: CONFIDENTIAL ( ) : ee, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Post Office Box 4312 ‘ In Reply, Please Refer to San Juan 21, Puerto Rico Nee May F, 1962 ALL INFORMATION | CORTATIE HEREIN 5 UNG SIFIED | ry DATE BY AOFNIGL SLL. _ ALTANZA TAD sotONAREA MILITAR ANTI-COMUNISTA. (Revolutionary Anti-Communist Military Alliance) ARMA . 17 ” a & 4 at wey INTERNAL SECURITY-CUBA _ On April 24, 1962 SJ T-1, a youthful Cuban exile leader in Puerto Rico and‘a former officer in FIDEL CASTRO's rebel army, advised that he had been contacted the previous day by a friend and a former member of CASTRO's rebel army with whom he had fought in the "Sierra" against the BATISTA Government and who subsequently became a Lieutenant in the rebel foree of HUBERT MATOS, operating in Oriente Province, Cuba, prior to FIDEL CASTRO's assumption of power on January l, 1959. This individual is Lieutenant MACEO, a negro, who along with Captain ALAMO, another former HUBERT MATOS officer, escaped with some other 13 individuals from La Cabana Prison in Havana in early, 1961. All of the 15 individuals who escaped at this time, according to SJ T-l, were members of HUBERT MATOS army. HUBERE“HATOS is a former_rebel leader associated. with. ‘FIDEL CASTRO in joint military action against the BATISTA Governtiént’ prior to January, 1959. MATOS was subsequently imprisoned by FIDEL CASTRO and now is confined on the Isla of Pines, Cuba, Lt; MACEO told SJ T-1.that he needed his assistance in identifying and contacting useful Cuban exiles of reliable reputation who are willing and ready to fight against the CASTRO Government inside Cuba in the near future. MACEO stated that he was Darticuarly i interested in contacting former members of the Cuban-rebel army ty now-residirig in Puerto Rico. CONFIBENEEAL. Docld: 32304590 Page 4
\ RE: ARMA . SJ T-1 stated that he, as an official of the MOVIMIENTO RECUPERACION REVOLUCIOMARIA (Revolutionary ecupevration Movement) (QR) in Puerto Rico, has in the recent past assembled a listing of some 475 youthful Cuban exiles presently living in Fuerto Rico, who had indicated to him that they are reacy to fight in any — manner, at any time, for the liberation of Cuba. His list contains the names of some 40 to 60 former members of the Cuban rebel army. SJ T-l1 advised Lt. MACEOfhat he had to know more about MACEO's plan before he could turn over any list of names to him and, primarily, he had to be personally satisfied that the movement by MACEO's group was just not another Cuban exiles! dream but in reality a true military movement with no political connection and a movement backed 100 per cent by the U. S.. Government. SJ T-1 stated to Lt. MACEO that he feels personally responsible in Puerto Rico to the military use of the men who have volunteered their services to the MRR and he is not going to let them enter into any military action inside Cuba which | has no chance of success from the very beginning; that is, a military action without modern war equipment and supplies which could only be furnished by the U. §. Government. MACEO stated that he was not ab liberty to disclose what backing his group had but indicated that the military plans of his organization called for the use of American M14 rifles and Belgium "FAL" guns. §J T-1 stated that MACEO's reference to the Mi4 rifles indicated to him that the U. S. Government might be backing MACEO's group as such guns are not available to the general public. - MACEO indicated a preference to the use of the Belgium "FAL" guns as these are the same type of equipment presently being used by CASTRO's forces, and if this group could capture some Cuban arms and ammunitions they would be familiar with the "FAL" equipment and could use any captured ammunition. MACEO indicated that his group is becoming active in Tampa, Miami, New York City, and Puerto Rico. ‘The Tampa Docld: 32304590 Page 5 m note needs bee
