Classification: ne Au gly Hh Wi tay fhe 9 (This form is to be sed for material extractec eS - ~ from ClA—controlled documents.) - 46 - | 673/ David A. Phillips interview, 8/24/78, p. 16; Routing and Record Sheet for MEXI 7033, 11/23/63; HSCA Deposition of John Scelso, 5/16/78, pp. 45, 87. 674/ DIR 84886, 11/23/63, para. 2. 675/ MEXI 7023, 11/23/63.  676/ MEXI. (7024, 11/23/63, para. 6. - 677/ MEXI 7025, 11/23/63. | 678/. MEX 7033, 11/23/63. 67 9/ HSCA staff have wondered wtether or not the Mexico City —— Station was entirely forthcoming of their own will with Headquarters. This speculation was based on three pieces of information. ‘the first is the report in MEXI 7024 that Headquarters had all the available in- formation. The second is a note from Win Scott on the Routing and Record Sheet for: MEXI -7033 which says: I had a call from Washington ( John Scelso) at 1620: hours on 23/XI. I told John Scelso at 1630 hours (our time) on 23/XI that this would be on route to him. The third is a cable reporting that on’ the 23rd Win Scott had an urgent call to see the President of Mexico. The cable repori:s that Scott expected the President to express his condolences over the assas- -Sination but "developed : chat (Mexican agent) had ' located call to Soviet Elibassy of Lee Oswald made on 28 September. Believe fact that (President j of Mexico) aware of this contact (from our joint operation) and passed da:a to COS is important." .(MEXI 7023, 11/23/63, paras. 2 and 3) The Committee declines to speculate that the Mexico City Station was possibly con:sidering not reporting all the information availabl:tothem. It was considered ‘that this may have been :ontemplated in order to pro- tect. themselves from a°’ciarge about their failure to report the information prior to the assassination. LS ae a . Ray iad see rsp tree ot Clossified ‘by d derivation: Se . |». Classification: _: ” re - — - : oS ‘ oe NW 49327 “_poola: 32263889. Page 243
oe. rah ines ty ¢ ~ Classification: | AE an = > 2 AH eat “ " "ay P (This form is to be used for materia sea rae from ClA—<ontrolled Jocuments.) - - 47 - The discovery that the Mexicans were also aware of the conversations would have made holding back the |. transcripts perilous in that the Mexicans could have -revealed their existence to the detriment of the Station. Hence, the full report followed very shortly’ after the meeting between the Mexican President and Win Scott, and immediately after Scott discussed the situation with his nominal superior in Washington ‘py telephone. Scott's superior was asked about this. -He said that he did not remember the substance of his telephone call to Wir Scott on the 23rd. (HSCA Deposition of John Scelsc, 5/16/78, p. 88) "I do not have any idea why (I called). I may have been ordered to call him on ary number of things.” (Ibid., p. 87.) He was also asked about Scott's meeting with the Mexican Presidert. You get a psychologicé 1 question. The Chief - -of Station is called in’to speak to the Presi- _ dent of Mexico. There had been a big fight when the new Ambassadcr got there--no, it wasn't: that. It was a very peculiar situation in Mexi- © ‘ co whereby the Mexicar. President's primary con- tact with the U.S. government was through our Chief of Station rather’ than through the Ambas- sadors. This caused 1:0 great problem with the ' then-Ambassador whose name I have forgctten. . ‘Q: Thomas Mann? A: Yes. He was a verv fine guy and recognized . the usefulness of this arrangement. The next Ambassador, Mr. Freeman, tried to cut Win Scott out of contact with.the President of © Mexico, whereupon tthe President of Mexico called in Win Scot:: and said, "I want you to send a cable to the White House telling them I am not going to deal with this jackass,- I want to deal only with you." So, the result was. eventually, Winston Scott and Ambassador Freeman went to the White House and talked to President Johnson. ot: ( 3 "sand. straightened the whole thing, out in favor poe of Winston Scott. . - re ® Classification: 2 7 exten re ~~ Cigiitied By Wetivation: HW 48327 Docld:32263889' Page 244
Classification: } ° ; (This form is to be used for motirial oe Ra at . from ClA—controlled ¢ ‘ocuments.) jo BG Sarr g ey Gy TPN oS ~ ae “ ee So, Scott is just :‘emarking that it is 4 interesting that the President of Mexico is 4 aware of our telepione operation. Q: He should have been since it was a liaison operation. A: Yes. .But you do not always know whether he - was informed. I tiink we always knew he was informed. I think we always knew he was in- formed. It is jus: Significant that the per- : , son calls you in’and says, here is some intel- ligence about the, kennedy thing. (HSCA Deposition of John scelso, 5/16/78, pp. 83-84.) | Win Scott indicated that 1e was going to write a memoran- dum concerning his meetiny with the President of Mexi- _ co. (Routing and Record shhet for MEXI 7028, 11/23/63.) -If Mr. Scott wrote such a memo, it-has not been made oi available to.the HSCA. David Phillips, who after serv- T J , ing in Mexico, went on to accumulate quite an impres-~- sive record as a Chief of Station in several countries _ himself, told Committee iivestigators. that a memoran- dum of this sort, along with other "sensitive" informa- tion would be the type of thing that Win Scott probabiy kept in his private safe. (David A. Phillips Interview, 8/24/78, p. 10.) Mr. Phillips added that he did not. know what happened to Mr. Scott's safe after he died but he had heard vague stories about someone finding a lot of documents that Szott had kept. (Ibid.) ; 680/ MEXI 7054- 11/24/63, para. 3.