180-10145-10316 . ee , MAX LESNICK MENENDEZ SFr 201-209258 RETURN TO Cla, 444NAN Background Use Only } 1116 EQ VOLUME I * Do Not Reprscuce . 6/22/49 - 12/31/73 THIRD AGENCY DOCUMENTS: FBI-- 12/31/73 Miami Max Lesnick, 105-3492 9/27/73 Miami Directorio Revoluc. 105~20202 11/8/73. Miami " " 105-20202 6/26/73 - Miami Orlando Bosch 105-2856 4/26/73 Miami " " " 4/27/73 Miani " " " 9/25/69 Miami Rolando Masferrer Rojas 2-156 10/15/68 Miami ~ Unk. Subj.-Cmte of Cubans 105-16515 for the defense... 1/29/65 Miami ' Second Nat] Front of 105-6243 . Escambray “9/21/61 Miami Max Lesnick 105-3492 hdd ; ‘8 3/30/61. San Antonio Max Lesnick 105~2124 Me 11/23/55 - Carlos Rafael Rodriguez ~ — Rodriguez ee yee STATE DEPARTMENT = > 5 ©. | - ge ue Oo oA 6/22/49 Havana Proposed Cub. Natl Congress #486 of = z for Peace and Democracy aay ong pos mo N & 2) ° a Sf} ba ig =z &N ot gl & FILE: (Ve & of © Synopsis: ied N OO File consists mainly of information from the period 1949-1961, indicating Lesnick has been active in politics for most of his During the fifties he was a prominent leader of adult life. Juventud Ortodoxa, which was considered to have strong leftist leanings. He engaged in propaganda efforts to large extent with | this group and was vocally anti-Batista. By 1959 he was involved with SFNE, a leftist-oriented group which originally backed the In 1961, however, he left for the United Castro-Urrutia government. I States and was keptiin detention for some weeks because of suspected 10195 - |p3/@
3 C3 pry _- z {\ inure LESNICK, page 3 . x ORE] | 11110932 Lesnick: small, stock, sloppy, brash, aggressive, and excitable. Highly partisan and argumentative. Effective public speaker and writer, and a keen, bright. political observer and analyst. Unreliable and not very trustworthy. Does not have political leadership talents. Reported as pro-Communist and as an active Communist propagandist while at the University of Havana. Rumored to originator of Cuba Si, Yankee No slogan, which he denies. Says relationships with Communists stems soley from opposition to Prio and Batista. ‘ -- Doc X ref -{° 019-300-004 urco3s90 | 9/10/63 Lesnick committed himself officially to JURE. Would broadcast weekly on behalf of JURE in Dominican Republic. ~~ INS Name check 1/29/61 Indicates : 5'6", 150 Ibs., brn eyes, brn hair; dark complexion. -- Cable IN 43772 1/2/59 Indicates, Lesnick rear guard of SFNE, of which Menoyo and Fleites, at front. SNFE accepting Castro, Urrutia, urgently seeking contact with Camilio Cienfeugos, coordinate use troops Remainder of file regarding pre-Castro activities. -- Dispatch - [HK -A-4002 ] 10/31/57 Indicates listed os [inkeel farget in 1957. Contact was established with him in about August 1957 as a consequence of his non- immigrnat visa application, and about six meetings ave been held with him since that time, ostnesibly for the purpose of fully clarifying his visa astatus. When and if he obtains visa, PRQ Part .I will be forwarded according to JUNKEEL orcedure. VOLUME IT: THIRD AGENCY DOCUMENTS: FBI-- 11/16/77 Director Cuban Intell. Activities in U.S. 8/6/77 " Wild Stallion, IS-Cuba, Panama 1/1/76 " Anti-castro Activities
LESNICK, Page 4 eEppet 44110923 UT | 9/25/74 Miami Max Lesnick 105-3492 9/20/74 Miami | Union Mundial Anticomunista 105-22159 8/20/74 = Miami Ruben Dario Mascunana Correa 105-21878 7/31/74 Miami Accion Cubana 105-21947 7/29/74 Miami | Oriando Garcia Benitez 105-21901 7/23/74 Miami Union Mundial Anticommunista 105-22159 6/28/74 Miami Max Lesnick 105-3492 6/25/74 Miami "ZERO" 10522094 3/27/74 - Miami | ANti-Castro activities | 105-1742 3/14/74 Miami - Rev. Medical Union; Dr. Hum- 105-71604 berto Luis Fontana Menendez 3/14/74 Miami Accion Cubana 105-21947 2/28/74 Miami Max Lesnick 105-3492 2/20/74 Miami Alfredo Santiago Soler Alva- rez 2/13/74 Miami Directorio Revolucionario 105-20202 