Date:06/27/94 Page:1 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY INFORMATION Peleased under the John AGENCY : SSCIA . Kennedy RECORD NUMBER : 157-10004-10118 hesassination Records ; oOllection Act of 1992 RECORDS SERIES : (44 USC 2107 Note). | MEMORANDUM ase#:NW 54653 Date: i 1o-23-2017 AGENCY FILE NUMBER : DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR : FBI FROM : SAC, MIAMI TO : DIRECTOR, FBI | TITLE : MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO DATE : 03/04/64 PAGES : 15 SUBJECTS : ¥MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATIA CRISTIANO CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT INTERNAL SECURITY - CUBA CASTRO ASSASSINATION PLOTS DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION : U RESTRICTIONS : 1B, 2, 4, DONOR REST., REFERRED CURRENT STATUS : X DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/27/94 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : box 377 [R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED HW 54653 DBocld:3220200T Page 1
GSA GEN. HEG. NO. 27 UNITED STATE es a Memorandum - -SSCIBOX# 377+ -~ TO : Director, FBI (97-4110) DATE: 3/4/64 non Miami (97-328) (P) | oo ae Am CIA HAS NO OBJECTION To ot DECLASSIFIGATIC# ANDI IR, (5 super: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO RELEASE CF £29 FEZORMATION H (MDC) ; “ete | a Wied TY PGi i ' \ THIS DOCUMENT, 7798 Y4/o/ - IS - CUBA. ¥o FoR ebofick Age \o oo (00: Mit) | . ig $ vf : f j co? Re Miami letter, with enclosures, 11/22/63. 4 ne jit ; Enclosed are twelve copies of a LHM, dated and ks captioned as above. : me Copies of the LHM are being disseminated to INS; 4 CIA; G-2, Ft. McPherson, Georgia; Coordinator of Cuban Affaix. | es _ Department of State; U. S. Coast Guard; U. S. Customs; U. S. a a3 8 = Asus toms ; Region 2; U. S. Border Patrol; ONT; and OSI, 6th. - wa 8 oka. . District, Robins AFB, Georgia. i * } 4 Ss" : 3 za = se : : or _ . EK i RE Len ee er Te ere oo AE OS Qe : Ny 3 2 ot, LB LK Enclosed LHM is’ being classified Confidential, in~~ a fe ' asmuch as it contains information from CIA which was so clas: Miami will continue to follow and report activities 3 (v~ Oo. captioned organization. “s a 2 - Bureau cncsg Sia) ee 2 - Miami MOM Aree yr Re0-1 77 74 110. Dé Y rr re oy ola ‘lry 4 . oO Hoke 2 bb eo PUNLIL Lule Of dsuu ‘\ 2. Poe ae 2 prsaregey, t PIB fre 1SDKO : Let CEA state ie oe feostmd 46 964 . wt NQ s6urpadso-d by ro wp eno keh Aim reins [eonst eu. Cum F Oy is e IR i mgs BOS : fF REVIEWED BY FBI/JFK he hi Citinm DEC at Be on Avy at a af INFORMATION G GO? ONTALEED a Ea -gHELEASE ANE releke 4 cue eS Raa entnva oe ox RELEASE IN PART HEREIN 7 Gel: OGea pane e/a Ian aoe otubee * [TOTAL DENIAL \ HW 54653 Docld: 32202 Nosiad
UNITED rATES DEPARTMENT OF. JU. ICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION te In Reply, Please Refer to Miami, Florida March 4, 1964 ~ CIA HAS NO OBJECTION DECLASSIFICATION ap DER °CONFEDENDicAds RELEASE GF CYA INFORIV ATION — Ces THIS Sap. ihe Gm A Gy “Fre) RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC); INTERNAL SECURITY - CUBA. On November 20, 1963, MM T-1, another Government agency which conducts intelligence investigations, advised that the following information had been received from a member of a group of Cuban emigres trained in the techniques _ of information collection, which group has provided useful reports for over two years; Loo pa Noveaber 2, 1963, a meeting was held by the ovimient6 Democrata Cristiano (MDC), during which Laureano “TBatista“Falla made an analysis of the MDC's military poten- ‘tial. Batista concluded that the potential is almost nil, because no ship could move out from the Miami River without encountering problems. In addition, Batista said the MDC does not have sufficient financial resources to move to Central America. Laureano Batista Falla is the military leader OF ep eT Oh. jdtc BEA | ' | On December 16,1963, Laureano Batista Falla, in- = t | | terviewed at MDC headquarters, 173 1732 N. W. 7th ones? advised nner agpantin, wea fos é en oe re a ee NATIONAL SECURITY - INFOR] [Di=t Unauthorized 5p Dis Iosure MATION . a Subject to Criminal Sanctiong a we cd C peeets = . ‘ ‘ Pree es wee wee ce rey in : dpe ve HW 54653 Docld:32202007 Page 3
RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC). that he continues as head of the military section of the MDC, Batista said the MDC was organized as a politi- cal party in 1959, and is still a political party, although it does have an action group. The MDC would like to separate itself from this action, or military group. Batista is in- _ terested in forming a unity organization with the action and military groups of the different anti-Castro organiza- tions. Batista said he had been negotiating military ac- tion unity with the Comandos-L organization, but this unity never materialized. The early negotiations between the two organizations were to establish a mutual exchange of intelli- gence and military equipment. Batista would have liked to have seen this unity develop into a unity of all action groups, with each individual group discontinuing its former iden- tity. Batista said that although he disagrees with Manuel Ray, head of the anti-Castro organization Junta Revolucion- aria Cubana (JURE), he would work with JURE, and thinks Ray operates a very efficient organization. Batista said that every six months the members and Executive Committee of the MDC hold a conference during which DoclId: 3227027007 Page 4 yp Peer 0 Me 5 OT AE LF aE A EOD a OIL NSEC te te ter i
Ca HW 54653 SSCIBOX# 579, RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) . they set forth the current problems facing Cuban exiles in the United States, and debate the possible solutions. From these debates, MDC policy evolves. This policy is then printed in a booklet entitled, "Our Position." This policy covers the social, military and economic plans of the organization. The officers and Executive Committee of the MDC are under obligation to follow this policy for a six- month period, at which time another congress is held. . At the following congress, the policies are changed or revised, depending on current conditions af- fecting Cuban exiles. - On January 13, 1964, Detective Henry Suarez, New York City Police Department, advised he interviewed GaspamVilato, Jr., on January 9, 1964, and Vilato furn- ished the following information: Vilato stated he was born in Camaguey, Cuba, and entered the United States in January; 1962, at Miami, Flor+. ida. He previously resided in Miami, Florida, and is a member of the Movimiento Democrata Cristiano. Vilato said that Victo®-PanequeBatista, commonly known as Comandante Lego, is connected with the MDC, and frequently travels "to ‘New York City from Miami in order to pick up money, 7 ENERO Se ERIE enya cape we ee cary 9.2 DoclIda: 32202007 Page 5 Vv ee eee os
HW 54653 RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) . York with this Volkswagon bus. Galnares claimed he did not have any further information concerning Paneque's trip or what he might have brought back to Miami in the bus. Galnares claimed that various members of the MDC use this Volkswagon bus, and it is frequently parked behind thd MDC headquarters. On January 14, 1964, MM T-2, ; Rs advised ersonal friend and MM T-2 advised he knows a girl who lives in the same apartment building as Batista Falla, and had just telephonically contacted this girl. MM T-2 said he was told by the girl that Batista left Miami on January 8, 1964, and would be gone for about two weeks. The girl did not know where Batista had gone, but did not indicate he went to Cuba or left the United States. On January 14, 1964, Mr. Stanley Schachter, U.S. Customs Agent, Miami, advised that in September, 1962, U. S. Customs Agents in Miami, Florida, confiscated a cache of arms belonging to Batista Falla and Victor Paneque, at Paneque's residence. Mr. Schachter advised U. S. Customs was inter- ested in the present whereabouts of Batista Falla, and at that time was attempting to locate hin. -S- DoclIda: 322702007 Page f
HW 54653 RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC). On January 14, 1964, MM T-2 advised that Batista Falla's parents reside in New York City, and that he fre- quently contacts them at their residence, 910 - Sth Avenue, New York City, when he, Batista, is in New York. On January 22, 1964, JoseMestre, 910 - 5th Ave- _ nue, New York, New York, advised he had not seen Batista Falla in several weeks, and had no knowledge as to the present whereabouts of Batista. Mestre said he was positive Batista was not in New York City, and that Mr..and Mrs. Agustin-Batista q he reside in the same apartment building, and at the present .-~ time were in Miami, Florida, and had no knowledge of the present whereabouts of their son, Laureano Batista, Mestre continued that Laureano does not mention anything to his family about his activities, and his — family is concerned about his safety and hope Laureano will get out of the military activities in which he is | engaged. Mestre stated he usually contacts Adela De La 4 1 "~vampa, who is very close to Laureano, and the last contact _-- with De La Campa was about a week previously, at which time She said she did not know Laureano's whereabouts, but that he would return to Miami in about fifteen days from then ~,. On January 27, 1964, MM T-2 advised he had as- certained from a friend of Batista Falla that Batista , Le ee gre DoclId: 3227027007 Page & ' . cy achat acl Re EINE Lith Saacacap ial SES SAL ela aD SoA ER PAAR ne PO  ner ah aeen arte