- 681/ MEXT 7024, 11/23/63, para. 3.0 : 682/ MEXI 7024, 11/23/63, para. 3. 683/ MEXI 7023, 11/26/63, para. 2.°  684/ See Section II, C, 4, above. - 68 5/ For example, MEXI 7023 reports that a voice comparison ? was not done. while MEXI 7925 implies that one was done @ be ty aay “Classification; <2.) 9 or ky | : ” re Classified by dsvivation: | NW 48327 Docld: 32263889 Page. 245
ha gy es omy a Dae = Classification: Ms Sng ' po Be —_ 8 . ; _ (This form is to be used for ‘material extrocted & : a from ClA—controlled slocuments.) > | - - 49 - and a year later Ann Good .asture noted on a newspaper article that such a comparison was done. Note also that MEXI 7024 reported tiat HQ had all the available information when in fact 31] conversations were reported . e in a later cable, MEXI 7033. a fe] wn ™ See Sectionllll, A, 1, above. fon) oo nn ™ “See Section III,.A, l, above. a oo ond ~ See Section III, A, l, above. | See Section III, A, 1, above. a co oo ~ Tee went wet te ee - Note to Luis Echevarria, November 23, 1963, CIA No. 444; ; Cable re Oswald-Duran, MEXI 7029, November 23, 1963, CIA i - No. 441; Raymond Rocca Chronology. WX 7241, Entry 36, ; _ November 23, 1963, CIA Nc. 635... “a co Ks) ~ nN oo (=) ~ Ibid. See below, p. ron) \o he ~ Note written by Winston Sectt re phone call with John 692/ Scelso, November 23, 1962; Chronology prepared by Ray- Po mond Rocca, Wx7241, entry 37, November 23, 1963, CIA j ' No. 635. , . 693/ Ibid. i .694/ Ibid. 695/ Chief of Station phone eali. to Luis Echevarria, November 23, 1963, CIA No. 440; Flash Cable from Karaméssines to j Mexico City Station, November 23, 1963, DIR 84916, CIA i No. 4033 Chronology of Reymond Rocca, entry 46, Novem- ber 23, 1963, CIA No. 636. ti : 696/ Blind Memo. re ‘Lee Harvey Oswald and Silvia Duran, Novem- og ‘ber 26, 1963, CIA #473. . : 697/ Ibid. 27, 1963, MEXI 7101, CIA #493. 2 @ oo ; a Classification: _ | — = _ wm Lbs i i { { ? 98/ Cable from Mexico City Sta‘:ion to Headquarters, November , aa | -Classified by ‘derivation: Ae i A a can ae ee AD £9 NW 48327 DocId:32263889 Page 246
| Classification: from ClA—controlled documents. \. . When President John f. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, the lnited States investigative agencies--FBI, CIA, Secret Service, etc.--were asked: to. “investigate the assassinaticn.. When the Central Intelli- gence Agency's Mexico City Station remembered that Lee Harvey Oswald had visited Mexico City during late Septem- ber and early October, it reviewed the electronic surveil- ‘Vance files and found eviderce of phone calls to the So- viet Embassy made September 27th, September 28th, and ‘October Ist, that could have been made by Oswald. 685/ Review of the electroic surveillance files also produced telephone calls on September 27, 1963. between the Russian Consul and Silvia Ouran, a secretary at the Cuban Consu- late, where Oswald was discussed. 686/ In addition, the Mexico City Station fourd a. September 28, 1963 phone i call from Silvia Duran to tre Soviet Consulate where. Silvia Duran stated that there was an American citizen at the © Cuban Consulate who had prevfousty visited the Soviet Con- i, 1963 where the “allegec™ Oswald identified himsel* was alss suiate. §87/ A final prone cat? was made on Octoder found. §83/ - on Novenber 23, 196s the Mexico City Station deter-- : a “yg : eee an . erivetion: _ Ge NW 46327 Docld: 32263889 Page 247 - _(This form is to be ssed for material extracted 014973 a, fea
Classification: | (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controllec documents.) oes tbr Stand i mined that it would request the Mexican government-~ with whom it had a good relitionship--to arrest Silvia ‘Duran (as Stivia Duran was 1 Mexican citizen, she did not have diplomatic immunity) because she might shed some light on the circumstances surrouiding the assassination. 688a/ ‘The Mexico City Station sent a note to the Gober- nacion head, Luis Echevarrii, with Silvia Duran's address, her mother's address, her b-other's address, her license plate number, her home phon: number, her place of work and a request that she be arres:ed immediately. 689/ The Mexi- “co City Station also sugges :ed that Duran he held incommuni- cado until she could be que: tioned on the matter. 690/ | The Mexico City Station did not receive prior au- thorization from CIA Headquirters to request the arrest of feared that a request to arc-est Ms. Duran would jeopardize the clandestine relationshi} between certain Mexican govern-— ment officials and the CIA .f it were disclosed that Americans re were behind Duran's arrest. 672/ John Scelso, Chief of Western ers Se Pp _ Hemisphere/3, stationed at langley Headquarters, telephoned q Winston Scott, the Mexice ifty Caief of Station, anc requested that Stivia furan not be arrested. 633/ Scott told Scetss that he could not rescind the rejuest, and that. Headquarters snsuld jE O32 already have Chsssitiedef Late stating that Silvia Duran had a ; anne Silvia Duran by Mexican authorities. 691/ Headquarters j NW 48327 Docld:32263889 Page 248