2/11/74 Miami Jose Antonio Calatayud 105-21599 ‘Rivero 2/16/74 Orlando Bosch Avila 105-2856 1/15/74 Frente Cubana de Liberacion 105-21892 Synopsis: Indicates Lesnick still inolved with “Replica” from 1963 to present. Known as pro-Castro leftist. Increasingly more involved with known terrorists, scuhas Orlando Bosch, Aldo Vera Serafin, and others, Suspected of being agent for Panamanian government, possibly engaged in anti-US. proganda in the CanalZone. -- Doc X ref - 200-006-495/18  OTR-01686 1/18/78 Attended meeting for purpose of organizing secret anti-Castro group. . -- Cable 936139 012017Z 11/1/76 Traces re: Lesnick--indicates Lesnick involved with Orlando
LESNICK, Page 5 SECRET | 7 SEURES 11110934 Bosch and was involved in and supported a number of Cuban exile Revolutionary groups' terrorist activities/ Lesnick recvd money from Panama (allegdely) in conneciton with narcotics traffic and allegedly was responsible for the arrest in Panama of Gabriel Gregorio Rodriquez, who was suspected of plotting against the Torrijos government in Panama. As of 9/74 Lesnick and Bosch reptdly no longer cooperating because of an argument over money. (Cable also has traces on Aldo Vera Serafin, DPOB 7/28/28, Las Villas, Cuba. Held several positions in Castro govt including that of Chief of Technical investigations Dept, main intelligence organ of Cuban Natl Police. Arr. in U.S 3/13/61. Issued permanent Alien ‘reg. # A 12-486-223 June 1965. In 1972 moved to Puerto Rico. Very active in Cuban exile groups until killed 10/25/76 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Vera involved with Bosch's Accion Cubana. (Siena) had had contact. with Vera on and off since 1964. Considered in 1964. for [sworLoJprogran. Registered with Army ISR for period 1/64-7/64 nd 8/64-4/66, both times dropped without prejudice. -- Message - IN 080362 262132Z Oct 76 Indicates Bosch under arrest in Venezuela with Luis Posada Carriles alias "El Bambi." Bosch traveling on Costa Rican passport and also had Nicaraguan, Domincan and Chilean passports. Bosch's contacts: Manuel Porro in Nicaragua; Orlando Nunez in Costa Rica; Mario Rivadilla in Santo Domingo. Posada — described as ex US Army ranger, who worked for Nenez. DIGEPOL for 8 years and then organized private detective agency which employs over 1000 men. Posada directed all violent actions in Venezuela against the Communists. His alias, “Inspector Basilio" and also "El Caliche’ The recent operation agasint the Cubana plane was:mounted by Posada assisted by Aldo Vera. Bosch's recent trip to Venezuela was an attempt to settle the differences between “Aldo's group" and CORU. Bosch's mission was successful as it appears CORU and Aldo's group will unite. Aldo Vera reportedly in Puerto Rico. . Joe Merola and Rolando Martinez to introduce reporting writer to Arnulfo Arias in Panama. Merola and MArtinez described as having contact with CIA. -~- Message - OM 076237 211217Z Oct 76 Max Lesnick implicated in Cubana Airliner operation. Trace [rs -0179 10/20/62 Planned a shortwave broacdcast of recent Alpha attack from Santo Domingo on 10/12/62 -- Trace [prs o4ea3 | 3/27/64 Believed to be liason between Ray ?
a tae enone Vpf LESNICK, page, 6 Message 570490 031611Z 7/3/74 SECOET | oe ee i eer | 9 = Trace [oroa 17410 AOL_|8/24/64 111109335 Contact of Jorge Volsky 201-209258 REF [ures 12336 ,f 11/3/63 Arr USA Key West, FL, 1/26/61 requesting political asylum. Date of info 11/63 a Message IN 314921 231916Z July 74 Newsarticle indicates Pedro Martinez filing charges against Lesnick, claiming Lesnick threatened him with guns ordering: him “out of Dade County. ' x Lesnick involved in court case in Washington as defense witness. Possibly CUIS agent. possibly unregistered panamanian agent. & Doc Extract [_ |ess24 f6/26/74 Subject of security investigation by FBI. In contact with Ruben Dario Mascunana.