one cannot find 
- 
what ke went to look for, but mist tuy what is available, 
13. 
“In general, lerge quantities af Soviet canned gools stay right there on 
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the shelves becmise people do not my then. 
I cennoct say thet we are hingry, 
but indesd it fs obvia:s that e great need is arising. 
ALL thoce who are 
able to do 6o have a soall stock et heme for bad days eheel ard also 
@ergency water, Becaise it is fcarcd that sabotass uay do away vith 
vuter scre tice. 
This hea been tried elrealy, but it hes been salved. 
Us. “Many people ere taking 
lot of risks these days by Joining the ‘resistance! 
in varied forma, even thousn et 
tires the 
is erresting people whether 
they are guilty or not. 
The Istter are teven to the C-2 
and they say 
the treatment is awful beceuse of the unsanitary conditions; for 
in 
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@ previous two-car 
there ere 20 beds. 
Into this they yut 40 persons. 
Right there in platn sight they have a toilet and a scall stcwer, bit no 
! 
tovels or paper; all these places sve Mill of br 
15. 
"The priscrers are rete to urderso infinite interrogations which lest for 
Be 
hours end are really wental tortures. 
When the prisorers are finally let 
Bed 
RES 
free, 
they 
ere mornlly sick; cthervise the regime starts a new proceeding 
Sig 
we 
egsinst thea ed sents 
to another jall. 
But do not believe that all 
this rakes pecole 
no, they keep on with their 
or new 
ones do. 
It is alrost 
Often under ony pretext representatives af 
: 
the regi: do these tilngs to 
crow of Cathalte yaith, 
— 
16. 
. 
The mut 
ectic: of Fely Week was that instead of raking 
the 
at El 
as in 
yeors, this tine they d:elded to 
haw it in the 
of the city. 
So, Mensignes Boza started it at 
La Parroqils 2: la Caridad and directed it to go in front of the capital. 
Abait 80,000 progle Joined the procession with euttisiacs ard arder. 
The 
a. 
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17. 
4,126,072 
militieen tried to stop the procession, because Vonstgior Boze 
asked for pyernissian tut it had not becn granted. 
But sceing the 
minber of people, the militiac:n scec~d to have bicorw scared and 
let the procession go. 
It vas a vavlerttd profession o: fatth. 
the streets, 
hoses and balconies, people sang or kept quiet and waved 
their handkerchiefo. 
Througiuoit the island there were same probless. 
of different churches. 
For exemple, at Bejucal, the church 
started to act the 
Passicn, 
could not be finishel, 
but there was a fight, shooting, and the show 
"In general, Haly Weck gave testinony of the people's faith; all the etuirehes = 
were cro.ded. 
» » There is an obviois rencvetion of faith. 
youth are stullvine 
Christian sociology since their interest in instruction has been eroised and 
they want to be prepared against lics. 
The warst aspect is the ignorance of 
the people in this etmouphere ¥f evil. 
". » 
» Many Fidelistas have now camenced to say that their religton is 
their om prodlem and that they can be Fidelistas and not atheists, but 
of course the two fields are getting quite clear now in Cuba. 
Either 
Cubans are Catholics with the Church or they ere against it. 
". « 
« X believe many people are renewing their faith now, but it iota 
_ dneredible that so many sincere persons epprove of all that is happsing 
end deny being Communist. 
One who doc: this either dows not know what 
the word means or is @ complete ipmorenus,. 
Here it is prove] that the. 
regine’s propaganda psychologically changes the mentality. 
It fe juste 
weatter of time. 
It isa most necessary to counteract this indoctrination, 
igh 
aoe 
re 
but ve cannot reochn all people. 
That is why it is so terrible and so 
af 
necessary to put an erd to the regime soon. 
Gir poor children and 
not fit for this battle, and even econg adults there are many vho arc 
so terribly ignorent thet they believe the lies, 
Pcally, they do not 
knov what they are doing. 
21. 
. Here there Le cozrecge because shane 1s 
They all belisve 
: 
that what hapyned io 
will not hapren here because we all belleve 
S04 
a 
that there will be outside help since our. problen is rot only ours. 
We 
Just hepe 
does not take wich longer. 
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