| {a-t012-10138 Fie =o ee ee outline f Ektnn ‘p Central Intelligence Agency wey E has no Objection to neleasy . Date: 2 OBZ Elena Garro de Paz was born of Spanish parents in Biography Puebla, Mexico on December 11, 1917.. Ms. Garro attended the National Autonomous University of Mexico and later did graduate work at Berkley in California and at the University of Paris. In 1963, Elena had long been married to Octavio Paz, a career diplomat who.is also one of Mexico's finest, poets and leading intellectuals. When Octavia was named Mexican Ambassador to India, the couple separated by mutual consent. Elena's daughter, also named Elena, has always resided with her mother. Since Elena spent seventeen years of hex early life in Europe she had a rather un-Mexican objectivity about her native land and had a reputation for being one if its more articulate detractors. At the same time, Elena was considered emotionally committed to many aspects of Mexican life and made an important contribution to its artistic development. “In the 1960's Elena became a significant writer. Hogar Solido, El’ Rey Mago, La Senora en su Balcon, Ventura Allende, Andaise por las Ramas, Parada Empresa, and El Viaje are plays that have had appreciative audiences in Europe, where they were translated into German, as well as in Mexico. Ms. Garro's short stories are collected in a volume called La Semana de Colores. The Literacy Supplement of the London Times has called her novel, Los Recuerdos de Porvenir, “a [OHA lO(Bee
fantasy; in any case, the latter is a second reality-- EJL First. Draft . Page 2. Cre footruee splendid success." Critics have said of her: > "For - Elena Garro, there is no frontier between reality and S perhaps more intense-- to which one may penetrate without passport or forewarning, thanks to the effectiveness OF aie “ye Pee a literature fired with passion, flavor and life. Many “the mas people who knew Elena have asserted that the frontier between reality and fantasy | is also difficult for her to distinguish in real life: Ci “ed ) Ms. Garro, for many years, was an active worker in the Confederacion Nacional Campisina (CNC), the agrarian arm of the Partido Reformista (PRI). Because Ms. Garro was a tireless propagandist and agitator on behalf of the poorer Mexican peasants, she was on close personal terms with and enjoyed the respect of peasant leaders from all over the countrySth) Cid) Elena was considered a witty, urbane and opinionated woman with an unflagging sense of humor. Her forthright opinions and sharp wit tended on occasion to ruffle feathers in Mexico, but her important social, literacy, and political connections rendered her fairly immune from serious counter- attack until 1968. Then, Ms. Garro was forced to flee the country with her daughter, Elenita and her sister, Deba Ze Guerrero de Galvan, in the midst of the Student strikes. HscA Was unsth. “ks ata p~ttare Va ate Why Bie fect
EJL First Draft Page. 3 Before her disappearance from Mexico, Elena was well disposed toward the United States and had been friendly with Embassy officers. Her broad range of signifi- cant personal friends, the views of many important to the American Embassy, made her aCuseful Embassy targe Through- out the early 1960's she was carri = in (= . wut o~ _ American Embassy employees dealing with Elena 7~<<+ LZ believed that, despite her access to the underground happenings Kae in Mexico, inetuding—peasant—unrest, sinee—she-hadya tendency Tee wht she neperntel Lege tly to romanticize” developments in—reperting -on—them fade it difficult at_times—te—determine-what—degree_of_credence . Embassy's Youth Program. you Lh Cc ion. to jn con buen Lar green tL cht Cty,
Jk Yu x! Ve x SS K EJL First Draft of f Page 4 . L. a -livkp tho fory xertrr Sf rc ha KOU 9 On Ch wv, tH0G Chtuwn Logs ee sat Ae . a Elena's Story and American Government _ Agency Follow-up4é vaeety as , CL OS hat by . , Gubr tne, Elena Garro de Paz’ story first came to the American / intelligence agencies' attention on October 5, 1964, eam eleven days after the publication of.the Warren Commission hn avkun trent Hob ar Peta? Plt Oe tne fit fa Siem we deh hie oe a, ot. we. Report. The source of The Blind Memo Was'fa Central. pected Intelligence Agency asset known as | “Yack gua - 94, Entry #430, CIA #721; Blind Memo dated 10/5/64, CIA O4576)] The memo reported that Elena Garro de Paz, her daughter and Deba Garro de Guerrero Galvan discussed meeting Oswald in Mexico in the fall of 1963. The discussion was, reportedly, sparked by the newspaper coverage given the Warren Report. Elena and Deba are the first cousins of Horatio, Ruben and Lynn Duran. Elena, her daughter and Deba were invited to a "twist party" at the home of Ruben Duran. The—party wae- in the oped be ere Beek in the fall of 1963. Lee Harvey Oswald calZ this party in the company of "two other beatnik looking boys." (IBID.) The Americans remained together the whole evening and did not dance. When Elena | ioe tried to talk with them, she was "shifted" to another room.” [ ew 2b ptr eth LAS ne att Hb.) ¢ by ishann ! One of Elena's cousins told her at the time that he (or she) “J dia not know who the Americans were except that Silvia Duran had brought them to the party. The day after the party,Elena’and Deba saw the same three people on the Insurgentes, a main avenue in Mexico City.