RE: ARMA MACEO stated that his group has political Cuban exile contacts working for them in Washington, D. C.3 however, no names have been mentioned by MACEO. SJ T-1 surmises that Dr. FELIPEMPAzZos*ROQUE, former Director of the National Bank of Cuba, and presently with the tes Alliance of Progress in Washington, D. C., is the contact man Cehitac in Washington. rs Whomever this unidentified Cuban exile official might be in Washington, he is being dsisted by several other Cubans who are contacting representatives of other Latin American governments in Washington, arranging for military backing and training sites. MACEO has indicated to SJ T-1 that there would be no training sites in either the United States or Puerto Rico. MACEO advised that Lt. NIETO and he were going to visit Colonel BARQUIN at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on Saturday, April 28, 1962, However, SJ T-1 subsequently advised on May 1, 1962 that MACEO and NIETO had not gone to Mayaguez the previous Saturday as planned. , On May 2, 1962 SJ T-1 stated that MACEO and he had gone to Mayaguez late May 1, 1962, but upon arriving at BARQUIN's residence they were informed by one of his assistants at the Caribbean Military Academy that Colonel BARQUIN had left about four days previously for Peru. Reportedly, BARQUIN then plans to travel to Venezuela, then to Nicaragua, and back to Puerto Rico, His contacts in the aforementioned countries are unknown to SJ T-1 as well as his planned date of return. ' MACEO plans to return to Miami, Florida, May 3, 1962. MACEO has indicated to SJ T-1 that he would be in Miami only a few days then was proceeding to some undisclosed training camp outside the United States. (be 4 Si} T-l_gtated that he has referred Lt. MACEO to HIGINIOW(NINO}JADIAZ of the MRR in Miami, to obtain his permission to receive the complete list the MRR has compiled Of the Cubans ready to fight for the liberation of their country. Docld: 32304590 Page 6
. RE: ARMA SJ T-1 advised on May 2, 1962 that he has decided to furnish MACEO with the names of some 40 ex-rebel fighers, now living in Puerto Rico. However, source stated he first has to contact these 40 same individuals to determine if they are interested in joining up with MACEO's group. MACEO furnished SJ T-1 blank personnel data forms to be filled out by those interested in joining his group. These forms bear the caption "ALIANZA REVOLUCIONARIA MILITAR ANTI-COMUNISTA" (ARMA), which SJ T-l1 assumes is the name of MACEO's group, although MACEO has never specifically identified his organization by name. SJ T-1 stated that Lt. SAM and Captain ALAMO, mentioned previously, were in the San Juan area in late March, 1962. While here they stayed with Lt. NIETO. SJ T-1 has heard that they were in contact with Colonel BARQUIN, at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. They also visited La Fortaleza, the Governor's Office in Puerto Rico, but the source did not know whether hey had an interview with Governor LUIS MUNOZ MARIN. On April 23, 1962 Golonel RAMON M, BARQUIN LOPEZ advised that he is presently operating the Caribbean Military Academy near Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He noted that this is a private school for boys from school grades 4th to llth. Colonel BARQUIN noted this school is situated on some 35 acres of land on the site of the former Hotel Rosario, and handles a maximum of 150 students. Colonel BARQUIN stated that recently newspaper accounts appearing in stateside papers allege that he has recently been to South America. BARQUIN noted that this is not true and ot the only place, outside of Puerto Rico, that he has visited in a recent months has been Florida. He made a two-day business trip to Miami, Florida in April, 1962, whe e he met some Cuban. exile friends, particularly IGNACIOMfENDOZA and JOSE MANUEL Fe Cee fA 7KILEAN. Naturally, the Colonel stated their convérsation  ~ eéntered about Cuban matters and the hopes of freeing Cuba of the CASTRO government. BARQUIN-stated that he had discussed his personal 6pinion as to how the Cuban exiles should go about the task of liberating Cuba and the Cuban people. His general plans are 88 follows: 5 DoclId: 32304590 Page