NW 48327 Classification: ‘(This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—-controlled documents.) era Sa OR f | | ere 6 4 ANT ~ 186 - NAGA Bails WIRED © been arrested. 694/ After dinston Scott's conversation with John Scelso, Scott called Luis Echevarria and stated that the Mexico City Statio1 desired that all: information received from Duran be forwirded immediately to the Mexico City Station, and that her irrest and statements not. be communicated to any leftist groups. 695/ On November 27, 1963, the Mexican government for- . warded to the Mexico City Station a copy of Silvia Duran's ten-page signed statement. 396/ It said, "Upon learning about the assassination She and her husband speculated that Presi- dent Kennedy might have been assassinated for racial reasons. When she became aware that the assassin was Lee Harvey Oswald, she ascertained that it vas the same man who ap- proximately two montis prior. had been to the Cuban Consulate to solicit an intransit visa to Russia. Having taken his name from the special documentatio1 he presented she knew that he was married to a Russian woman and ' betonged to the "Fair. Play for Cuba Committee." | She checked the data in the Consulate archives and became certain tiat it was the same indi- vidual who was blond2, short, dressed unelegant- “ly and whose face turned red when angry. The Consul had denied th: visa because to obtain an intransit visa from the Cuban government, it was imperative thit he previously obtain a visa from the Soviet Consulate. Sinca obtain- ing a visa from the Soviets toox four months anc Oswald's Mexican visa expired. sosn Oswald was advised that he see the Soviet Consul, and- cailing the gerson i1 charge of that office. the Soviet official told her that they would have to conscit Moscow which would take four” morths. Trat afternzon, Oswald returned to the Classification: - iron ncaa et Soe aia 7 J =P Docld: 32263889 Page. 249 hes ~ 4 ~
Classification: : (This form is to be used for material extracted ras from CiA—controlled documents.) i: BP ie 2 B Cuban Consulate and Silvia Duran confirmed that he could get a tuban visa only after he received a Russian v sa. She gave Oswald her name and business phone number but never gave him her . address because she liad no reason to give it to him. The only aid she could give Oswald was advising that he see the Soviet Consul and calling the person in charge of that of’ice. She knew that phoning the Soviet Consulate was not one of her duties and that if she did so she did it only to help Oswald. She gave Oswald her business phone number only because he would have to call sibsequently to check whether he had obtained a visa. He never called back." Silvia Duran, releas«ed on November 24, 1963, was rearrested November 27, 1963, when the Mexican government alleged that she _ was attempting to leave Mex'co for travel to Havana. 698/ According tothe Mexican of‘icials who detained Duran a second i OS time, there was no addition to her story. 699/ The Mexico City Stat:on forwarded Duran's ten-page signed pe statement to Headquarters oF November 27, 1963. 700/ The following day, Headquarters sent a clarification cable to the Mexico City Station seeking to insure that neither Silvia. Duran nor the Cubans would lave any basis for believing that ‘the Americans were behind her rearrest. The cable $tated, "We want the Mexican author’ties to take the. responsibility for the whole affair." 701/ | When the Central Int: lligence Agency began to work with the Warren Commission, Headquarters cabled the Mexico a ea ae 6 we me Classification: NW 48327 Docld: 32263889 | Page 250
Classification: | ‘(This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controller' documents. ) ve” TAD SEBRET. City Station that its plan in passing information to the Warren Commission was ta eliminate mention of telephone taps in.order ‘to protect their continuing operations. 702/ Headquarters cabled that it would rely on Silvia Duran's statements and on the Consular files which the Soviets ‘gave the State Department. 703/ Headquarters stressed that exact, detailed infornation from LITAMIL-7 and -LITAMIL-9--penetration agents in the Cuban Embassy--on- what Silvia Duran and other officials had said about Os- _wald’ s visit and his dealirgs would be valuable and usable corroborative evidence. 104/ " When the Central Intelligence Agency forwarded to the Warren Commission a cory of Duran’ .$ Signed Statement. -It read as follows: -she remembered... (that Lee Harvey Oswald) was the name of an ‘/merican who had come to the Cuban Consulate to obtain. a visa to travel to Cuba in transit to Russia, the latter part ‘Of September or the early part of October of this year, and in sipport of his application had. shown his passpcrt, in which it was noted that he had lived ir that country for a period of three years; his labor card from the same country written in the Russian language; and letters in that same Yanguage. He had presented evidence that he wat married to a Russian woman, anc aiso that he wat apparently the leader of an orgarization in ihe city of New Orleans clain- ing that he shoutd te accepted as a “friend” of © _ the Cuban Revolutior. Accordingly, the declarant, Sou. complying with her cuties, took down all of the: i vo ey n - ‘ “NW 48327 Docld: 32263889 Page 251 . —accneg; 6. Classifiestion: = Poe pe 8D