PET ereT SHsOt ev i” EJL First Draft Page 5 The Garro's claimed .that they had recognized Oswald's photograph when it was published after the assassination. The arrest of Silvia Duran “underlined their certainty" that the man had been Oswald. (IBID.) Deba added that Lynn and one of the Duran brothers had made trips to Texas. She also said that, even though they were always poor before the assassination, they were both driving expensive new cars. A notation on the memo says that Jnever regained contact with Elena Garro de Paz. (IBID.) at The} emo was not in either the Elena Garro re r : f: bn or Lee Harvey Oswald “p* files but in a project file. It was folnd in December, 1965. See WX 7241, p. 94, CIA #721.) A marginal notation on WX 7241 says, "Why was this not sent y IE Lea Some vie a wrote a memo for the record. (10/12/64 memo, CIA #596; WX~7241, p. 87, CIA #714.) Titts—memo reports that Elena q Garro de Paz has told her story to Eunice 0d iq who-relayed it tof "TI¢p on 10/9/64. La pedk fy > Soe The sté6?Ty™is not as detailed as the 10/5/64 version. There is no mention of Deba Garro Guerrero Galvan. The story, perhaps because it is third hand, differs from the previous story in two areas. Embassy not at Ruben Duran's. The party was at the Cuban Elena talked to a Cuban 2?" ; to Headquarters??" (p. 87, CIA #714. Che jh ees (PST / On 10/12/6 1ef of Covert Action, FN \
EJL First Draft Page 6 - Embassy official not. one of her cousins about the three Americans. un 4 waste fpon Fxbobey —b [rk to A-nete, Attachea to the memo, te the Chief of [ Gdlwur ed ne + Pe wt Station, Winston scott’( ‘Meas, "Do you want | cose me to send the gist of this to Headquarters?." Scott Poo replied "Yes, but we should follow up first." 1) - then wrote: “Nothing further." Scott then noted that 5 te t the memo should be filed. ' The file indications show that . /+ wrthe memo went into the Oswald "P" file and the Elena on py 2zF° "Pp" file. (IBID.) Lud) me Kon ao 4 On 24 November 1964 a CIA informant reported some J information he had learned from ] (Memo frop wd Win Scott to the Files, re: June Cobb, 11/25/64, CIA Nos. je 992-593; WX-7241, p. 88, Entry #404, CIA #715.) June Cobb is an “American Communist" who rents a room from Elena Garro. Elena tolaf Jthat she tried to talk to Robert Kennedy when he was in Mexico because she had met Oswald “and two friends (Cubans)“ at Horacio Duran's house at a party. Elena also said that she had told her story to an American official, at the Embassy, who claimed to represent the Warren.Commission. The COS noted that he had asked the informant to get Neo pursue the story, bet (IBID.), There is no indication that] i pursuea—tne stery: ev Cunplet errs ply Ge
EJL First Draft pts — Loe. Page 7 | jeer C oe Bech Zo 1964 Elena and her daughter met with Mexico City representatives of the Legal Attache's > y rep gee atteke ~ ty he te office. They recounted the same story previously given *~& ay lie tof ] The date of the party was given as September 30, October 1 or October 2, 1963. (FBI 105-825555 Report, Dec. 11, 1964 entitled Lee Harvey Oswald, P.1) The agent who wrote the report noted that the FBI investigation of the John F. Kennedy assassination had established that Lee Harvey Oswald had departed Mexico City by bus at 8:30 a.m. on October 2, 1963. Lee Harvey: Oswald could not have been identical with the American allegedly observed by Mrs. Paz at the party if this party were held on the evening of ad s- at gtede fd Lecavse hkew-e id act have Bere ta Megita Getheer £*8 whe mn 2 ik ' & aw OS me ow te October lor October 2, 1963. (IBID. p. 3) ‘ ca Datecqetes. Elena was questioned regarding the identity of other persons. attending the party at the Ruben Duran home who might have been in a position to observe the three Americans. Elena stated that in the course of the party her daughter Yau % met a group man named “Alejandro" at the party and danced with nim ee was apparently quite smitten with the daughter and tried to call her on several occasions after the party {the daughter did not take the calls and as a result “Alejandro" wrote several letters to the daughter. Ms. Garro exhibited two of the letters, as well as a business card which identified the young man as Ario Alejandro
