14-00000 SECRET é 25 November 1963. : (Date of dissemination) . Headquarters disseminates information on-Silvia DURAN to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. . . {DIR 84950, 25 November 1963; Subject: Silvia, T. DURAN, Mexican Employee of the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City, Con- tact with Lee OSWALD. ] 25 November 1963 Silvia DURAN returned to her office. She seemed quite please with her performance. Her account of the interroga- tion contained little new except that the police had threa- tened her with extradition to the United States to face OSWALD. She had no fear of a confrontation with him. [MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963. ] 25 November 1963 . —— . a The FBI interviewed Salvador DIAZ Verson (on an unknown date) in Miami. The latter stated that while he was in Mexi- co City from 20 to 29 November 1963, attending the Congress of the International Federation of Professional Newspaper Organization, he was at the offices of the newspaper Excel- sior on the night of 25 November 1963. There he learned through the Mexican press that the Mexican Government had arrested one Silvia DURAN; that DURAN allegedly had OSWALD _ aS a guest in her house during his visit to Mexico; that DURAN placed OSWALD in contact with officials of the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City. DIAZ Verson went on to claim that he was told by Dr. DORRELL Navarros, an exiled Cuban news - paperman employed by Excelsior that OSWALD and DURAN on the day following OSWALD's arrival in Mexico City went to a res- taurant called the Caballo Blanco or possibly the Caballo Bayo where they met an official of the Cuban Embassy. DIAZ Verson claimed he knows nothing about OSWALD and- the Cuban official leaving the restaurant together in a car. (NB: DIAZ Verson was interviewed by the FBI sometime before ll January 1964.) | [Memorandum to Mr. Clarence -A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires a he?
14-00000 aac a. wr ea os . ’ EPO ad_ interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark D. ANDERSON, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win- ston M. SCOTT. ] 26 November 1963 Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters a trans- lation of a conversation between Cuban President DORTICOS in Havana and Ambassador Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas in Mexico City at 0924 hours on 26 November 1963. DORTICOS was concerned whether the Mexicans. had ques - tioned Silvia DURAN about the passage of money to the "Ameri- can". The Ambassador responded that she had not been asked about money. | ae (MEXI-7068 (IN ), 26 November 1963. ] 26 November 1963 _ . “The Cuban Government passes a note to the Mexican Am-— bassador to Cuba, Gilberto BOSQUES, protesting the action of the Mexican police in questioning an employee of the Cuban Consulate in Mexico City about OSWALD's reported application for a Cuban transit visa during his visit. In its note, the Cuban Government had charged that its Consulate's employee, Senora Silvia DURAN, had been detained by the police on 23 November, held in prison until midnight, physically mistreated, and subjected to insinutations about alleged "intimate relations" with OSWALD. The Cuban note Said that this "illegal" investigation corresponded to the plan of reactionaries in the United States who were using President Kennedy's assassination to promote a war policy on the bases of accusations against Cuba and the Soviet Union. Alleging that the Mexican police actions had disregarded the minimum guarantees owed to employees of a consular office, the Cuban note concluded that the incident had damaged the friendly relations between the two countries. [U. S. Embassy Despatch, Mexico City, dated 2 December 1963, despatch no. illegible.] SECRET
14-00000 a SECRET - 13 - SERET Mexico City Station forwards Ambassador's message for 26 November 1963 passing to the Secretary of State, Mr. McCONE, and “Mr. HOOVER. In his message, the Ambassador suggested that the Mexi- cans should rearrest and interrogate Silvia Birado de DURAN "a. Confront Silvia DURAN again with Nicaraguan and have Nicaraguan inform her of details of his Statement to us. along the following lines: "b. Tell Silvia DURAN that she is the only liv- ing non-Cuban who knows the full story and hence she is in the same position as OSWALD was prior to his assassination; her only chance for sur- vival is to come clean with the whole Story and to cooperate completely with the Mexican Govern- ment in return for Mexican Government protection. "c. She will not in any case be allowed to leave Mexico." . The Ambassador asks for immediate instructions on whether "we are authorized to