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted ‘from ClA—controllec! documents.) - 189 - TEP 3 seeds Ra 7 {nformation and completed the appropriate application form; ard the declarant, ad- mittedly exceeding ter responsibilities, informally telephoned the Russian Consulate, with the intention cf doing what she could to facilitate issuarce of the Russian visa to Lee Harvey Oswalc. However, they told her that there woule be a delay of about four months in processing the case, which annoyed the applicart since, according to his statement, he wes in a great hurry to obtain visas that would enable him to travel to Russia, insistince on his right to do so in view of his backcround and his loyalty and his activities in behalf of the Cuban - movement. The declarant was unable to re- call accurately whether or not the applicant ; told her he was a member of. the Communist Jt Party, but he did say that his. wife***was then in-New York City, and would. follow him,*** (Senora Duran stated) that when Os- wald understood that it was not possible to give him a Cuban visa without his first hav- ing obtained the Russian visa,*** he became very excited or angry, and accordingly, the affiant called Const? Ascue (sic),*** (who) came out and began a heated disucssion in En- glish with Oswald, that concluded by Ascue telling him that "if it were up to him, he would not give him the visa," and “a person of his type was harning the Cuban Revolution rather than helping it," it being understood. that in their conversation they were talking about the Russian Sccialist Revolution and not the Cuban. Oswald maintained that he had two reasons for requesting that his visa be issued promotly, anc they were: one, that his tourist. permit in Mexico was about to expire; and the other, that he had to get to Russia _ as quickly as possitle. Depsite her annoyance, the decalarant gave Oswald a paper*** in which. she put down her nane, “Silvia Suran," and the number of the telephone at the Consulate, which is "11-28-47" and the visa application are NCS | Classification: ‘NW 48327 Docld: 32263889 Bage 252.
Classification: _ (This form is to be used for material ‘extracted from ClA-—controlled documents.) was processed anyway It was sent 6 “the. Ministry of (Foreign! Relations of Cuba;. from which a routine rep]. was received some fifteen to thirty days later, approving the visa, but on - the condition that the Russian visa be obtained first, although she oes not recall whether or. not Oswald later tel:phoned her at the Consulate number that she gave him. 705/ | The Central Intelligence Agency had relied on Duran's | statements but had deleted Juran's description of Oswald as blonde and short. 706/ It iad also excised Duran's statement-- "The only aid she could giv: Oswald was advising that he see the Soviet Consul, and calling the person in charge. of that office" which alluded to Oswald asking for some type of aid at the Cuban Consulate. 707/ In addition, Ms. Duran's strong state- ment "He never. called her back" 207a/ was changed to "she does not recall whether. or not Oswald later telephoned her at the aa Consulate number that she have him. 707b/ Had the statements been. included, the Warren Commission's conclusions would not have seemed as strong. . The Warren Commissicn staff was not completely satis- fied with Ms. Duran's ten page signed statement obtained by the Mexican authorities. k. David Slawson wrote: We then discussed. .the oroblem of {inter- viewing) Silvia Duran. We pointed out that our only interest ir. witnesses (in Mexico) other than Duran was to get their formal testi- mony for authenticaticen ourposes...Tnis was not true of Duran, ftowever, because she had been interviewed only by the Mexican police Classifications oko! RW 48327 Docld:32263889 Page 253 |