—_—. EJL First Draft Page 8 é ma Lavagnini Stenius. (IBID) The letter which Ms. Garro said was the first written by the young man to her daughter bore the date September 1, 1963 and the Mexico City Post Office postmark September 2, 1963. When Ms. Garro was told this she commented that probably the Communists have facilities. for falsifying postcards. (IBID) Te further) investigate Ms. Garro's story,,the Federal SS . 7 Pp Poreas interviewed Ario Alejandro Lavagnini Stenius on L g November 27, 1964. (rBIpt} Lavagnini recalled that there were approximately thirty people at the Ruban Duran party, few of whom he knew. He recalled having met a Mexican girl who had recently returned from living in France. He was unable to fix the date of the party, but felt it was probably early in September because of a heavy rain which occurred as they were leaving the party about 2:00 a.m. (IBID. p. 4) Lavagnini noted no Americans present at this party. He was familiar with the appearance of Lee Harvey Oswald because of publicity following the assassination of President Kennedy but otherwise had no knowledge of him and had never seen him except for news photographs following the assassina- tion, (IBID. p. 4) There is no indication on the document that this information was given to the Central Intelligence Agency's Mexico City Station. End of retro
“: 2B g* _gone to the Cuban Embassy @n November 1963. Omee-iemide ". EJL First Draft Page 9 On 12/10/65 Charles Thomas, a political officer at the American Embassy, wrote a memorandum about a conversation with Elena Garro de Paz. (CIA #586-587, WX-7241 Entry No. 425, p. 91, CIA No. 718.) The meeting with Elena had been about other matters but she mentioned knowing Oswald. Thomas noted that she was reluctant to talk but did. | Elena's story reported here is the same, but with oe pth whi ler. J more details, as that given in thel____—_—emoy She said that General Clark Flores, Silvia Duran, Eusebio Luly he Azgcue, Emilio Carballido, and a Latin American Negro man _— Layihe Le” | | with red hair were at the party. A marginal comment by this entry in WX-7241 says, "How did Elena know about a red-haired Negro?" Elena also told Thomas that she had later learned that Silvia Duran had been “Oswald's mistress while he was there." (A note by this entry in Wx-7241 Says “How. did Elena Garro know about Silvia being the mistress of Oswald?? This is 1965. (Station heard from[ LIRING/3 kin fel eet July 67; see also WX-7241, Entry 613, p: 116, CIA No. 743.)) ju re, : Se Elena told Thomas that she and her daughter had ral ‘d +o . . ie a the-gates—ekey shouted “assasins" and other insults at of . that Same day jo the Embassy employees. nt a friend, Manuel Calvillo, an official in the Gobernacion, took her and her daughter to a small hotel in the center
OL, SS i 3 4 i i EJL First Draft Page 10 of Mexico City. They were kept there for eight days under the pretext that they were in danger. Elena claimed to have told Calvillo that she wanted to tell her story to the American Embassy. Calvillo dissuaded her by telling her that the American Embassy was full of Communist spies. Elena said that some of the other people who had been at the party were taken to Veracruz where they were "protected" by Governor Lopez Arias. She said that Ruben Duran, reportedly "protected" by General Clark Flores, was very prosperous and was driving c itt The cos wrote a note on the memo which says: “What a big car. an imagination she has!?! Should we send to Headquarters?" The Officer replied, "Suggest sending. . There have been stories around town about all this, and Thomas is not only person she has talked to...If memory serves me, didn't [fete to Oswald and the local leftists and Cubans ig 1b aon, . \ “ eee a at or ia ae ae in one of her squibs?" (CIA No. 588, note from SW to COS.) The information in Thomas' 12/10/65 report was cabled to CIA Headquarters (Cable from Mexico City to the Director, Mexi. 5621, date cut off my copy; CIA Nos. 584~585.) This cable reports that Elena is the wife of the “prominent Mexican poet Mexican Ambassador Delhi Octavio Paz Lozano." (IBID.) e cable informed Headquarters of the substance of Thomas' ter told her that he was not really a Canal cist
xi a 1 ' EL First Draft Page 11 pop ‘5 ferrae yoo , Utn &g hey — of eat and that killing Kennedy had been a milstake. (IBID: see also Thomas' 12/10 report.) The cabld said that Elena's story would be checked with} he pro- duction from the {cuban surveillance operation fand other sources." (IBID.) Scott wrote, next to the routing indications on the cable, “Please ask Charles Thomas if he'll "follow-up". Get questions from Anne G. Please Let's discuss. Thanks." . KRlwsin pct After the December 70 memorandum/conversations, Af pen Roper Henwt Winston Scott (Chief/Station) and Nathan Ferris (Legal SOCAL, Attache) called C. Thomas for a meeting. They asked him to get a more detailed replay of Ms. Garro's story. At this meeting Winston Scott made it clear that the FBI had full responsibility for any further investigation in the Oswald case. (State Dept: letter from Charles Thomas to William P. Rogers, July 25, 1969, JFK Doc. # ) Thomas met with Elena again on December 25, 1965. The same date he wrote a memorandum of conversation which . \ py Browse a much more detailed und aeeneats “restatement of oe - —— sore = fe ee eo Ms. Garro's alleged encounter with Lee Harvey Oswald and 3 ~ ps) subsequent developments, (CIA Nos. 580-583; WX-7241, entry ae #427, p. 92, CIA #719) /p fv Elena admitted that she had spoken to two men at v p Jer? \#" . the Embassy “(presumably from the Legal Attache's Office). word She said that she did not tell them the whole story ~ Bo because "the Embassy officers did not give much credence PA way ieee Yar knee KA OY A Ade «erro sorte hone A f © lenalt fons