request President LOPEZ Mateos to rearrest and take Silvia DURAN into protective custody. Danger of her disappearance or murder may be immediate and great." [MEXI-7072 (CIN. ), 26 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 Headquarters suggests to the Mexico Station that in lieu of arresting Silvia DURAN, she be placed under close surveillance by CIA ow by Mexican authorities. [DIR 85198, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 : (date of dissemination) Headquarters disseminates information obtained from Silvia Tirado de DURAN to the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion. The dissemination is based upon MEXI-7054 (IN 67378) and MEXI-7065 (IN 67737). [DIR 85222, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 : eee ' At 1215 hours (Mexico time), Luis ECHEVARRIA, acting Minister of Gobernacion, informed the Chief of Station that Silvia DURAN had been rearrested because she was attempting
14-00000 aon to leave Mexico for Cuba. SECRET ff [MEXI-7101 (IN 69948), 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 . Headquarters instructs the Mexico Station that, in light of DURAN's second arrest, Mexican author ities should interrogate Silvia DURAN to the extent necessary to clarify outstanding points which have been raised by your cables during the last 48 hours. Haadquarters goes on to say that the Station may provide questions to the Mexican interroga- tors "but we do not want any Americans to confront Silvia DURAN or be in contact with her.” | [DIR 85318, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 - With reference to DIR 85318 (see above entry), Head- quarters tells the. Mexico Station that it wants to be cer- tain "that there is no misunderstanding between us, we want to insure that neither Sylvia DURAN nor the Cubans gets the impression that the Americans behind her rearrest.| In other words, we want Mexican authorities to take responsibility __for. whole affair." [DIR 85371, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 : (Date of dissemination) Headquarters reports Silvia DURAN's second arrest to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Depart- ment, and the White House. Dissemination based upon MEXI-7101 (IN 69048), 27 November 1963. | [DIR 85471, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters a trans- lation of a second conversation between President DORTICOS and Ambassador HERNANDEZ Armas which took place at 1839. (Mexico time) on 27 November. DORTICOS appeared to be still concerned whether the Mexicans had threatened Silvia DURAN to force her into making a statement to the effect that the
14-00000 é (Cuban) Consulate had given money "to the man - . . that American", The Ambassador responded that at no time had they done such a thing. [MEXI-7097 (IN ), 27 November 1963.] a { 27 November 1963 : | . ( uitaifizss teported that after Silvia DURAN's first ‘arrest it was public knowledge that there was 4 great deal of discussion of this action in the Embassy. [urrasitt/9 | described DURAN as being very intelligent and quick witted. According to source, there was almost no discussion about the assassination in the Embassy, nor did he hear any expressions of pleasure. oe [MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 | : . ; . ’ Headquarters requests Mexico City Station not to take any action to rearrest Silvia DURAN or to arrest others without approval from Washington. [DIR 85178, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 H at ich te . Headquarters suggests to the Mexico City Station that "in lieu of arresting DURAN, she be put under close surveil- ‘lanee by the CIA or by Mexican authorities." [DIR 85198, 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 Headquarters informs the Mexico City Station that the Department of Justice is preparing a report. on the whole as- sassination case and will undoubtedly want to include the detailed data on OSWALD's activities in Mexico. Obviously the telephone tap material cannot be used, but the statements of Silvia DURAN which carry essentially the same import could be used without compromising Mexico Station's sources or re- vealing the nature and extent of your liaison. Therefore re- quest you cable in a translated version of her statements and obtain [official Mexican] permission to use these statements | |
