HW 53320 e ® American showed papers from the Consulate in Washington, that he wants to gotto the Soviet Union and be there for a long time with his wife, who is Russian, but the answer has not come from Washington in respect to this problem, and according to this procedure it takes four to five months, but without permission from the Soviet Union they should ask, or better said, they cannot issue a visa there without asking Washington. However, according to this man, he showed a letter indicating he was a member of an organi- zation in favor of Cuba and that the Cubans said that they cannot issue a visa without his having a visa for the Soviet Union, and now he (the Soviet) does not know what to do with him (the American), because they have to wait for an answer from Washington. Silvia DURAN agrees the same problem exists with the Cubans, that the problem with him (the American) is that he does not know anyone in Cuba and therefore'if that is true ‘it will be difficult for him to get a visa for Cuba, be- cause he was thinking of processing his visa (for the Soviet Union) , because he knew it would require waiting a long time for his visa to the Soviet Union while in Cuba, and from there go to the Soviet Union. The Soviet daid the thing is that if his wife right now were in Washington she would re- ceive her visa right now, or permission, from the Soviet Union, to return to her country, she is going to receive her visa in Washington but having this visa, she could communicate “to any place this permission, for example here or any place she could receive it (visa or permission) , but right now they do not have them. Silvia DURAN says certainly and they can- not give a letter either because they do not know if the visa will be approved. The Soviet says he cannot give a letter or recommendation either because he does not know him (the American) and asks to be excused for bothering her. Silvia says that's all right and. many thanks. [Memorandum for Deputy Chief, Operations Staff, dated 2 May 1975, from Raymond ROCCA; Subject: Review of Agency Holdings DoclId: 32389422 Page fF
_ AW 53320 Regarding Photograph éf Unidentified Individual in Mexico City Published by the Warren Commission. ] 28 September 1963 : Silvia DURAN was again visited at the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City by the American seeking a Cuban transit visa. Mrs. DURAN contacted at least two members of the Soviet Embassy and facilitated a direct conversation between one of the So- ‘viets and the American. Conversing in poor Russian, the Am- erican stated that he already had been to the Soviet Consu- late and had left an address. The Soviet official replied that he was aware of that. The American suggested that he had not known his address then, and he had gone to the Cuban Embassy to ask for the address, because they had it. The American then acceded to the Soviet official's invitation to ‘come by and give them the address. | {Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 31 January 1964, from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans ; Subject: Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey OSWALD in Mexico City, 28 September - 3 October 1963. ] 28 September 1963 : At 1151 hours (Mexico time) on Saturday, 28 September 1963., Silvia DURAN calls the USSR Embassy and talks to an unidentified Soviet. She says that in the; Cuban Embassy there if a North American who was at the Soviet Embassy. The Soviet Says wait a minute. Silvia DURAN speaks English with someone - and comments in Spanish that they gave APARICIO telephone number 14-12-99 and to take the punber down - Silvia DURAN then says the American citizen is going to talk with you, i.e., the Soviet. The American first, speaks Russian and the Soviet speaks English. They continue in English. The American talks broken Russian and says I was in your Embassy and spoke to your Consul. Just a minute. A Soviet takes the phone and asks the American in English what does he want. ' The American says please speak Russian. The Russian says what else do you want? The American says I was just now at f i | | ! ! DoclId: 32389422 Page &