‘ . EJL First Draft Page 12 x 4 to anything she and Elenita said" (Ibid.) She stated that the party had been at Ruben Duran's Ce feo home. She was unclear about the date of the party. It was a few days before the Soviet-Astxenaut, Gagarin, 1 (y | visited Mexico; she thought that this would put the party | around September 2 or 3, 1963. She believed that the party | was on a Monday or Tuesday because it was an odd night for a party. The memo noted that September 1 and 2 were indeed a Monday and Tuesday. Elena could not check her calender to refresh her memory at the time of the interview \j; because the calender was in a desk that had been stored away. During the conversation, Elena described Oswald =“ and his companions. The man who she thought was Oswald wore a black sweater. She said he was quiet “and stared a lot at the floor." One of his companions "was very tall and slender and had long blond hair which hung across his forehead. He had a gaunt face and a rather long protruding chin." The other companion was also tall, with short, light brown hair and no really distinguishing characteristics. “The three Americans did not dance or mix with the other guests. Elena saw the same three men on the street the next day. (IBID.) Elena was certain that Eusebio Azcue, Horacio Duran, Silvia Duran, Lydia Duran, Deba Guerrero, General Clark Flores and his mistress, a doctor from Dalinde Hospital,
envontnts EJL First Draft Page 13 a young American couple who were honeymooning in Mexico, and several other people were at the party. She said that Ricardo Guerra, whom she claims converted Horatio Duran to Communism, and his wife,. Rosario Castellanos, atitnd- . were supposed to be at th ty but did t ppose a . ps u id no ye ot (IBID.) at pea vile be i'r ew Elena stohh He were not ycrt “43 err Ft, at the party that Oswald attended but at another party 77° where Carballido and Azcue got into a heated argument e a yonkers fr __--—-7?The red-haired man and /“milio Carballic 7~ Y ef tf . ¢ are Jd about President Kennedy. “They came to the conclusion 4 ro 4 that the only solution was to kill him." (IBID.) Elena et was not clear on whether this party was before or after Pp? the party where she met Oswald. i” Elena. said that Carballido “is a known Castro Dek agent in Mexico." After the assassination he spent a year wat in Cuba. He then got a job teaching at Rutgers University flu? through Dr. Jose Vasquez Amaral. (tLe W~~ 3«A ~ » —_——? The incident at the Cuban Embassy, where Elena and Nm her daughter shouted “assassins", etc., at the Embassy our.” afl vy employees, occured on November 23rd at or about 3:00 + “po P.-m. Elena and Elenita were driven to the Cuban Embassy . : ie by Elena's brother who was embarrassed by their behavior. | a This occured before they had seen photographs of Oswald. | . Later that day they were visited by Manuel Calvillo Ce \s who told them that they were in serious danger from the oo Communists. and that he would take them to a small hotel,
| i 4 v ’ EJL First Draft Ne known undercover agent for the (Cobernacion. Die was ne LF. ? J also a friend ef Noe Palomares ustavo Diaz Ordaz wi U7 | Calivillo also told Elena and her daughter that Silvia . Duran had been arrested. Duran's arrest was not public information at—the—tine.— Lik ME) peru ot Jat pr lyoos w tt . Elena could not remember the name of the hotel so py. She took Thomas to the section of Mexico City where she My thought it was. They found the hotel. It was the Vermont yey Hotel, Calle Vermont 29. Elena said that she assumed a” that Calvillo had registered them as relatives or friends. They stayed at the hotel until the following Friday, Nov. 30, 1963 hardly leaving their rooms. fener Che | Le . cee Chime Char ow Cl eng p Thames Cin 19D, URIS, i slif wim “While they were at the hotel they saw the photos ‘ : of Oswald and realized that he had been the man at Ruben a Duran's party. When Calvillo visited them at the hotel ya he Lr O ma. Elena told him that she wanted to report it to the Lowen fret, ol American Embassy, Calvillo dissuaded her by stating Avo. 3 ; Jt rm that the American Embassy was full of Communists. When A big, vy Elena returned to her home, guards were posted outside. if After she returned home Elena saw her sister, IN he fuclepencl iL vs een Ore . Deba Guerrera, Ba had also come to the same conclusion } "terrified