14-00000 SQ - we in the official report, WEPRET, ,cidentatty will be pub- lished. [DIR 95245, 27 November 1963. ] 27 - 29 November 1963 Silvia DURAN was arrested for the second :time on 27 November, interrogated on the 28th, and released on the 29th of November. The interrogation was based: upon ques- tions prepared by the Station and approved by the Legal Attache. | "a. Asked her relations with a number of indivi- duals including some invented names and others registered owners of cars she had been seen in during a January 1963 surveillance. Disclaimed knowledge of all. - ae. "bh, Claimed never a member of the Liga Leninista Espartaco or PFM, inasmuch as she did not agree with ideas of neither except for support of Cuba. "ec. Claimed no affiliation with ICAP, nor connec- tion with the Soviet Embassy which only visited twice, once for GAGARIN - TERESKOVA reception and once at anniversary of Revolution. "d. Remembered OSWALD perfectly and denied he wore glasses. Otherwise no additions to original story. "e. Knew of no re-daired negro in the Cuban Embassy. No new people arrived at the Embassy. around the time of OSWALD's visits. "£. Admitted to.a one two-week trip to Cuba in 1961.. No trips since then and does not plan to go. She de- nied having asked the Ambassador to send her there after her first interrogation." . [MEXI-7364 (IN 79373), 12 December 1963] 28 November 1963 Mexico City Station comments that the second pickup Of Silvia DURAN, which was made on the Government's initia- tive without prior consultation with Station or the U. Ss. Embassy, obviously evidence of a great desire of Mexican authorities to be of service. Immediately after pickup, ECHEVARRIA had received instructions from(LITENSOR|per- Sonally not to release DURAN until Winston SCOTT said so. At Headquarters' request, Chief of Station furnished in- terrogation questions to ECHEVARRIA night of 27 November. _ [NEXI-7118 (IN 69656), 28 November 1963.] an | SECRET ae
14-00000 The Mexico Station advises Headquarters that it is 28 November 1963 sending a photostatic copy of a ten-pase statement bv Silvia DURAN obtained from Luis ECHEVARRIA. Roger T. KINGMAN (P) will carry the document to Washington where he is arriving at Dulles Airport at 0899 on 28 jNovenber iy i 1963. [MEXI-7105 CIN ), 27 November 1963. ] --28 November 1963 In light of DIR 85371, the Station felt it had no. alternative but to inform ECHEVARRIA that neither SCOTT nor the U. S. Government making an official request for DURAN's continued detention. The decision to release her must be theirs (the Mexicans). This was done at 1200 noon (Mexico time) on 28 November. (MEXI-7118 (IN 69656), 28 November 1963.] 28 November 1963 Luis ECHEVARRIA advised the Chief of Station that un- less there are significant developments from the present interrogation of Silvia DURAN )based upon questions furnished by the COS on 27 November) or from the interrogation of Gil- berto ALVARADO, DURAN will be released during the night of 28 November or early morning 29 November. [MEXI-7124 (IN 69676), 28 November 1963.]. 28 November 1963 Luis ECHEVARRIA advised the Chief of Station that the Mexican Government had refused to accept the very rude note of protest handed to the Mexican Ambassador BOSQUES in Havana on 27 November by Raul ROA, the Cuban fdeign minister. | [MEXI-7124 (IN 69676), 28 November 1963.] 28 November 1963 The Mexican Foreign Minister Manuel TELLO announced on 28 November that the Mexican Ambassador to Cuba, Gilberto BOSQUES, had been instructed to return as "unacceptable" the SEGRET
14-00000 Fo + ee | eo SECRET a | Cuban Government' s note of November 26 which had protested the actuon of Mexican police in questioning an employee of the Cuban Consulate in Mexico City about OSWALD's reported application for a Cuban transit visa during his visit. [Embassy Despatch, Mexico City, dated 2 December 1963; DST 28350. ] “| 29 Novemher 1963 ECHEVARRIA advised the Chief of Station early on 29 November that Silvia DURAN had been released again at about 1900. hours (Mexico City time) on 28 November. DURAN is under close surveillance and will be apprehended any time information received warrants such an action.” : She still ap- pears to the Mexicans to have been involved only in busi - ness of possible Cuban and Soviet visas.‘for OSWALD. (MEXI-7125 (IN 70103), 29 November 1963.] 29 November 1963 : (date of dissemination) Headquarters disseminates highlights of official Mexican interrogation of Horacio DURAN Navarro and Silvia Tirado de DURAN. [DIR 85669, 29 NOvember 1963.] 29 November 1963 : (date of dissemination) Headquarters disseminates to the FBI, State Department, and the White House information relating to Silvia DURAN con- tained in MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963. [DIR 85670, 29 November 1963.] 29 November 1963 3 The Chief of Station passes to the Legal Attache a copy of a ten-page Statement of information obtained by the Ministry of Gobernacion during the first detention of Silvia DURAN. _ [Memorandum for Mr. Clark D. _ ANDERSON , Legal Attache, dated 29 } Novenber 1963, from Winston M. SCOTT.]