SSCI BOX # 377- RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC) . left Miami on January 7, 1964, for Oriente Province, Cuba, on a Sigma-type fishing boat, with another small, fast boat accompanying it. About seven or eight persons went on this mission. Photographic equipment, medicine, and a few small arms were taken. The purpose of the mission was to infiltrate several people into Cuba. As of January 27, 1964, Batista was three days overdue in returning to Miami. On January 27, 1964, Mr. Schachter, U. Ss. Customs — Agency, advised that about five days previously, a U. Ss. Coast Guard airplane spotted a Sigma-type boat near Racoon Cay, Bahamas, which cay is about fifty miles off the north shore of Cuba. It was believed that this Sigma-type fishing boat was identical with the one owned by Laureano Batista Falla. -The U. S. Boast Guard notified British authori- ties who dispatched a British frigate to intercept the Sigma-type fishing boat. It was believed that if the British did not arrest and detain the occupants of the boat, the U. S. Coast Guard would bring it and its occupants back to Miami. . On February 3, 1964, local police, Miami, Florida, located the Sigma-type fishing boat at Crandon Marina, . Miami, Florida, and noted the boat was abandoned, but contained 1 ie HW 54653 DBoclId:32202007 Page 9
RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC). a note stating that the crew had gone for spare parts to make repairs on the boat. On February 3, 1964, Mr. Schachter advised that | two crew members had returned to the boat, had been de- tained by U. S. Customs authorities who confiscated the boat. 11 j. ( room : re i } : Ye ; On February 3, 1964, Fidel Alberto: ‘zaldivar Farinas, 1567 S. W. 4th Street, Apartment 3, Miami, Florida, - idvised he is a member of the MDC, a student by occupation, and operates "Sigma X," a thirty foot fishing boat owned by Laureano Batista Falla. Zaldivar said he used the boat periodically. for commercial fishing, and had returned to Miami on the boat at about 1 A.M. on February 3, 1964. Zaldivar stated he, along with Laureano Batista Falla, Angel Wega, Emerito Ruiz, Leovino-tnmteran and i Enriqué—infante, left on the “Sioma X" boat from the or - Miami River, Miami, on January 8, 1964, at about 1l P.M. / They subsequently arrived at Nurse Cay, Bahamas, and waited there for nine days. They were waiting for Cuban refugees who were supposed to flee Cuba’ and be taken back to the United States on the!Sigma X." After nine days at Nurse Cay, the "Sigma X" was running low on fresh ene en ee 1 eR SE ere 9 SA A RE tea tere SEN RG Se AONNSIG AER ¢ = ee AERO mere = reer te SE: a Faia Z - te: HW 54653 DBoclId:322027007 Page 10
pesere- HW 54653 RE: MOVIMIENTO DEMOCRATA CRISTIANO (MDC). water and food. In addition, difficulties had developed . with the motor's fuel pump. “Sigma X," with the above occu- pants, then went to Staniel Cay and remained there for about five days. During this time, Laureano Batista Falla boarded a commercial airplane and flew to Nassau, New Providence, where he Spent two days and then returned to Staniel Cay with a new fuel pump for the boat. The boat then departed Staniel Cay and via northwest Providence . Channel, arrived at Great Isaac Light, and from there returned to Miami, Florida, arriving at about 1 A.M., on February 3, 1964, Zaldivar stated the boat contained no automatic weapons, no guns or any articles of war. The purpose of the mission was to bring refugees back to the United States. These refugees were friends of Enrique Infante. Zaldivar stated the mission was not an MDC operation, as such, and the persons on the boat went together voluntar- ily, rather than at the directions or orders of the MDC, On February 3, 1964, Ener ito~Ruiz~comas, 1177, N. W. 7th Court, Miami, Florida, advised he is a Cuban national who was born in Cuba on January 18, 1921. Ruiz said he is a fisherman by occupation, and is a member of the MDC. ' efi pines d how - wR ae € - DoclIda: 322027007 Page i1