SECRET . (continued) Additional liaison contacts included Castellanos; Juan . Adler De La Torre, a) of Ray's MRP; and Dr. Maria Luisa Bonafonte, ~ friend of Ray's «(Y) u) Among the intividuals listed by the Miami Office who were known to that office and who might return to Cuba and occupy positions of authority was Armando Lora, who, it was stated, might be at least an assistant to “=¥-CB(U) (2432) . , A CIA report dated 4/5/61 indicated that its source had heard from one of his Cuban friends that the MRP was becoming less effective inside Cuba, particularly since Manuel Ray had been in the US. This-. friend, who was familiar with MRP personalities and problems, stated that in his opinion the MRP was degenerating into a pressure group in the US and was becoming a head in the US without a body in Cuba. R24) 97-4524-5 (3) On 4/6/61, Eloy De Castroverde Y Covani (134-9281) was interviewed but it was determined that he had no recent information concerning Cuba or Cuban activities of any intelligence value... It was noted that he was a former business partner of Manuel Ray Rivero when the Hotel Havana Hilton was being built (date not given) He regarded Ray as honest but, if not a communist, at least a very radical leftist. 1) 134-9281-7" (19437) Jose M. Cabézon, president of the delegation in Spain of the FRD, furnished a copy of a report dated 4/11/61 concerning Jose Pardo Liada (100-420896). This report was made available to Cabezon by Agustin Parradas Sicilia who interviewed Pardo under pretext as a newspaperman. A translation from Spanish of the report indicated that prior to his departure from Cuba, he informed friends within and outside of Cuba of his decision to abandon the country and break with Castro. When asked if he had relations with the political sectors in exile, Pardo.stated that personally he maintained cordial relations with Manuel Ray and other exile leaders but politically, none. ¥ 100-420896-12 p. 4 (3) SECRET. hi 45937 DocId:32307127 Page 37 -19-
SECRET An ONI report dated 4/17/61 revealed that during an interview with Jerry DeBerly (134-10158) in Miami, he indicated that he was not favorably impressed with most of the members of the recently established Provisional Council. He declared that Manolo Ray was unquestionably a communist for he had been too close to Fidel, Raoul and Che to be otherwise. He aiso suspected Miro Cardona. According to De Berly, those people who were backed by former Ambassador Bonsal were a "frustrated lot" who formerly aspired to power in Cuba and who currently comprised not a fifth column but a sixth column. (¥’) lr) 134-10158-3 (29) *%Fidel and Raoul Castro; Che Guevara - On 4/25/61, Dr. Pedro De Valerga, a Cuban businessman who traveled between Cuba and the US (protect identity), advised that Manuel Ray should not be included as part of a Cuban Government because he was a Socialist in his thinking and policy. He stated that Ray obviously had convinced someone in authority that he had a much larger following in the underground than he actually had. fia3-1-210-269] \(u) On 4/26/61, Horacio Aguirre, Vice President and Director of | the "Diario Las Americas," a Miami daily Spanish language newspaper, advised that he had recently received for publication in that newspaper an article from Aureliano Sanchez Arango, who was actively involved ip counterrevolutionary matters against Fidel Castro. This article was highly critical of the RC of which Manuel Ray was a member. Aguirre refused to publish the article inasmuch as he felt it would serve no useful purpose as far as the US Government or counterrevolutionary efforts were concerned. 64-45716-225 p. 2 (ay Nps REVIEWED BY SSHJFK TASK FORCE ON b13 97 fl AT RELEASE IN FULL RELEASE iN PART C) TOTAL DENIAL / brh -20- SECRET \ HW 45937 DocId:32307127 Page 38 Ne