EJL First Draft Page 15 ig ACR it ‘two months after the assassination two "communists (had) Apes ad tome need U cr a“ vat, —Visdéeed Deba and threatened her never to reveal that 7 she had been to a party with Oswald. Deba, consequently, would not accompany Elena to the American Embassy to tell her story. fs Ww Elena said that a few days after the assassination “4 : . Se’ Emilio Carballido took the Duran's to Jalapa, Veracruz and t “v* we 4. “kept them out of the way until the initial shock of the yw a vA assassination wore off." — dod Hla hick aes out? Elena also said that shortly after the assassination / Son tas / an American named June Cobb spent several days in her house. Ms. Cobb had been sent to Elena by a mutual friend, Eunice Odio. Eunice Odio was a Costa Rican who had been | wane es _ Vasquez Amaral'ts mistress when Amaral was” with the Rockefeller i ee me. Foundation. on. of 1965 Ms. Cobb and Ms. Odio were roommates. on’ While Ms. Cobb was at Elena's house she expressed @in interest in the Kennedy assassinati Beba got « drunk one “nigh eee ee eee rr, and told Ms. Cobb the entire story. Ms. Cobb wanted them to go to the American authorities. Claiming to be a CIA PM Rh em NN agent, Cobb advised against going to the American Embassy She suggested that Elena and Deba go to Texas to tell ene \ 5 Story. When her suggestion was rejected, Cobb said that Ny. she would arrange a meeting with the CIA Station Chief. The meeting did not occur because Ms. Cobb was asked to ae
ne aw why wi a. 7- had opposed the assassination. “ EJL First Draft> Page 16 leave the Garro house) evidently because she kicked Elena's cat. . - pos Lawes f og vay? LEK wet Ruben Duran visited Elena aeeuns the end of a fm ma anuary, 1964. He was worried that Oswald's visit to his home might be discovered and that he might lose his Mexican citizenship. Ruben told Elena that it had been Silvia who had gotten him involved with Oswald. Rubeq added that he was not ‘really a communist and Elena said that she had told her story to Noe ay _~| Palomares of the Gobernacion about six months after the vn assassination. He advised against going to the American -~ Embassy and told her that if she did anything at all she should merely write an anonymous letter. Elena stated that it was "common knowledge" that Silvia had been Oswald's mistress. When asked who could verify the allegation she could only remember one person who had told her this. That person was Victor Rico Galan, a “pro-Castro journalist." than once. (IBID. ) On the first page of Thomas! December 25 1965 memorandum of conversation Winston Scott wrote "Shouldn't we send to Headquarters?" Someone responded "Of course. (IBID.) ;
we re that Oswald had not been in Mexico on the date given for J f yor c ph or the party. Boonstra also Stated that the ~trforment had += Mexico City-¥éplie) that Thomas! office had been advised EJIL First Draft Page 1 Charles Thomas wrote Ju 25, 1969 that “he got no reaction from Nathan Fer¥is and Winston Scott" regarding his memorandum of December 25, 1965. (State Department: we Letter from Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary of _.. State, July 25, 1969), Thomas wrote that Deputy Chief — re of Mission; Clarence Boonstra (State Dept.} who Gras n ~~ onghee of Affairs at the time of the John F. Kennedy aaa "assassination and subsequent Oswald investigation told him Clena. chan ed her story. Thomas further wrote that even when <7 17 C ke he reiterated that Elena had not changed her story but LAt that rather she had now given a more accurate account, a: Boonstra stated that the date was wrong and dismissed frre A7 way) the whole affair. (IBID. Pp. 2) The Legat's Office in As ~ uv by memoranda dated December 27, 1965 and February 23, 1966 \C (corked Git HAL that since Elena Garro's allegations had previously been investigated without substantiation, no further action was being taken concerning her recent repetition of those allegations. The Legat's Office concluded that either the Counselor for Political Affairs did not route the memoranda ota a re pe to Charles Thomas or that he did not recall them. (FBI Report, 9/30/69, Pp. 3-4, JFK Document No. )
