(tod-t0177-10187 | Creney | ROFOAN COMCETD COUTRA | : 14 Septenter 1962 \ 21 Assiatant Chief of Staff, Intelligence Department of the Army Atta: ISR z FROMs Interagency Source Register GUBYECT: PANEQUE Bastista, Victor  (SD-10237) i aka: PANZQUS y Batista, Victor Manuel | i DIEGO Paneque, Major i Comandant BIBGO (var name) ; : 1. Reference is mda to the request dated 6 Angust! 1942, i subject aa above, whose sama you desired checked against the files of this office. The files contain the following infor~ mation concerning the subject of your request. 2. Ynformtion provided by an untested gourcs ou 15 GSepe tesbar 1960 indicated that Yieter Manuel PANEQIZ matista (war nama Comandante DIEGO) was about §°6" tall, weighed about 180 pounds, ami had @ ecolid muscular bulld, light complexion; sandy hair aod grey eyes. gubject wag a friendly, eieple, but aprar- ently very ehrewl and determined individual of boundless energy. Subject was born in Holguin, Oriente Provinces, Cuba, on 22 Gep- tenber 1918. His formal education was short. Prom 1934 until 1g9k2 Gublect worked as a farn-hend together with hie father. Is 1942 Subject bad four moatha of military training at Escuela sMilitar, Managua, Cuba, and then served two yoars ag on infantry private at the Military Bosa, Moragua, Province of Bavana, Cuba. ; Released fron ullitary service in October 1944, he founl employ- . ment as a waiter and bertender im various bar-rooms in Holguin. ' Ee vorkwd in this field wmtil 13 Octoder 1956, the lest five years of this period as a bartender in the Cabaret Cusana Club, Holguin. ; while still employed at this Club, fubject joined the 26th July : Hovement of Fidel CADIRO, and waa appointed chief of all clandestine : activity against tho BATISTA regime for the Horthern Coast’ of Oriente . Province. Subject ws arrested by the police of Bayemo, Oriente | SECRET ROFORN CouTaiees coral
14-00000 ‘for trataing of a moderna rural police force. Subject proposed ‘te: Nana | ab KIER Dak 3 SOE - Province, gentenced to ane vear in prison by the Tribunal ef Gane siago de cuba for owspiracy against the BATISTA regime. fy served his sentence and was relesead on 22 Nowusber 1957. Subject wag arrested the following day by the Murica de Guerra of Balabane, . Baveana Province, but released aguin four days later. Oa 27 Rovember 1957 he was appointed by the Castro orgaafcation, “Jefe de Accion” (Political action, sabotage and violent assaults) for the Province of las Villas. In this capacity, Subiect organized a "Front* on tbe Korth Coast of Las Villas, called Columa Ho. 1) Marcelo Salado. “Colusa Ho. 1" operated in tha Sierra Baburanao (North Coast of las Villag) witil beginning of October 1955, when Che GUEVARA and Camilo CIENPUWIOS vith their colums entered the province. In Octeber 1955, Gubject wag “Jefe de Accion” for the Provinces of Pinar del Rio, Havana and Matanzas. Tn this capacity, Subject crymnized Rebel Arwy unite in the’ mountain areas of Pinar del Aico, the Central area . of Matanzas and the area Bust of Havana. This operation lasted. two. months (November and Docember 1959). From 1 to 15 January 1959; Subject's Headquarters was located at the Sports Palace ef Eavana ani vhen Fidel CASTRO entered the City, Subject turned over full control of the eity to hia leader. On 15 January 1959, Subject was appointed Chief of the Revolutionary Army 5th Kilitery District of Havana. Ee beld this yost for 22 days. Then (beginning of March 1959) he was made “Jefe del Onlan Publico en el Estado Mayor del Eiercito Revelde” (Chief of Public Order in the Gensral Staff of the Rebel Army). In April 1959, Fidel CASTRO appointed Subject to the post of Chief of the Rural Police for thy eutire national territary, He was given full authority to set up ani organize military schools: Pidel CASTRO the idea of organisicg the Cubac Rural Police oa. the pattern of the Royal Censdian Mounted Police. In July 1959, Subjeét established the first Rural folice Training School at the Finca Saa Jacinto in Babia Honda, Province of Pinar del Rio. Subject stated that none of the instructars tad been agsceiated with the Cormunist Party of Cuba. Subject held cue posts of Chief of Public Order and. concurrently Chief of the Rural Police froa beginsing of April. 