(404-10180-10066 eose TNT Blancos oN ‘ curing hig university days. vo e, wie is now Rat's vecretary for Stolent Youth, wag a well anowr, sutan studen® leader, “be wig ists te denvw the Mrat president of the FEY after castro care to powers As a atudent leader tn 169} PUENTE vas elected rresident of the Hava “niversity Student Union. At tnat time he and his brother, doberte fot into trouvle with Batista, so in 1955, when Batista closed the university, PUINTE continued to conspire against Batista and eventually had to epcape to Venesuela in orde> to. save his neck. 'e subsequently cane t the U, S, In 63 he left the US end found his way into the EgcanPray mountains where he joined anti-Uatista forces, not necessarily Castro forces, for there were rany 2 anti-Batista gro.ps in the mountain at that time, He did, however, join Castro forees as the campaign eee neared its climax. : returned After the successful revoit, FUUNTE 2am te Nava Univergity to continue his law studies. He was elected the FYU cresident in a close eiection apainst studenis backed by Castro. After graduation PUENTE worked with INIT, a Cuban Tourist Commission, but in late 1952 he becane convinced that the Castro moverent was "not for him* and scon bezan t. conspire apainst Castros Ta early 1960 FLNTE went underpround and reportedly stayed sub rosa -.ntil the Bay of cigs invasion ag which tine he came out to assist an the uordsing, dowdver, in the ens:ing qaeiteyg roundup of oprosition rre:ps, Jose anc Als brother, Roterto, were caught ond imprisoned, Aeeerdinmg to PONTE, he tried to escare twice and was caipht both these _after mercly nine menths in . risen, Jose and his orether, actert: ,ave releiged by vastro as the res.it of direct intervention oy “celna cin, eepucy to tie .asumainian va icsnal .ssembl, anc . extracri.arily proevastro, wie was awrreacied bv A.ente's3 rotaer ia Forum ot: a. ealed to sir, to try to ,et her cong frees. in Mirch “ ° Lst>, @@B cn boys vere releaseu am re or occ.. cet ced fe with 270 f5 Sansa, tt ig a tmown pact tt flere) TUN ey ano ert a. e. ] eB it aera o-e ts ae o Jose’s.¢3 GB oworsiry for ware. TNT Dy te, wef, atl § =< co lwes co Garsaml. a alte. 7Y / Ve an Lo; es ¢ :
14-00000 e Comments: One could probably and rerhars properly INFER that Jose is ae Castro agent, bus aside from the episode dealing with his release y) gt the behest of Thelma King, and the report that he carried with hin after his release fron prison, 150 scholarships/ which arpecrg to have some sicnificance, there is no conclusive evidence pointing toward Jose's involvenent,im fast or present, with Castro's security apparat. , ___There is, however, considerably nore evidence that he is not an agent of Castros, For examples 4. He nas fought against Castro and was ixprigoned by hin. - 2. ast hte has recortedly denounced Thelma King openly. 3e trent Hye does not get along with his brother Jorge, who is tied in with Pinlero. h. He has broadcasted anti-Castro and anti-Batista propaganda fran Radio CIENMIL, a panananian station. Se Sabet ne, ia “Intl-Castro, Anti-Communist and pro- democratic and that his actions, according to Jose, since 1953 should speax for thenselves, including his actions and propaganda wor against Castro since his arrival in the United St-tes, I don't b-Lieve I'm that naive to think that Jogels actions to date coula not be part of a pre-arranged plan, but the evidence availahle points in the other direction. I do surpest E88 t<o possible alternatives, the first of which I prefer: 1. Apprise Ray of this infornmaticen and let him determine Puentels bona fides; caution him to be ciscreet with his future plars ane avoid telling FIT .TE ~ 2. tet us determine PLTiTo's boan fides by reetracing, including sureqw checks and 22/7 files, Determine his relationship with Jorge in oma and atters to astertain wiether ne is ara riausable corresponding with vin. If uesirec fre coula gem begin a rail intercert. In lin: with your tho-gate re net being an intell unit for 2, i pranerxthea supp est cae Scorer rroposai. de