EJL First Draft Page 17 Charles Thomas wrote Sulgadij--1969 that "he got no reaction from Nathan Ferris and Winston Scott" regarding his memorandum of December 25,1965. (State Department : Letter from Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary of His memetandon stetd thet State, July 25, 1969). Themdtawscte—treat Deputy Chief of Mission, Clarence Boonstra (State Dept.) who was ar Chis t of Affairs at the time of the John F. Kennedy assassination and subsequent Oswald investigation told him that Oswald had not been in Mexico on the date given for fucther bid heres Het Elene . the party. Boonstra atso-stated—that the-informant had changed her story. Thomas £uxtker Zoid that even when he reiterated that Elena had not changed her story but that rather she had now given a more accurate account, Boonstra stated that the date was wrong and dismissed the whole affair. (IBID. P: Ne Legat's Office in athe mas "Letter asSerted Mexico city replied that Thomas' office had been advised by memoranda dated December 27, 1965 and February 23, 1966 that since Elena Garro's allegations had previously been investigated without substantiation, no further action was being taken concerning her recent repetition of those allegations. The Legat's Office concluded that either the Counselor for Political Affairs did not route the memoranda cectisia to Charles Thomas or that. ‘chomas did not recall them. (FBI Report, 9/30/69, pp. 3-4, JFK Document No. )
cz tee te oe bee a EJL Field Report Page 18 ae Subsequent to December 25, 1965, Thomas - tote in “ the Dec. 25, 1965 memo that Elena had found” her calendar and had reconstructed the date of the party as late September not early September. When ‘Thomas went to. Ferris' office and informed him; ‘Ferris replied that Elena had given the late September date when she had Pe originally reported her story at the American Embassy.. voy” However, Mr. Ferris explained that someone who had been aoe at the party nae Fees that there were n° Mnesteans yf pla, rs there. Mr. Ferris did not reveal that Ario Alejandro c | we Lavagnini sedate Ferris had provided this: information. Ope ut nro Mr. ret AMegested that it was not necessary for Thomas to ‘popce the natter since he considered the Oswald case closed and had heard all the rumors before. (IBID.) The Legal Attache, Mr. Ferris wrote in his September 30 hemorandum--that he did not tell Mr. Thomas that someone j ne oe ~ Gand else who was at the party had stated that there wexe—no 7 ute od perder col (Peo tr es , ane yt Americang theré.~>(FBI Report, 9/30/69, DP. 4 JFK No. ) 7! 3° Mr. Ferris also wrote that he had told Thomas that it CG” . we would not be necessary for him to pursue the matter any vam ye an a further since Elena's story had been heard—before, investigatedf~~! : a He were tt 44.4 he pt ahiume f #he-l re without being substantiated, (ane—wae—considered-aciosed bleac! © te UE Ciel. dect: ‘ ae wel C8 ire, pe isena> (IBID. ) a. ; That there had been no Americans at the party puzzled We” . a” fA: Ae NA how o+ck > Oflteree yx fl, PAE eS Vad . yee ce pth fl rove ov hoa) wit Fe mode Pe tae eae 4 JARS AG or a OO Proll & Rf tera Phas el wf Gove pork.
The Legal Attache, Mr. Ferris wrete-in-his=september 30 metiorandum--that he did not tell Mr. Thomas that someone else who was at the party had stated that there were no Americans there. (FBI Report, 9/30/69, p. 4 JFK No. ) Mr. Ferris also wrote that he had told Thomas that it. would not be necessary for him to pursue the matter any further since Elena's story had been heard before “and investigated without being substantiated. -He wrote that he told Thomas that Elena's story was considered a closed issue not that the Oswald case was closed. (IBID.) That there had been no Americans at the party puzzled
yeke® jv> tor [ov Oswald case witht, Guerrero de Galvan. but that. her wis EJL First Draft Page 19 Thomas. He had assumed that Elena could have clearly been mistaken about the identity of the Americans she saw. there; but never doubted that she had seen some Americans. —Thomas wrote that he had never discussed the wee ad grown son had told-him that he» was “convinced that his mother had seen Lee Harvey Oswald. ~~ (State Department: “ ~~ Letter from ‘Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary / setter July 25, 1969). bed teste) } On December 27, 1965 the Legal Attache a emo to the Ambassador regarding Elena. (Memo to the Ambassador from the Legal Attache, 12/27/65, CIA #578; WX-7241 Entry #429, p. 94, CIA #721.) [This is one of the memos the Legal Attache refers to in the Sept. 30, 1969 memo} It reported that Elena and her daughter were inter- ft ae, aan viewed on 17 and 24 November 1964. The jnemo said that ee they furnished information similar to that in Thomas' (tar > behed 12/10/65 memo. The Begat memo goes—on—te—say. “Inquiries conducted at that time, (November '64) however, failed to substantiate the allegations made by Mrs. Garro de Paz and her daughter. In view of the fact that Mrs. Garro de Paz' allegations have been previously checked out without substantiation, no further action is being taken concerning her recent repetition of those allegations." (IBID.) (0) 4 Bey in score Sek notel to Anne Goodpasture(on this Ona Loar Atally pit a note on 2 MA RMHLO.