HW 53320 Docld: 32389422 Page 93 ® @ - 7 - | | your Embassy and they took my address. The Soviet says I know that. The American, in hardly recognizable Russian, says. I did not know it then. I went to the Cuban Embassy to ask them for my address, because they have it. The Soviet says why don't you come again and leave your address with us, it is not far from the Cuban Embassy. The American says I'll be there wight away. . [Memorandum for Deputy Chief, Operations Staff, dated 2 May 1975, from Raymond G. ROCCA; Subject: Review of Agency Hold- ings Regarding Photograph of Unidentified Individual in Mexico City Published by the Warren Commission. ] 23 November 1963 : Mexico Station suggests to the Ministry of Gobernacion that Silvia DURAN, who is a Mexican employee at the Cuban Embassy and who put. Lee OSWALD on the telephone from the Cu- ban Embassy to talk to the Soviet Embassy on 28 September, be arrested immediately and held incommunicado until she gives all details relating to OSWALD known: to her. [MEXI-7029 (IN ), 23 November 1963.] Z3 November 1963 LIC. Luis ECHEVARRIA informed the Chief of Station at 1800 Mexico time that Silvia DURAN and her| husband had al- ready been arrested. They are presently under interrogation by Gobernacion authorities. The Chief of Station asked ECHEVARRIA to take measures requested in DIR 84916 [see below]. ECHEVARRIA promised to try to keep arrest secret. He definitely promised all information obtained from DURANS. First report should be ready by 2000 Mexico time. Station added that it will not be possible to keep: arrest from her family and from Cuban Embassy very long. | ([MEXI-7037 (IN 67236), 24 November 1963.] ' 23 November 1963 7 : (Date pf dissemination) Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau of Investigation information regarding Silviai DURAN, arrested
HW 53320 o.stl,. @ | | by Mexican authorities before 6:00 p.m. on; 23 November 1963 | for interrogation. [DIR 84950,. 25 November 1963.] 23 November 1963 Headquarters tells Mexico City Station that the arrest of Silvia DURAN is an extremely serious matter which could prejudice United States Government freedom: of action on the entire question of Cuban responsibility. With full regard for Mexican interests, Headquarters requests the Station to ensure that her arrest is kept abselutely secret, that no n information from her is published or leaked, that all such information is cabled to Headquarters, and that the fact of her arrest and her statements are not spread to leftist or disloyal circles in the Mexican Government} [DIR 84916, 23 November 1963.] 23 November 1863 At 1915 hours (Mexico time), the Mexico City Station advised the Legal Attache of Silvia DURAN" § arrest and of Headquarters' desire for secrecy. The Legal Attache had not heard of the arrest although he had talked to Gobernacion ‘contacts several times during the last hour. The Station indicated that &t had also informed the Ambassador. [MEXI-7042 (IN ), 23 November 1963.] 23 November 1963 Silvia DURAN was arrested at home with her husband and members of the family who were having a party. All were taken to jail. Since she had told not only her husband but other members of the family about OSWALD's ‘visits after she ‘read the name and saw his picture on television, she attribu- ted her arrest to a denounciation by a cousin whom she does not like. The Station then indicates that the source of the Mexican Government's knowledge (of her contact with OSWALD) has not been revealed to her. [MEXI-7054 (IN 67378), 24 November 1963.] | Docld:3238942> Page 10
HW 53320 23. November 1963 Silvia DURAN had the impression that, OSWALD had or be- lieved he had made arrangements in Washington whereby in- structions would be sent to the Soviet Embassy in Mexico to issue a Soviet entry visa in a manner which would not require him personally to visit the Soviet Embassy. Failure of his real or imagined instructions to work smoothly caused him to become rude to the Soviets. Her impression was that he was simply a "comrade" who could not live confortably under the rigors of capitalism and wished to return to his spiritual home in the USSR. If OSWALD. talked to anyone else in the Cuban Embassy, she was unaware of it. [MEXI-7054 (IN 67378), 24 November 1963. ] 23 November 1963 According to source, the staff meeting at the Cuban Embassy on 23 November was very short and somber. The general impression was one of shock and disbelief. [MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963. ] Luis ECHEVARRIA told the Chief of Station that Silvia DURAN was completely cooperative and gave a written state- ment attesting to two visits by OSWALD. She could not remem- ber the exact dateg but said it was the latter part of Sep- tember. OSWALD showed her a American passport showing afl: long stay in the USSR. OSWALD said he was'a communist and an admirer of CASTRO. He wanted her help to get a transit visa to Cuba in order to #0 to the USSR. She said she could only arrange transit through Cuba if he already had a Soviet visa. The Soviets told her that they had further checking to do before they could issue a visa. DURAN did not know why he returned to the United States. without a visa. DURAN told Gobernacion that she had recognized OSWALD on the tele- vision on 22 November 1963. The Chief of Station has told the Ambassador of DURAN's arrest and will brief the Legal Attache at 0930, 25 November, DoclId: 32389422 Page i1