Classification: 3 = 197 ow Pitt So cae dd Gar (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controllee documents. and we considered that interview inadequate... (I should point out that we do not consider ~ it totally inadequate, however. It is onl on details such as Oswald's physical appearance, side comnents or remarks he may have made, etc., that we would like to interrogate Mrs. Duran further. On the essential point of whether or not his con- tacts. with the Embassy consisted of anything . Other than an attempt to travel to Cuba, Silvia Duran's knowladge has probably been exhausted.) 708/ ° The Warren Commission staff's attempts to inter- view Ms. Duran never succeeded. 709/ Ms. Duran was not interviewed by Americans until 1976, when two reporters from the Washington Post interviewed her. 710/ On dune 6, 1978, representatives of the House Select Committee con. Assassinations interviewed Ms. Duran in Mexico City. VI. Information not available at the time of the Warren Commission investigation A. Silvia Tirado (nee Duran) 1. House Select Committee on Assassinations €/€/78 Interview of Silvia Tirado _ Ms. Tirado (Silvia divorced Horatio Duran in 1968) a. =. =A ~=aa ww — “Qe. “8 Gien were, . Was never questioned by American officials in 1963. Thus, _ the Committee established contact with the Mexican gcvern- ment and requested that the Mexican government make : . Silvia Tirado available for an interview. 711/ The Mexican FP 2000903 Classification: TAD Rene. — ~333 5 HW 48327 Docld:32263889 Page 254
Classification: (This form is.-to be used for material extracted from ClA—controllec. documents.) eur ennennnan Cana ore ~ Pew government complied on 6/6/78. Ms. Tirado told the House . Select Committee on- Assassinations the following: Lee Harvey Oswald visited the Cuban Consulate three times on September 27, 1963, i twice as the Warren Com- mission previously reported. 712/ © Oswald first visited ‘the Cuban Consulate at approximately 11:00 a.m., requesting an intransit visa to Cuba with Russia as the final destina- tion. 713/ He showed her some documents, then left to obtain photographs needed for his application. M4/ Oswald returned at approximately l: 00 p.m. with - four photographs. 715/ Ms. Tirado typed the application © in duplicate, stapled a picture.on top of each and had Os- wald sign each in her presence. 716/ As identification, Oswald showed | her documents he had brought: his Russian labor card, marriage certificate with the name of his Russian wife, his American communist Party membership card and his "Fair Play for Cuba’ membership card. 717/ Ms .Tirado found Lee Harvey Oswald! s behavior Suspi- cious because normally a Conmunist traveled only with his | passport as belonging to th: Communist. Party was Viegal in Mexico in 1963. 718/ There #as a procedur: whereby the American Communist Party would arrange visa ma: ters for their members with the Classifi UCCSION: ces ee _. 2CCOSE? - oe aa ad AEE gus e fhe, NW 48327 Docld:32263889 Page 255
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted from CliA—<controlled documents.) — z a - WO3 - Cuban Communist Party. 719/ The American would then come to Mexico, visit the Cuban Consulate, and receive | his visa immediately. 710/ When. Tirado asked Oswald why “he did not have the American Communist Party arrange his trip. to Cuba, he stated tha: he had not had the time. 721/ | After explaining to \swald that he had to acquire ‘a Russian visa before he could receive a Cuban visa, Tirado. jotted her name and busines; phone number on a piece of paper and gave it to Oswald who then left to get his Rus-: sian visa. 722/ | Oswald returned to the Cuban Consulate between ' §:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.; which was after normal working hours, 10:00 to 2:00 p.m. '/23/ The guard called Tirado, stating that someone who didnot speak Spanish was at the gate inquiring about a visa. 724/ As routine procedure, she asked the guard to esco-t the individual to her office. 725 Oswald told her that he had acquired a Russian visa. 726/ Since he did not produce it when asked, she called the Russian Consulate. 727/ Th Consul told Duran that Oswald. had been to. the Consulate raquesting a vis2 and had been told that the reply would trike approximately four menths. 728/ _When she relayed the messac: to Scwaid, he got very excited, a —inststing that as a perscn vho aac Seen in jail because Classifi cation: _ a Z : N LI 2 NW 48327  Docld:32263889 Page 256
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) Ta my ON FS eae of the Cuban Revolution he : should receive. a visa. 729/ Oswald stated that he could not wait that long because. his Mexican visa ‘expired in three days. 730/ At this | point, Ms. Tirado informed tonsul Eusebio Azcue of the situation. 731/ Azcue had heen in his private office which he shared with his upcoming replacement, Alfredo | Mirabal. 732/ Azcue polite’ y explained the requisites for an intransit visa to Oswald. 733/ When he noticed that Oswald was a stubborn man he told Oswald that he was obviously not a friend wf the Cuban revolution be- cause he would otherwise understand that Cuba had to be extremely careful with the people it allowed in the coun- try. 734/ Azcue and Oswald. yelled at each other. 735/ Then Azcue went to the door. opened ait and asked- Oswald. to leave. 36/ ° Oswald did Hot revisit or telephone the Consulate. 737/ Ms. Tirado described Lee Harvey Oswald as approximately five feet «ix, with sparse blonde hair weighing about 125 . pouncs. 738/ 2. CIA information net available at the time of | the Warren Commission investigation a. LIRTNG/ 2 abieg: tinn in 1967 @ report thai Silvia Duran had had intimate _ Pelations with. tee poet Sewald came to the attention ‘Classi ication. Eob s MPr cer Bate ll by derivericn: NW 48327  DocId:32263889 Page 257. ~~