; EJL First Draft Page 20 memo. The note says, “Can we send in a report to Headquarters ‘dismissing' our cable?" Goodpasture responded, "done." (IBID.) ugha The cable being dismissed is Mexi 5621 (see—above). The next entry in Oswald's Mexican file is a cable written by Ann Goodpasture (Memo from Mexico City to the Director, 12/29/65, (Mexi 5741, CIA #575; WX-7241 Entry #430, p. 94, CIA #721. The-cable report? khe Legat . interview and the failure\to substantiate Elena's story. The cable promises to keep Headquarters advised if any ‘further information is developed. (IBID.) (ante £119 hoss/64 memo is attached to Sine this cable.,/ WxX-7241 #xplains this byepeseing, in a ory marginal comment, "This document by leas not in “pe (Oswald's file), but was copied. from (a project file) and attached to Mexi 5741, 29 Dec. 65." (IBID.)- am note eA to this cable by[ Allen White |stated “I don't know what FBI did in Nov 64, but the Garro's have been talking about this for a long time and she is said to be extremely bright." Ann Goodpasture wrote that the FBI had found Elena's allegations unsubstantiated but that “we will try to confirm or refute Mrs. Garro de Paz's information and follow up." Win Scott wrote, "She is also W ‘nuts'." (IBID; CIA #574) > On 1/9/66 Cha es Thomas wrote another memo about ye a conversation with na. (Memo of Conversation, 1/9/66, we if ree or ge
> hers Sy aot. a ORT ee EJL First Draft Page 21 CIA #573; WX-7241, Entry #451, p. 95, CIA #722.) This memo reported thay, Elena said that Victor Rico Galan had told her that Eusebiio Azcue was “one of the’ most powerful N a men in Cuba." Elena said that Azcue was a Spanish Cuban who had fought in the spanish civil” War and, by his own admission, had served at shag ine as a French intelligence agent. J A The above mentioried memo , attached to a State Department Memo (Memd #A-727 to aN (iment of State from \ Amembassy, Mexico, “1/22/66, CIA No. 572; WX-7241 Entry #451, p. 95, cra #722/) This memo repo ae, Rico Galan is a Spanish born Mexican journalist who has s that Victor been one of the most prolific and ardent apologists for Castro's Cuba in Mexico." On February 3, 1966 Anne Goodpasture sent Thomas' memo to the Cuban section with an attached note asking them to check whether Elena was “seen creating such a disturbance as they claimed in front of the Cuban Embassy." (Note from Ann Goodpasture to "Cubans", 2/3/66, CIA No. 579; WX-7241, Entry 428, p. 94, CIA #721.) One Cuban section officer responded, "No bells ring with me." Another one wrote "Me neither." The third officer wrote "No pictures either." (IBID.) There is no indication that [Gaey penetration agents ‘in the Cuban |
EJL First Draft Page 22 a\were queried about this. (IBID.)|/That there are able—sinceé Elena claimed that the event happened: 1.) on a Saturday at 3:00 p.m. when ie. | the Cuban Embassy was not normally photographically i | surveilled; and 2.) the "disturbance" occured inside the Cuban compound. HSCA Examination of the CIA Cuban Embassy i : photographic surveillance showed no surveillance on 11/23/63. (Classified Summary of Staff Review of CIA Documents, | undated, P. 3, CIA #763.) | On 2/23/66 the Legal Attache wrote a memo to the Ambassador regarding the Garros allegations. (Memo from Legat to Ambassador, 2/23/66, CIA #571; WX-7241 Entry #455, p. 95, CIA #722.) This memo reports that “extensive investi- gation" failed to disclose that Oswald had traveled to Mexico prior to September 26, 1963 and that no information had developed that would show that he had not been in New Orleans in the early part of that month. The memo repsgita that no further action was being taken by the FBI because her allegations had not been substantiated. (IBID.) A marginal comment by this entry in WX-7241 says, "How can it be ascertained that Oswald did not travel to Mexico prior to early Sept. 63? There must be some basis for Elena's reporting." (IBID; referenced to Thomas’! 12/25/65 memo.)
EJL First Draft Page 23 ; & \y c we Vv uke | On "3/13/66 Charles Thomas wrote another memo, / “ot u ow (Memorandum of Conversation by Charles Thomas, 7/13/66, i) CIA €565; WX-7241, Entry 460, p. 96, CIA #723.) ure: a i C fBlena had received an invitation to visit Cuba bow from Ambassador Joaquin Hernandez Armas. She gave — JM | Thomas two letters to support the claim. She said the v letters had been delivered to her home by a driver from pent the Cuban Embassy. The envelopes gave her address as Vermont 38. Because of her stay at the Hotel Vermont she saw the letters as a threat and was frightened. ~—-~-Thomas--also—reported. that: Elena-tad recently run into Lydta~Dur ~ id that Lydia was now very poorand_t “a: job wit -he Difusion Cultural at the fopological-Mascum-—(7BED 7 On 10/13/66 the Legal Attache wrote a memo to the CIA/COS reporting that a reliable confidential informant had reported that the records of the Hotel Vermont disclosed that "Elena Paz, housewife from San Luis Potosi" had registered at the Hotel Vermont on November 23, 1963. She left on November 30, 1963. The memo said that "the above individual may or may not be identical with Elena Garro de Paz." (Memo from Legat to Winston Scott, 10/13/66, CIA No. 564; WX-7241, Entry #466, p. 98, CIA #725: Thomas' 7/13/66 memo . ) 4 a :