HW 53320 '25 November 1963 ® ao - © at a meeting in the Ambassador's office. [MEXI-7046 (IN 67278), 24 November 1963.] 24 November 1963 Luis ECHEVARRIA is aware.of the United States Govern- ment's concern regarding any leaks and has warned Silvia DURAN about talking. He feels, however, that at least the fact of the arrest may well be leaked by other members of her family who were picked up at the same time. The Chief of Station will continue to push the need for secrecy. DURAN and her husband will be released but' will be kept under close surveillance. [MEXI-7054 (IN 67378), 24 November 1963. ] 24 November 1963 Headquarters asks the Mexico Station: (that.when |Lee OSWALD was in Mexico City in late September and early October to get a | Soviet visa and a Cuban transit visa, did he want to travel to Cuba right away, alone, or have his wife join him there | and then leave later? Although it appears, that he was then - | thinking only about a peaceful change of jreésidence:'to the Soviet Union, it is also possible that he was getting docu- mented to make a quick escape after assassinating the Presi- . dent. [DIR 84920, 24 November 1963.] 25 November 1963 Headquarters asks that LITAMIL/9 be ‘queried as to his knowledge regarding Lee OSWALD's contacts with the Cuban and Soviet Embassies:. 4 i [DIR 84926, 25 November 1963.] The Mexico City Station responds thdt LITAMIL/9 was asked this point during the night of 23 November, but he dis- claimed any knowledge of OSWALD's visits. : The Station has instructed him to report any new facts or ‘significant reactions of his associates. [MEXI-7065 (IN 67737), 25 November 1963..] Docld:3238942> Page 12
HW 53320 - 11- , 25 November 1963 '  : (Date of dissemination) Headquarters disseminates information on Silvia DURAN to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. {DIR 84950, 25 November 1963; Subject:. Silvia T. DURAN, ( Mexican Employee of the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City, Con- tact with Lee OSWALD. ] 25 November 1963 Silvia DURAN returned to her office. She seemed quite please with her performance. Her account of the interroga- tion contained little new except that the police had threa- tened her with extradition to the United States to £ace OSWALD. She had no fear of a confrontation with him. [MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963.] | 25 November 1963 | The FBI interviewed Salvador DIAZ Verson (on an. unknown date) in Miami. The latter stated that while he was in Mexi- co City from 20 to 29 November 1963, attending the Congress of the International Federation of Professional Newspaper Organization, he was at the offices of the newspaper Excel - sior on the night of 25 November 1963. There he learned through the Mexican press that the Mexican! Government had arrested one Silvia DURAN; that DURAN allegedly had OSWALD as a guest in her house during his visit to Mexico; that DURAN placed OSWALD in contact with officials of the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City. DIAZ Verson went on to claim that he was told by Dr. DORRELL Navarros, an exiled Cuban news- paperman employed by Excelsior that OSWALD and DURAN on the day following OSWALD's arrival in Mexico City went to a res- taurant called the Caballo Blanco or possibly the Caballo Bayo where they met an official of the Cuban Embassy. DIAZ Verson claimed he knows nothing about OSWALD and the Cuban official leaving the restaurant together in a car. (NB: DIAZ Verson was interviewed by the FBI sometime before 11 January 1964.) : [Memorandum to Mr. Clarence A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires Docld:3238942> Page 153