1959 witil 9 November 1959. Eowever, tovard the end of Octebar 1959, Fidel CASTRO, thoroughly disillusioned with tho anti-cocmmist po} litieal attitude demonstrated by staff and students of the Bahia Borda Rural Police treining school, dissolved it, assigned the staff teaching jobs at Peasant Militia schools end transferred the stulente to Rebel Aray unite from yhich they bad been detached. ‘This decision — - - was preceded by maserove Violeut arsgusents betveen Bubject and Fidel CASTRO and. convinced Subject that CASTRO was following the Cammmist oo attvab yee pit +) tea whens
14-00000 HOPORN CORTE co Tkot line. Om 9 Kovember 1959, Subject, ma removed from his post ag Chief of Public Order end Chief of Rural Police. He wg given a “oomleion &e eervicio” and appointed Administrator General of the Coente , Inter~<ericana", a. truck transport saterprise covering about 70% of all Cuban truck transport requirements. Gubdject held this position until 29 August 1960. On 1 Septenber 1960 this enterprise was dis- solved and a new ono, called “sulleree Nacionales” set up in ite place. @ubject was mde Ceneral Aderinistrator of thie enterprise. Is spite of his prominent pouitdon, Dubject decided to leave his coun- try and go to the United States. Ho escaped by & amall boat and vas picked up by au American Tankor after drifting for fourteen hours. Ye gave no explanation for his sudden decision except to say that he ———-4id not agree with the Commaiot trend of Cuban politics. Subject claimed to be the leader of Movimiento Insurrectional de Recoupsrasion (HIRR - Insurrection Movement for the Recovery of the Revolution) in Guba. This Movement allegadly was founded in las Villas Province by Doctor Orlando BORSCH (BOaCH) and sudject in 1999. At the beginning of september 1960 it Joined the Alinnza de Liberucioa which was organe ized in the United States by Doctor Luis CONTE Aguerro with Gubject's assistance. 3. According to a report dated 21 Egptanber 1960, froma fairly raliable source, Sibject trisd to give thea impressica that he vas against the CAXIRO governeent but in reality wis « Cuben goverment. SEAN . 4, Acconting to a report dated 6 October 1960 prepared by . another offices of this agency, mesbers of the Stwient group at the. Uhiversity of Havana reported the presence in Miam{ of two CABERO “Flants” eaid to be Departamente Investigativo del ESjercite Revoe lucionario (DTZ) agants. One of these vas Subject. The informetdon in this report cage from a United States national with business cone facta in the Latin American area. . 5. An wievaluated report dated 13 March 1962, indicated that Subject was the organizer of a hunger strikes group ami was the first | speaker at @ rally to urge the United States to give area to exiled Cubans. He advised the audience that the “fimger Strike to Peath™ had taken place to show the President of the United States, that Cubana wers willing te die im exile if their right to defend Cuba from Come | “remisn was denied. & For additional information concerning Subject, you are rae ferred to: a. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau Pile Mo. 105-92195. a u sepa ¢ Bs 1 AR NR BA ees
14-00000 HEFETH CONTIEN CONTA bd. Borarteent of State Incoming Telegran from Bavana Ho. 160%, dated 6 October 190 (io additions] documsntation \ available). . @e Inntgrution aad Raturnlization Service (Mo additional documentation available). & Department of the Arwy massage froa USARMA, Havana, Cuba MR; C-212, duted 3 Saptember 1960, and USARMA, Havana, Guba HR: C-210, dated 13 Geptenber 1960. @. Office of Haval, Intelligence. f. Washington Post newspaper, Bunday issue dated 12 June 1960, Cg wagaaine gection "Perede”, article titled “foldfer of J | & Washington Post newspaper, Sunday issuo dated 10 May 1961, ; eagneise section “Parade”, article titled "We Will Piniteh 7. se Interagency Source Register indicates that there is no curreut operational interest in Bubject. OP? 8. Para. 7 confirms telecon of 7 August 1962 Between Mieg ard Mes. Taylor of your office. LER-G7s2 a Based on: 201-26630# : COs UL fhi'a 15 of ~& seed an yore Gers) gered