Classification: . (This form is to be used for material extracted _ from ClA—controlled documents.) Sy A/T. | | | = CEPR Ming! rae Vn? SEGHE ti of the Central Intelligecne Agency’ s Mexico City Station. 739/ The source, . LIRING/3, state: that.he had recently re- ceived a call: ‘from Silvia Duran, 740/ A telephone tap on LIRING/3' $ telephone con* “irmed that Silvia ‘Duran had called LIRING. 741/ LIRING’3 reported that he had visited Silvia to renew acquiaintancees. 742/ During the visit, Duran told LIRING/3 that sh» had met Lee Harvey Oswald | at the Cuban Consulate when he applied for a visa and “had dated him on several oc::asions. 743/ Duran admitted. that she had had intimate relations with Oswald, but in- sisted that she had no idea of his plans. 744/ In addi- tion, Duran told LIRING/3 tiat when the news of the as- sassination became public knowledge, the Mexican govern- ment arrested her and durin the interrogation beat her until she admitted that she had had an affair with Lee Harvey Oswald. J45/ Rowton 746/ counseled LIRING/3 against any further contact with Duran because the Cubans or the Mexican police might become suspicious of him. 747/ There is no indication in Rowton's report as to why con- tact with Silvia would make the Cubans suspicious. . The ¢ TA Hexice City otation reported this informa- ticn te Headquarta First, thet Silvia Ouran had sexual intercourse . Clossifi ication: 26203842 : : qj 2 . : | BADR HW 48327 Docla: 32263889 ‘Page 253
7 Classification rd = (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) mis re fe Ayo a . in at ye with Lee Harvey Oswald on several necastons when the latter was in Mexico is probably new, but adds little-to the Oswald case. Second, the Mexican police did not report the extent of the Duran-Oswald. relationship: to this Station. 749/ In ‘the chronology of the Mexico City investigation of Oswald Raymond Rocca notes: "Why didn't .Mexico police give us all info?" 750/ - This was not the first report of such a relationship between Oswald and Duran. Elena.Garro had reported the same information. to Charles Thomas in 1965. 751/ | That the Mexican government did not disclose all the information in its possession to ‘American authorities raises one of three possibilities: 1) the Mexican government did not want to disclose that one of its citizens had had intimate rela- tions with the assassin of John Kennedy; or 2) Silvia Duran was a Mexican penetration agent . in the Cuban Consulate and the Mexican govern- ment, was protecting its informant by minimizing her relationship with Oswald; or 3) they forgot, 7.€., &@ pure ara simple mistake. NW 48327 Docld:322963889 Page 259 - 196 - Mth 3 BLS Ome
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted .from ClA—<controllec documents.) _ ak ~ : . . oe at be é b. The possibility that Silvia Duran was an | agent for either American, Mexican or Cuban Intelligence Since the publication of the Warren Commission Report in September 1964, critics have written about the ’ possibility that Silvia Duran was an intelligence agent for either the Americans, Mexicans or Cubans. | 1) Was Silvia Duran in agent, asset or source for Mexican or Am2rican intelligence? In an effort to resolve this question, the House - Select Committee on Assassi vations reviewed the United States investigative agenci:s' files on Silvia Duran. 752/ The Committee found no evidence in this file review that Silvia Duran was either an \merican or Mexican intelli- gence agent. 7 | In addition, the Comaittee has interviewed most of the Mexico City Station »mployees about the possibility. Only David Phillips, Chief of Covert Action and the Cuban Section in the Mexico City itation in 1963, a position which made him very knowledteabie; considered that Guran was possibly an agent or source. Mr. Phillips stated that 1 fae NW 48327 DoclId: 32263869 Page 260 Be
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted from ClA—controlled documents.) - (98 - oe , "at one time the agency pitched 753/ almost éveryone at the Cuban Embassy." 754/ Mr. Phillips stated that: he had first heard Duran's 1ame from the telephone intercept transcripts. 755/ But Mr. Phillips asserted that the CIA had no interest in Ms. Duran because "she wasn't friendly with anyone.” 756/ Mr. Phillips had previously mentioned the CIA Mexico City Station's in- terest in recruiting a form2r Cuban Ambassador to Mexico named Lechuga. 757/ Mr. Phillips was shown a memorandum written by W. David Slawson of the Warren Commission staff regarding a trip to Mexico sy Warren Commission staff members which said: Mr. Scott's (Chief of the CIA Station in Mexi- co City) narrative disclosed that the CIA's action immediately after the assassination con- Sisted basically of alerting all its confiden- tial sources of information throughout Mexico: to immediately channel all information into their headquarters, and of compiling as com- plete dossiers as possible on Oswald and every- one else throughout Mexico who at that time the CIA knew had had some contact with Oswald... This meant especially Silvia Duran, who because she had previously been having an affair with Lechusa, the former Cuban Ambassador to Mexico and presently the Cuban representative at the United Nations, had previously been of substan- tial interest to the CIA... 7538/7 Mr. Philtips was surprised by this and stated that. "No one jet me in on this operation." 759/ But Classification: wale NW 48327 BocId: 32263889 Page 261