HW 53320 ad interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark D. ANDERSON, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win- ston M. SCOTT. ] 26 November 1963 Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters a trans- lation of a conversation between Cuban President DORTICOS in Havana and Ambassador Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas in Mexico City at 0924 hours on 26 November 1963. DORTICOS was concerned whether the Mexicans had ques- tioned Silvia DURAN about the passage of money to the "Ameri- can''. The Ambassador responded that she had not been asked about money. [MEXI-7068 (IN ), 26 November 1963.] 4 26 November 1963 The Cuban Government passes a note ‘to the Mexican Am- bassador to Cuba, Gilberto BOSQUES, protesting the action of the Mexican police in questioning an employee of the Cuban Consulate in Mexico€City about OSWALD's reported application for a Cuban transit visa during his visit. In its note, the Cuban Government had charged that its Consulate's employee, Senora Silvia DURAN, had been detained by the police on 23 November, held in prison until midnight, physically mistreated, and subjected to insinutations about alleged "intimate relations" with OSWALD. The Cuban note said that this "illegal" investigation corresponded to the plan of reactionaries in the United States who were using ‘President Kennedy's assassination to promote a war policy on the bases of accusations against Cuba and the Soviet Union. Alleging that the Mexican police actions had disregarded the minimum guarantees owed to employees of a consular office, the Cuban note concluded that the incident had damaged the friendly relations between the two countries. [U. S. Embassy Despatch, Mexico City, dated 2 December 1963, despatch no. illegible.] Docld:32389499 Page 14
26 November 1963 Mexico City Station forwards Ambassador's message for passing to the Secretary of State, Mr. McCONE, and Mr. HOOVER. “In his message, the Ambassador suggested that the Mexi- cans should rearrest and interrogate Silvia Birado de DURAN along the following lines: "a, Confront Silvia DURAN again with Nicaraguan and have Nicaraguan inform her of details of his statement to us. "b. Tell Silvia DURAN that she is the only liv- ing non-Cuban who knows the full story and hence she is in the same position as OSWALD was prior to his assassination; her only chance for sur- vival is to come clean with the whole story and to cooperate completely with the Mexican Govern- ment in return for Mexican Government protection. "ce. She will not in any case be allowed to leave Mexico." The Ambassador asks for immediate instructions on whether "we are authorized to request President LOPEZ Mateos to rearrest and take Silvia DURAN into protective custody. Danger of her disappearance or murder may be immediate and great.” [MEXI-7072 (IN ), 26 November 1963.] 3° 27 November 1963 Headquarters suggests to the Mexico Station that in lieu of arresting Silvia DURAN, she be placed under close surveillance by CIA ov by Mexican authorities. [DIR 85198, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 — ' 3: (date of dissemination) Headquarters disseminates. information obtained from Silvia Tirado de DURAN to the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion. The dissemination is based upon MEXI-7054 (IN 67378) and MEXI-7065 (IN 67737).., [DIR 85222, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 At 1215 hours (Mexico time), Luis ECHEVARRIA, acting Minister of Gobernacion, informed the Chief of Station that Silvia DURAN had been rearrested because she was attempting HW 53320) Bocld:32389422 Page 15
HW 53320 to leave Mexico for Cuba. [MEXI-7101 (IN 69048), 27 November 1963. ] 27 November 1963 — -Headquarters instructs the Mexico Station that, in light of DURAN's second arrest, Mexican authorities should interrogate Silvia DURAN to the extent necessary to clarify outstanding points which have been ‘raised by your cables during the last 48 hours. M&adquarters goes on to say that the Station may provide questions to the Mexican interroga- tors "but we do not want any Americans to confront Silvia DURAN or be in contact with her." [DIR 85318, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 With reference to DIR 85318 (see above entry), Head- quarters tells the Mexico Station that it wants to be cer- tain "that there is no misunderstanding between us, we want to insure that neither Sylvia DURAN nor the Cubans gets the impression that the Americans behind her frearrést.) In other words, we want Mexican authorities to take responsibility for whole affair." [DIR 85371, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 : (Date of dissemination) Headquarters reports Silvia DURAN's second arrest to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Depart- ment, and the White House. Dissemination based upon MEXI-7101 (IN 69048), 27 November 1963. [DIR 85471, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters a trans- lation of a second conversation between President DORTICOS and Ambassador HERNANDEZ Armas which took place at 1839 (Mexico time) on 27 November. DORTICOS appeared to be still concerned whether the Mexicans had threatened Silvia DURAN to force her into making a statement to the effect that the Docld: 32389422 Page 16