re EJL First Draft Page 24 ie WP , OP Charles Thomas' 12/25/65 memo said, "She (Elena) YP ry and her daughter did not personally register at the hotel. v (yr She thinks Calvillo registered them as relatives or friends f Ay, ! of his from San Luis Postosi." (Memo of Conversation by a ; Charles Thomas, 12/25/65, p. 3, CIA #582.) He ; The entry for the 10/13/66 Legat memo in WX-7241 A bore the notation "This is what Elena-claimed and no one \ would believe her." (WX-7241, Entry #466, p. 98, CIA #725.) 2/7/67 Charles Thomas wrote another memo. — a oa “he YP enoranaen , CIA #563.) Elena ca yr" told Thomas that Horatkio Duran presently worked for Joagtin Conversation, 2/7 Cisneros, the private Secreta of Mexican President Diag ; a —, Ordaz. Elené says that Horatio Duran? tly {fterviewed With fr Cisnerds to order the Gobernacion to grant an entry visa for the son of Eusebio Azcue. (IBID.) aa eee No further reports on Elena's story were generated until 1969 when Charles Thomas was “selected out." (“Selected out" is aphrase used when an officer is retired after having been in one grade for the maximum period of time and is not considered qualified for promotion to a higher grade). Then, he wrote a letter and memorandum to the Secretary of State saying, “Since I was the Embassy Officer in Mexico who assigned this intelligence information, I feel a responsibility for seeing it through to its final
ction manne teeta EJL First Draft Page 25 evaluation." (State Dept.: Letter from Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary of State, July 25, 1969. In the letter, Mr. Thomas also writes, "whereas the FBI has discounted Elena Garro's allegations, the CIA is still considerably disturbed by them." (IBID.) ‘The Legat's office in response wrote that/Alan White from the CIA had indicated that he was aware of Elena's unreliability. (FBI report, 9/30/69, p. 7, JFK Document No. ) The Legat's office further wrote that the concept that every person who passes on to another government agency information relating to matters within the jurisdiction of that agency has the responsibility and authority to review and evaluate the action taken by that agency is, of course, untenable. (IBID.)
EJL First Draft Page 26 House Select Committee on Assassination see OS eee SOM ecee on assassination Investigation of Elena Garro's Allegations The House Select Committee on Assassinations investigated Elena Garro's story both through file reviews ew and personal interviews. The Committee requested and. a reviewed the CIA's, FBI's and State DepartmentsFiles, when we NY eee on Elena Garro de Paz, Elenita Garro de Paz, Manuel Calvillo, Noe W. Palomares, June Cobb Sharp, Yor" ve Victor Rico Galan, Eunice Odio, Sylvia Duran, Lydia Duran, Av Ruben Duran, Betty Serratos, Horatio Duran, Eusebio Azcue, a nd Emilio Carballido. Only the Elena Garro de Paz file a contained information on her allegations. Though all the ” names listed above played a role in Elena Garro de Paz' ys Elena Garro de Paz. story, not one of their files included a reference to A Furthermore, the House Select Committee on Assassina- tions requested and reviewed the Central Intelligence Agency 's[{ LICOOKIE xf LICHANT Ne TRING 3p [etHver t]ana ne Ly rcHBoRN] 120s. Once again not one of the files included a ‘mention of Elena Garro's allegations. The House Select Committee on Assassinations learned that| was | June Cobb Sharp who first reported Elena's allegation. + , sw The Committee also learned that was [Manuel Calvillo who hid Elena Garro and her daughter in a hotel the day
AAT ee te nena nee ee ee fo” o4 jar EJL First Draft Page 27 1 OF, e fe we ot following the assassination. He also told Elena that Sylvia Duran had been arrested before & was public knowledge. (.«-4) peur fat beck bev In = Since a file review -lexd—newhere, the Committee rf “DAL fucorclobe 94 L Fac dr~claferE, decided to arrange interviews in Mexico with Sylvia Duran, Elena Garro, Elenita Garro, Horacio Duran, Ruben Duran, Lynn Duran, Emilio Carbillido and Betty Serratos. The Mexican Government informed us that Elena and Elenita Garro had disappeared in 1968 during the student uprisings and ‘hed never returned to Mexico. The officials stated that Elena and her daughter might be in Spain. (See Mexico City Procedural Write-up Trip 1.) Emilio Carballido could not be found. The others were interviewed between June 1 and June 6, 1978. Betty Serratos, Lydia Duran, Ruben Duran, and Horatio Duran all stated that Elena was not the dancing type and therefore did not attend any of the twist parties at the Duran homes. (See: HSCA Staff Interview of Betty Serratos, 6/6/78, p. 6, JFK Document No. ; HSCA Staff Interview of Lydia Duran, 6/5/78, p. 6, JFK Document No. ; HSCA Staff Interview of Ruben Duran -Navarro, _ 6/6/78, p. 16, JFK Document No. + HSCA Staff Inter- view of Horatio Duran Navarro, 6/5/78, p. 25, JFK Document No. -) When Sylvia Duran was asked if Elena or Elenita Garro