Classification: . (This form is #0 be used for material extracted | from CliA-<controllec! documents.) mS ~ Mr. ‘Philips added ‘that he doubted that Duran would a | have: been pitched because the Station could not identify any of her weaknesses. The Committee staff members then | told Mr. Phillips about the reporting on file concerning Ms. Duran from one of the Station's penetration agents, LITAMIL/9, at the Cuban Embassy. At one point LITAMIL/9_ _had reported to his case officer that all that would have to be done to recruit Ms. Duran was to get a blonde, blue-eyed American in bed with her: 761/ With this, Mr. | Phillips said that it did indeed sound as if the Station | had targeted Ms. Duran for recruitment, that the Station's interest had been substantial, and that the weaknesses and means had been identified. Z62/ Mr. Phillips pointed out, however, that because Duran had been targeted did not necessarily mean that she had been pitched. 763/ | ‘In addition, he stated that he had never heard ‘that Duran had been pitched. 764/ — , | Mr. Phillips did state that he would expect that Ms. Duran' $ file at the CIA would be "very thick" because of all the telephone intercepts that concerned her and : the substantial interest that the Station haa in her. 765/ He stated that much of the naterial in her file should predate the assassination. 766/ Mr. Phillips stated that. Classification: 2000642 NW 48327 Docld:32263889 Page 262
acaoat? he = | Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted — ' from ClA—controllec| documents.) ae - 200 -. Th? as ey 7 Fy he would be very surprised if Ms. Duran's 201 file was small and contained only a few pre-assassination docu- ments. 767/ This is in fact the case of the Headquarters 201 file. 768/ “This Committee has asked the CIA to make Ms. Duran's Mexican wn 169/ (personality) file available for review. The CIA informed the Committee that there _ was no "Pp" file available on Ms. Duran. 770/ Another CIA employee, Dan Neiscuir; who worked on an "Oswald Task Force" in late September or early October of 1975 dealing. with Freedom of Information Act aw suits brought against the Agency concerning the files on Lee. Harvey Oswald, stated that he believed that Ms. Duran may. have been a source of information for either the CIA cr the Mexicans. 771/ Mr. Nefiscuir could not recall why he specifically had this recollection, but thought that it was due to something he hac seen in Oswald's file. 772/ He said that it may have been the Agency's attempts to ' protect Ms. Duran after the assassination and the heavy cable traffic that those attempts generated that led him to his inference that she was a scurce of information for either the ‘Agency or. the Mexicans. 7173/— - Despite LIRING/3!s case officer's asking LI®inxa/3 not to recontact Ms. Duran, te oR pe btttenents: an ‘Classification: icaasetse ee Sc NW 48327 Docld:32263689 Page 263 en
“NW 48327 Classification: ' (This form is to. be used for material extracted oe? e from ClA—controllec documents.) Pe are atl : - 201 oe i St | Mr. Nefscuir's hazy recollections, WO se cannot definitely resolve whether Silvia Duran was a Mexican or American intelligence agent or source. (2) was Silvia Duran a Cuban intelligence agent? In an effort to resolve this question, the HSCA reviewed the United States investigative agencies' files on Silvia Duran. 774/ The committee found no evidence in the files that would indicate that Ms. Duran was associated. with Cuban intelligence. In addition, the HSCA interviewed most of the Mexi- co City Station employees ayout the possibility that Duran worked for Cuban intelligen:e. Only. Barney Hidalgo, a CIA officer who travelled t> Mexico City in 1963, considered the possibility to be likely. 775/ Mr. Hidalgo, professing not to remember all the details, stated that he. thought that Duran was a Cuban intelligence agent. 776/ Hidalgo said: . '. At the time when thi; contact told me,of Silvia Duran 2 tied the two together, yes, sir. I don't know, iow at that time it was obvious to me as an inteiligence agent ' that there was some connection there but it was of no interes: whatsoever ta me, I do remember that wien I next saw this contact of mine I meitioned the fact to him and let him proc2ed to do whatever fe _ Classification: 8 20C0913. DocId:32263889 -Page 264
