404-10179-40017 CGBTAC? REPORT SUBJECT: Meeting with Manuel RAY, 15 Bovenber 1960, at a Motel in Hooseteed 3 Plorida ; i. Fhe meeting wee held in the aboveenamed plece because, at that particular time, Kanwel Rey vee still “under wrapa” and we did nos want to take any chances of having him epotted in Miami. Manuel Rey and bis wife had been drives from Tampa by “Ray Ademe* (Ray Dubois) to the abore« mamed motel; J bad previously called Ray on the telephone from Bew York et bie Pampe reaidence and told him that I would meet hia on 15 Bovenbder. The meeting began at 2100 hours and lasted until about 0130 the pext day. 2. The highlights of this meeting vere reported in MAGH-l694, 17 Rovenber, copy of vhich fe attached. The following paragraphs are in elaboration of this message. poss 3. During this first weeting, ay intem: was to ‘entediich ‘Pajport, —_ probe into Ray's political thirking, and, by reiterating previously asde stetements on the Bender groop‘s willinmess to support the MEP, to ~ establish the Bender group ag @ private contacto definitive for antie Castro activities. In line with this, kept the meeting purposely . eg en “axchense of views" sesaion, avoiding eny controversy, but at oe ’ ' the eames tine, indicating some curprise and some bewilderment over eone . of Ray'a statensnts. &. broughout the conversation, Ray clearly etresseé his great belief in eivil Liberties, individual freedom, and bie poeition as a : oe Cuban, and also hemiepheric, nationaliet. On a number of occasicas, be : ~ etressed the point that soot Likely sowe of the solutions he proposed - for the poot-Castro period, wight. be viewed by se with sone Glegivings. -.... Don't you believe, be asked, that vhat fe importent to the econony of. the: WU. &. te not necessarily taportant to the econoay of Cubaf - Don'¢ yo oo. mo . think that the Anericen trend of democracy, which works odudrably- fa Se Cote your country, ie not necessarily applicebdle in ite totality in Cobar” S. Ray reiterated, Ca @ nunber of occasions, that be vented to ge od beck to 1 January 1959. Re was quite firm o- a8, reported. isi the: above- wee pontioned eable == on the need of the matiomalisatiog of public. etilitioa;: : when asked about the agrarian reforw and, in thie compection, what woold = oa 7 beppen to Castro-seised Ameriven ranches, he sald that’ lend distribution = > - ' and ownerehip by indiviéeal firas of land so parce Lied out, vould be a : goal of his governments the criteria on whether or not American-omed , vanehes would be returord to their owners, wore currently being worked os ot Nees | He eRe «ea oP we
14-00000 wee out by Felipe Pasos.’ (CENT: I gained the impression thet theee fenches might not be returned.) 6.  renliy shoved some surprise when Ray said that be vould not make the 1940 Constitution the basis for bis future government. hie iesue game up in the following manner; 2 agke) Ray vbether or not he eould work »« either by joining or by affiliating -- with the PRD, and when his enewer - was in the negetive, I posed the question of vhat were the ereas of - agree i went and of disagreement between him and the FED. Ray eaid that he had not ae yet talked tu Tony Varona but thet he would feel that there could be agreement on a number of pointe: first, to get rid of Castro} second, that there should be civil liberties and dndivicual freedom. He said that perhaps the area of disagreement was considerably greater: he eould nut secept the 1940 Constitution as the basis for Cuba's political life in the future. Odviously, some provisions of the Constitution vould be retained but especially provisiona for electoral procedures would have +o be changed radically? the current provisions are festering corruption ané feather-bedding, and are not responsive to the will of the people. Questions of nationalization and other economic matters would have to be dealt with more thoroughly in the Constitution. Another point of Gig~, aes agreeaent with the FRD is the fact that it was linked too euch: with: she peat. The FRD, Ray eaié, ie really T:ny Varona, Of the. five; only one of any true importance amongst the current Executive: Com tte: . g@cmbereay Corrillo has always been very close to the MRP political posture, ané Artime ie a yound fire-brani without too much braina; the reset of the FRD Executive Committee