14-00000 - 19-0 SECRET é Headquarters wants to be sure that Mexico City Sta- 29 November 1963 tion is immediately giving the Legal Attache everything the Station receives from ALVARADO and Silvia DURAN so that the Legal Attache can forward the data directly to| FBI Headquar- ters. If the Legal Attache does not have sufficient commu - nications facilities or staff, he can send his, messages through Agency channels, otherwise, Headquarters will con- tinue to disseminate information to the FBI. Indicate on all cables whether the Legal Attache has been given the same in- formation being reported to Headquarters. [DIR 85712, 29 NOvember 1963.] 29 November 2963 Headquarters disseminates to the Féderal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of State, and the Waite House information relating to Silvia DURAN's (second) release. [DIR 85714, 29 November 1963.] 29 November 1963 : (date of dissemination) Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau of In- . vestigation, the Department of State, and the White House, _.~ @-Yush. translation of a report by the Mexican police of an interrogation of Silvia Tirado de DURAN, her husband, Horacio DURAN Navarro, and others immediately following their arrest on 23 November 1963. [DIR 85758, 29 November 1963. ] ll December 1963 The Legal Attache in Mexico City passes to the Ambassa- dor and to the Mexico Station an FBI memorandum concerning OSWALD's activities in Mexico City from 27 September through 2 October 1963. [Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 11 December 1963, from Clark D. ANDERSON, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD.] 12 December 1963 The FBI is pushing to wind up its analysis of the | SECRET
14-00000 - 20 - ft: Mexican aspects of the OSWALD case and urgently needs the _ results of the interrogations of Silvia DURAN and her husband _ during their second arrest. [DIR 88642, 12 December 1963.] | a 12 December 1963 : (date of dissemipation) Headquarters disseminates to the FederaliBureau of In- vestigation, the Department of State, and the White House, information obtained from the second interrogation of Silvia DURAN. [Based upon MEXI-7364 (IN 79373), 12 December 1963.] [DIR 88747, 12 December 1963.] 13 December 1963 Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters two copies of the Mexican Government interrogation report ‘on the "second arrest" of Silvia Tirado de DURAN. A copy of the report was passed to the Legal Attache on 13 December 1963. | [HMMA- 22625, 13 December 1963. ] 21 Deeember 1963 Headquarters tells Mexico Station that the present plan for passing information to the Warren Commission is to elimi- nate any mention of telephone taps, in order to..protect the Station's continuing operations. Headquarters will rely in- stead on statements by Silvia DURAN and on the contents of the Soviet Consular file which the Soviets gave to the Depart- ment of State. The file shows that both OSWALD and his wife were dickering with the Soviets in Washington by mail so as to obtain permission to return to the Soviet Union. Exact detailed information from LiTAtrL/7] ang{ 79 Jon just what Silvia DURAN and other officials said about OSWALD's visits and his dealings would be valuable and usable corro- ‘borative evidence. Headquarters requests the Station to ques- tion them Carefully jon these points, while attempting to ob- tain as much authentic data as’ possible without mixing in what they have picked up from the newspapers. [DIR 90466, 21 December 1963.] SECRET . - [noe
14-00000 we -Tey 7 - 21- SECRET i 27 December 1963 (a1rilit/3) renorted on 27 Necember 1963 that Silvia had not returned to work since her release from her second arrest. Silvia's hushand was angry over Foreign Minister ~ROA's note which made a cause celehre of the affair. He told a Cuban Embassy official that ROA's note das imaccu- rate in claiming that Silvia had been mistreated by the Mexican police. [MEXI-7615 (IN 91178), 2 January 1964.] 2 January 1964 (rtafitt/9) has nothing additional to offer beyond the account in MEXI-7115 except that Silvia DURAN said at that time she was perfectly willing to travel to the United States to confront OSWALD if necessary. (urtaitti9) aia not talk to Silvia about the OSWALD visit, merely stood around with 0 other staff members |while Silvia recounted her arrest, interroga- tion, and release. She did not mention any details about her encounter with OSWALD. [MEXI-7615 (IN 91178), 2 January 1964.] 4 and 9 January 1964 : Salvador DIAZ Verson was interviewed by a Special Agent of the FBI on 4 and 9 January 1964. DIAZ Verson furnished information which he had obtained while atten- ding a Congress of the International Federation of Pro- fessional Newspaper Organizations (FIOPP), in Mexico | City, from 29 November to 29 November 1963. [FBI Field Memorandum from Miami, Florida, dated 2 March 1964; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD, Internal Security - R. DBA-66398.] 10 January 1964 : (date of dissemination) Headquarters forwards dissemination to the Federal _.Bureau of Investigation containing a translation of the official Mexican police report on the second interrogation of Silvia DURAN, done on 28 November 1963. [CSCI-3/779,482, 10 January 1964.] SECRET . In