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted sy BES from ClA—controlled documents.) » 202 = “wanted to. 777/ Mr. Hidalgo further tated that he never resolved the issue. 178/ | | With no corroboratin4 evidence for Mr. Hidalgo's Memory, the Committee must :onclude that Silvia Duran was probably never employed by Cuban Intelligence. B. The Cubans 1. Eusebio Azcue .opez . When Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly visited the Cuban Consulate, Eusebio Azcue Lovez, a. Cuban citizen, was the Cuban Consul. 779/ Because he had diplomatic immunity, the Cuban government had never been asked to make him ‘available for questioning. 780/ The Committee, in an ef-— fort to investigate Oswaid's contact - with representatives of the Cuban government, asked the Cuban government to make Eusebio Azcue availabis for Committee and staff inter- views. 781/ The Cuban government complied with the Commit-— tee's request on April 1, 1978. 782/ — . During that interview, Mr. Azeue alleged that the man Jack Ruby shot in the Saitas Potice Station was not the same individual WG had visited the Cuban Consulate. -3n.1963. 783/ In addition, #r. Azcue stated that Alfredo ae Classification: -— 2s" 4 eg t 2ccost) —— Pa NW 48327 Docld:32263889. Page 265 - Oo oe ek
the Committee's request. Classification: a a ao. * . OO a Peer (This form is to be used for material extracted — rik sh a 4 from CliA—controlled documents.) ne et “A ce CA) or ha a wh 4 Tye . Mirabal, who in September. 1963, had recently arrived from Cuba to assume the Consul's duties, had also been present during Oswald's visit. 784/ During a second ‘trip to Cuba, the Committee interviewed Alfredo Mirabal. 785/ Subsequent to this second t‘ip to Havana, the Committee asked the Cuban government: :o make Eusebio Azcue and Alfredo Mirabal available for the public hearings on Sep- tember 18, 1978. 786/ The “cuban government complied with Eusebio Azcue Lopez :old the House Select Committee on Assassinations ata publ ic hearing on 9/18/78 the following: | ~An individual who gave the name Lee Harvey Oswald visited the Cuban Consulate on three occasions in late September 787/ and early Oc-ober 1963. 788/ The indivi- dual first visited the Cuban Consulate during working hours, - requesting an intransit visa to Cuba with Russia as the final destination. 739/ The man showed the secre- tary, Silvia Ouran, sotie documents F89a/ which he believed wourd-be sufficient to obtain a visa. 7895/ When the secretary would noe Grant him a visa, the man asked Azcue to sea whether upon examina:ion of the documents | he could : re NTT, AST penae7 | Classification: ee - Chasstied by derivation: Bocld:32263889 Page 266 aww ae en) ae. =e. [saa See. ee. Te a, &
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted — . from ClA—controllei documents.) pe RT oe ET spat) Ey eds | grant him a visa. 789c/ Azcue answered negatively. T89d/— The individual then left tc obtain photographs needed for his application: 789e/ . | _ The man probably returned on September 27, 1963 789f/ with the photographs and ccmpleted the applications © in Ms. Duran's presence. 78¢4/ As the amount of time re- quired to process this document could have taken as long as twenty: days. or the respcnse could have been negative, Azcue told the man that he could grant him an intransit visa to Cuba, without consulting his government, if he had a Russian visa. 789h/ The individual then left to attempt to obtain his Russian visa. 789i/ . After the man left the Cuban Consulate, Azcue re- The Soviet Consul explained that the man's documents _ were legitimate, but that the Soviet Consulate could not issue a visa until ft received authorization from Moscow. 791/ _ Emphasizing that the Cuban Consulate never re- ceived visitors after working hours 792/ Mr. Azcue opined that the individual probabty returned to the Consulate on September 28,. 1963. 793/- When Azcue explained to Oswald that he could not grant him a visa, the man made statements directed against Cuba and called Cuba a Classification...) a os: ceived a telephone cal] 789 j/ from the Soviet Consulte. 790/ — 2060324 ) on eo. ee tas Tye pee 8 os ome 1S 2 aot ot ed BW 48327 DocId:32263889 Page 267 |
Classification: (This form is to be used for material extracted . qe GE ae from ClA—controlled documents.) tg 7 205 - , bureaucracy. 794/ At that noint, Azcue became upset and asked the individual to leave the Consulate. 195/ Oswald did not revisit the Consula:e. 796/ Mr. Azcue described che man who visited the Consu- late as follows: a white male, between 5'6" and 5! 7, over 30 years of age, very chin long face, with straight eyebrows and a cold Took in his eyes. 797/ Azcue alleged that he would never have idintified Lee Harvey Oswald as the man who visited the Cubin Consulate in 1963. 2. Alfredo Mirabal Diaz “Alfredo Mirabal Diaz told the House Select Committee on Assassinations, at a public hearing on 9/18/78, T97A/ the! following: | | . Lee Harvey Oswald, seeking a visa, visited the ‘Cuban Consulate twice 798/. in September 1963, 799/ Since ‘Mirabal could not speak Engiish though he was the new Con- sul,’ ex-Consul Azcue handle J the matter. 800/ On both occasions there were such Jud arguments between Oswald and Azcue that Mirabal tnoujht that the man's visit to the Consulate was a case of provocation. 8Ci/ Though Miratal caugh: only glimpses or the man he opined that the person wiose picture apbears on Lee Classification: a : -2ncos22 a 7 “a Gra EEA. =a Ga. [, WE, SER. a. ae ae, EEE. it~ Classified by decharsior: HW 48327 DocId:32263889 . Page 268