sewbers are nice people individually, but Verona ie the man to reckon with, How, there is nothing wrong with Yarona pere . sonallyy be is a sincere, patriotic Cuban who haa and ‘deserves respect. te : ' Hovever, Varona is inseparably Linked with the corruptnese of the Prio. a regima although he, Verona, 1a undoubtedly a completely honest nen. In addition, Varena, whether he wants to or not, is a symbol of the past and. outdated political and sconomle philosophy of the Prio regime... I¢ is impossible for the KAP to bave any dealings with or any Links: fo that past. . = % asked Rey what hie position to the Soviet /chicon block. Cl be after Castro's demise. One of cur basie concepts, Ray ends 5: 4a to. trade wherever it will be beneficial for us) beneficial: does not. uean - to tie our economy to that of the Boviet block. We arg quite avare_ that. cur future ie linked to oor great Horth American neighbor, - Rowever 5° seeb link cam not sean deminetion or should imply any exclusiveness. Ue Rust | beilé up our hard eurrency position sé that we-can trade wherever we want to. You Americans underestizate the atrong: ‘feeling of pationalisa throughout Latin Americas Don't use the Marites] Don't invade! fhie ~ revolution bas to be generated from the insise. We need. Averiean help _ but this belp wust be without strings attached. Asbaseador Bonsal and og Jiu Hoel prosised us thie help, and your, Bender's, dealings vith HRP . , representatives here wade us very bopeful, but if we can not get this aié,- ve will proceed on our own. We ore certain that ve will win, but if we
14-00000 “3- have te die in failure ~- eo be it? I¢ wan at this point when Rey complained bitterly about our hendling of the Gineslo Waleh effeir, Sineeio Valsh was lcoking for arma. He, Ray, was eager to build ap hie organization and. therefore to draw people like Walsh into hie circle. One of the means to 60 thie was, of course, to make Waleh dependent on bis, Ray's, ability to furnish military equipment. Walsh nade @ request for arme te Rayj Ray ehanneled this request to hie American contacts in avena in the antielpation -that bs, Ray, would be given the credit by Weleh of having éelivereé the goode. Whee happened, however, vas that Plinio Prieta, who had been trained in America, made contact with Walsh and aseured him that support would be forthcoming from a source other than Ray. This, Ray continued, vas, in@ dication that the Americans vanted to split away the Waleh-group- from , Ray’s influence. I indicated no knowledge about thie affair but poor the conclusion drawn from it by Ray. & After thie political discussion, Ray elucidated on peychological aspeets of the MRP work; we are revolutionaries, ond thus we emet retain, at all tises, a lean and hungry look. Each one of us, Begardless of the level of our activities, suet have a feeling of personal. ‘Peaponaibilitys from we down to the plein ecok, wo must have opecific. ‘ganks, ‘assigned: 4o as to do and each cf us must recognize that we will bs held responsible | for the suecese or failure of the specific mission assigned to ve. Tus, for dnetence, wa can oot be satisfied just to accept moneys ve must engage in fund-raising drives here and in Cabs. These drives might not tring in wach and hopefully, Bender wil) sake up the difference, bat the individual funderalsers will have a feeling of accomplishment and will. Bot et ‘fat end ' epdlent and lasy. . Q@. Above concluded the over-all ¢lecussion and some ¢etailed questions were asked by Rey. Could be bave $25,000 by next woek? (2. couitted | $10,000.) Could be engage in a fundraising activity in the U. 8.2 (I tenporized.) Could be have prees conferences? (I said, why not?) Could he have redio tine? (I said, perbepe.) Could he get militaryaid? (7 eaié yee, provided our criteria for furnishing suéh ald would be met, and. - X repeated, at thet point, ay view that there could be nO. Gupifcation of effort.) Ray old me thet the chief of the MRP in Gubs was a chap by the nane of (fnu) {Cisneros} Ee told ns who do-cerrently to 06. Spain, would .p & é@meiderable role 7) yo: varfore activities. © . 10, The meeting closed vith our underotnding ‘that we wonte iaiet again os withia the next tve weeks, - - ee waP/ptg (19 How 60) . Lo. . Distridetions , © = CR Pile vi « Kanuel Ray dossier : : ; io RP 1 = C/amanc/oPe 216K