14-00000 On 11 January 1964, Dr. Eduardo BORRELL Navarro was ll Januarv 1964 _ interviewed in Mexico City by a confidential source. He made the following statements regarding Salvador DIAZ Ver- son's allegations concernine Lee Harvev OSWALD. Salvador DIAZ Verson was in Mexico City 4s he claimed and did discuss Lee OSVALD with BORRELL and other Cuban exiles. BORRELL did not tell the story credited to him by DIAZ Verson concetning the visit to a Mexico City restaurant by OSWALD and Silvia DURAN. BORRELL had never heard this story or any similar story before. BORRELL knew of no meeting between OSWALD. and. Cuban Embassy officials other than the meetings which allegedly occurred at the time OSWALD visited the Cuban Consulate in Mexico City. a a 7 [Memorandum to Mr. Clarence A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires ad interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark D. ANDERSON, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win- ston M. SCOTT.] 13 January 1964 The legal Attache in Mexico City informed the Mexico Station of current problems in the FBI's investigations of leads pertinent to Lee Harvey OSWALD: "a. FBI Headquarters sent a cable to Mexico stating that Salvador DIAZ Verson was the source of the ana- lysis prepared by Cuban psychologist, Jose I. LASAGA of Miami. "b. FBI interviewed DIAZ Verson who said that Silvia _ DURAN took Lee OSWALD to Caballo Bayo Restaurant near Chapultepec Golf Club where they. met Cuban Ambassador to Mexico, Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas. Then HERNANDEZ took OSWALD for a ride in his car so that they could talk privately. "c. DIAZ Verson told the FBI his source was Eduardo BORRELL Navarro, Mexican newspaperman who writes edi- torials for Excelsior. "d. The FBI sent Matthew CRAWFORD to interview BORRELL Navarro on 12 January. Latter said he did not know any more than that OSWALD had been to Mexico and had visited the Cuban Embassy and Silvia DURAN. He said everything he knew had been published and was public knowledge. [MEXI-7776 (IN ), 14 January 1964.] - |. SEGRE
14-0000 . On 17 January 1964, a source who has furnished reliable 17 January 1964 information in the past advised that he had been unable to locate a Caballo Blanco Restaurant in Mexico City, but stated that there is a Caballo Bavo Restaurant located on the out- skirts of Mexico City. He advised that on 11 january 1964, he exhibited photographs of former Cuban Consul Eusebio AZCUE Lopez, who was in charge of the Cuban Consulate at the time of OSWALD's visit there, of Cuban Ambassador Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas, of Silvia DURAN, and of OSWALD to employees of the Caballo Bayo Restaurant and had conducted extensive interviews - Of these employees. The source said he was unable to find anyone among the employees who could recall any of the persons. whose photographs were exhibited as having been at the restau- vant. | . | [Memorandum to Mr. Clarence A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires ad interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark D. ANDERSON, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win- ston M. SCOTT.] 29 January 1964 : - me DIAZ Verson, the source of Jose I. LASAGA's information that the Cuban Ambassador to Mexico City had a long conference with Lee OSWALD at a restaurant outside Mexico City, turns out to be a highly unreliable source, with a reputation for fabri-- catior.. He did go to Mexico, via Guatamala and Nicaragua, leaving Miami on 18 November 1963. He was to attend a confe- rence in Mexico of the FIOPP (Federacion Internacional de Organizaciones de Periodistes Professionales) between 19 and 29 November 1963. c The FBI has questioned DIAZ Verson about his story. He , said that Silvia DURAN, clerk of the Cuban Consulate in Mexico City, took Lee OSWALD to the Caballo Cayo [sic] Restaurant near Chapultepec Park where they mat the Cuban Ambassador Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas and that HERNANDEZ Armas took OSWALD for a long ride in his car so he could talk. DIAZ Verson said SECRET