SECRET (continued) . Ray also advised that Rogelio Cisneros, who was the chief of clandestine activity of the MRP in Cuba and who was currently in Miami, would be able to furnish additional information concerning Murillo. °: 105-95804-7 p. 2 (11) 17 P On 5/2/61, Dr. Ruben De Leon Garcia, Miami, Coordinator of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Cuba in Exile (2-1707) furnished a report in Spanish which set forth four separate groups of exiled Cuban military personnel. Comprising one group were officers who wished to keep the rank as leaders but who considered themselves as separate from the other groups. Among those listed in this group was Colonel Ramon Barquin Lopez and Lieutenant Colonels Manuel Varela Castro and Jose E. Monteagudo Fleitas. All were involved politically with Manuel Ray, head of the MRP, which was considered a left-wing anti- Castro organization by Dr. De Leon./:; Translation of report set out 2-1707-3 p. 12- (1))~" On 5/4/61, Emilio Guede Fernandez (105-94082), 1220 W. 60th Terrace, Hialeah, Fia., advised that he departed from Havana, Cuba, on 8/31/60 for Madrid, Spain, where he remained until 12/18/60. He indicated that prior to leaving Cuba, he had become increasingly sympathetic with the anti-Castro underground movement headed by Manuel Ray. He continued that while in Madrid he communicated with Ray in Miami and expressed a desire to do something to assist the MRP. He subsequently was invited by Ray to come to Miami as he felt he could use him in connection with anti-Castro propaganda. Guede went to Miami on 12/18/60. On 5/9/61, Rigoberto Castellanos, PSI (protect identity), a “cuban exile who was closely acquainted with Ray and who had knowledge of the activities of persons associated with him, advised that Guede joined the MRP after turning against Fidel Castro. According to source, Guede lived a short distance from Ray in Hialeah, «i: Add. info. according to the "Miami News," 3/23/60. 105-94082- - 1,3- 19304 5 p. 1,3-5,7 -22- : ; SECReT HW 45937 DocId:32307127 Page 39
The State Department advised that on 8/22/61, Dr. Carlos Prio Socorras (109-430), former President of Cuba currently living in the US, met with a group of exiles, members of the Association of Cuban Industrialists and Businessmen, in Mexico. During the course of the meeting, Dr. Prio spoke harshly about Dr. Miro Cardona but highly praised Manuel "Tony" Varona and Manolo Ray. He stated that the US was’ keeping Cardona as head of the CRC because he, unlike the other —. two, had refrained from criticizing the US over the invasion eaasco (a) . c ke 109-430-2409 DECnss PEF DOS paz (28)/7 heya lei DD 1-6-99 $b] sh 543-4 “) A Newark report dated 8/22/61 revealed that coor de HOEK (105-63729) had told numerous individuals on Long Beach Island the ‘following: Damon was a close friend of Manuel Rey, whom he described as the leader of the anti-Castro forces in the US. Rey had made Damon a colonel in the army that was attempting the overthrow of Castro. Rey was currently in Miami and had commissioned Damon to purchase motors for PT boats. Damon found motors he could obtain for $400. He intended to charge Rey $750 plus $150 transportation charges. Damon stated that he made frequent trips to Cuba from Miami, presumably in PT boats. He would smuggle people out of Cuba for a fee but would not allow them to take anything on board for fear of their concealing a bomb. Damon further stated that he could obtain any type of weapon in’ the Miami area presumably from an arms cache belonging to Rey. (Source not clear) ~~ SECRET 105-63729-14 p. 1,5 (46) On 8/29/61, Carlos Francisco Arazoza Forcade (134-10688) advised that many people had broken with Fidel Castro who were originally allied with him not because Castro failed them but because they failed Castro. One such individual was Manolo Ray, who was currently Coordinator of the MRP in the US. Arazozo stated that Ray was Minister of Public Works under Castro for a time and that Ray's brother also had a good position in the Castro regime but was caught mishandling funds and was either shot or committed suicide. Ray believed in many things that Castro did, including state ownership of principal industries. Arazoza continued that he, Ray, was organizing a movement in the US against Castro and that Dr. Ricardo la Flor and Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez Fraga, physicians at the Thomason General Hospital in El Paso, were Ray's adherents although they were anti- Castro.’ |: 134-10688-1 p. 7 (49/29) /” Pv a 45937 DocId:32307127 Page 40