. - 24 - 3 ~~ "that his source for this information was Mexican journalist; Eduardo BORRELL Navarro, editorialist for the large conser- vative daily Excelsior, but when the FBI asked BORRELL about it he said that DIAZ Verson had made it all up. BORRELL said he knew nothing beyond the fact that OSWALD had been in Mexico, had visited the Cuban Embassy and talkéa to Silvia DURAN. | : A senior FBI official in Mexico, Clark ANDERSON, told our Station Chief that he knew DIAZ Verson well wehn they were both in Havana and that DIAZ Verson was noted for "re- ports based on his intuitive feelings". He rarely reported - Facts. oa This seems to discredit completely the story that OSWALD - had had a long conference with the Cuban Ambassador in Mexico City. . | a | [Blind Memorandum, dated 29 January 1964; Subject: Presence of Salvador DIAZ Verson in Mexico around 22 November 1963.] 31 January 1964 : The Agency forwards to the Warren. Commission a memoran- dum with an enclosure regarding "Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey OSWALD in Mexico City, 28 Sep- tember - 3 October 1963". "We have included in this paper only hard, substantive information. Any judgements that are made represent professional evaluations by individuals who have worked over the years as specialists in their fields. Specu- lation, rumor, and vague detail not directly related to OSWALD's activity have not been included.” [Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 31 January 1964, from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject: - Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey ~~ os" OSWALD in Mexico City 28 September - 3 October 1963.] 21 February 1964 The Agency forwarded to the Warren Commission a memo- randum to which were attached two enclosures: a. Results of the interrogation of Silvia Tirado de DURAN, her husband, Horacio DURAN Navarro et al, SESRET
74-00000 DATE Yidl¢z LOST/MISSING MATERIAL THE DOCUMENT OR PAGE(S) LISTED BELOW WAS/WERE MISSING DURING THE DECLASSIFICATION REVIEW BY THE HISTORICAL REVIEW GROUP, CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF INTELLIGENCE. DOCUMENT NO. [26 1S patep: 23 “ov & OR a PAGE(S) 25 FROM: CIA JOB NO. J #K FOLDER NO. {3
74-0009, ° “J SECRET ie ; speculation by a rather large group of thtin American ~ newspapermen in the offices of Exeelsior:.on the night of November 25, 1963. "DIAZ Verson stated that after Angel FERNANDEZ Varela Was interviewed by the FBI in Miami, he came to DIAZ Verson and asked: ‘Just what were those: details about OSWALD meeting DURAN in some cabaret or restaurant in Mexico City and the introduction of OSWALD to an offi- cial of the Cuban FEmbassy?' FERNANDEZ Varela admitted he had not understood the story too wellijand perhaps had conf@sed it 'a little' when he retold it. "On February 29, 1964, upon being further interviewed concerning variations in his accounts of the above events, and especially the sources responsible for certain. specific statements, DIAZ Verson admitted that he did make statements to a Special Agent of the FBI on January 4 and 9, 1964, slightly at variance with each other, and both at variance with what he related to another Special Agent of the FBI on February 27, 1964. -He stated he did not do this out of malice or bad faith, or with intent to mislead anyone. He de- clared he did not regard anything he heard, os said he. had heard in Mexico, as evidence, or of serious impor- tance; he stated he had engaged in loose talk and re- . peated theory and speculation, and when challenged as ' to his sources, he was ashamed to admit an irrespon- - $ible naming of sources. ee ® ® "DIAZ Verson declined to take a polygraph examination Stating it would only humiliate him further, and show what he had already admitted. "With regard to a rélationship between BORREL Navarro and Horacio DURAN Navarro, DIAZ Verson stated BORRELL Navarro is a Cuban, only temporarily residing in exile in Mexico City. Horacio DURAN Navarro and his wife, Silvia, are Mexicans. DIAZ Verson stated that Cuba protested the arrest and interrogation of Silvia DURAN by the Mexican Police; the Mexican Foreign Office re- jected the protest, and in doing so, stated DURAN Navarro and wife are Mexican citizens. DIAZ Verson “stated this was the account published in Mexico City newspapers, and he concluded the same maternal name of Navarro for BORRELL Navarro and DURAN Navarro is only coincidence." . [FBI Fieid Memorandum from Miami, Florida, dated 2 March 1964; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD, Internal Security - R. DBA-66938.] 7 April 1964 : The Agency fowwards a memorandum to the Warren Commission containing information on the actionf of Silvia DURAN on her return to work at the Cuban Consulate on 25 November 1963, following her first interrogation by the Mexican authorities. | "This item may be useful to the Commission in the evaulation of Mrs. DURAN 's story." {Memorandum for ‘fr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 7 April 1964, from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans. DDP 4-1787.] SECRET
14-00000 - 27 - a3 7 SECRET Fa 9 On 5 May, Nr. (nr PEN Jane Mr. HALL met with Mr. 2 ‘lav 1964 SLAWSON of the Commission in Hr (aurPrEs* office. This meeting had been requested to ask for a fresh translation of the taped conversation between Cuban President DORTICOS and Ambassador HERNANDEZ Armas. Win SCOTT had| told the Commission staff members visiting Mexico City ‘that his trans- lators, in the rush at the time, might have misconstrued cer- tain nuances of meaning in what was a difficult recording. In view of this, Mr. SLAWSON asked that a new translation be made, if possible, by a person knowledgeable of the Cuban dialect. | . [Memorandum for the Record, dated 5 May 1964, by Thomas R. HALL; Subject: Meeting with Mr. SLAWSON of the Presidential Commission.] 5 May 1964 | According to Mr. SLAWSON, no member of the Commission “now knows of the telephone taps in Mexico City (he did not mention Mr. DULLES). (Comment: This statement does not include members of the Commission's staff, for at least three members of the staff, including Mr. SLAWSON, had been briefed by Winston SCOTT on all the pertinent telephone calls during their visit in April 1964, HMMA-23249, 14 April 1964.] [Ibid.] 6 May 1964 | : (date of FBI Report) Silvia DURAN's name appears in Lee Harvey OSWALD's personal address book. {FBI Report, dated 6 May 1964. DBA-70128.] 18 May 1964 . - t (date of FBI Report) eee A . Date of an FBI report containing a compilation of facts known to date on OSWALD's trip:to Mexico and his activities _ there. Also included are allegations by various individuals concerning OSWALD's Mexico contacts. SORT
14-00000 - 29 - SECRET a, "On 24 March 1964, Captain Fernando GUTIERREZ Barrios, Assistant Director of the Mexican Federal Security Police, “fexico, D. F., made available a copy of a signed statement _which had been made by Silvia DURAN to the .Federal Security a .Police.on 23 November 1963." A translation from the Spanish of that statement is recorded on pages 35 through 41 of the report. [FBI Report, dated 18 May 1964; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. ] 19 May 1964 Mexico Station forwards to Headquarters two copies of the Gobernacion Report on the steps taken and investigations made by the Mexican Government as a result of. President Kennedy's assassination. The attached copies were "unofficial" as the Ambassador had not yet received that report: from the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. - Co : The Station noted that this report had been asked for by the three staff members of the Warren Commission who visite d Mexico 8 - 13 April 1964. At that time, Acting Secretary of Gobernacion, Luis ECHEVARRIA, promised this report would imme- diately be sent through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the United States Ambassador. | A copy of the report was received by the Station from the Legal Attache who had received a copy unofficially from the Director of Investigations, Gobernacion, Santiago IBANEZ Llamas. | | [HMMA-23443, 19 May 1964.] 26 May 1964 . The Mexican Station forwarded to Headquarters a copy of the official report which "will be sent to the Warren. Commission as a response to the request made to Luis ECHEVARRIA Acting Minister: of Gobernacion, by the three staff members of the Warren Commission who visited Mexico in April 1964." ..--The.report was received by Ambassador FREEMAN on 22 May 1964. [HMMA-23520, 26 May 1964.] SECRET + Raga . . Te ah sere late MBE Gata tea) ESE ok astern Gneeidtietnne
14-00000 23 July 1964 SECRET | | Date of Note no. 507794 from the “Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Relationd granting the nermission of the Mexican Government to publish the documents on the activities of Lee Harvey OSWALD in Mexico. {According to the source document, this note wds received by the U. S. Embassy in Mexico City on 17 August 1964.] {[U. S. Embassy Despatch, Mexico City, dated. 20 August 1964.] 5 August 1964 Foreign Secretary GOROSTIZA telephoned the United States Minister BOONSTRA with reference to Ambassador FREEMAN's. dis- cussion with him of documents which the Warren’ Commission a wished to publish. "He said that. after considering further the request by Ambassador FREEMAN and after veviewing all of the documents, the Government of Mexico agrees to the publica- tion of all of the documents which it provided to us regard- ing its investigations of the activities in Mexico of Lee Harvey OSWALD. The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs is now preparing a Note Verbal informing the Embassy of this de- cision but he was telephoning this to me in the event that we wished to begin prompt action." (Memorandum of Conversation, dated 5 August 1964, between Foreign Secretary GOROSTIZA and Minister BOONSTRA; Subject: Clearance for Publication of Mexican Documents by Warren Commission. ] 13 August 1964 : On this date the United States Embassy in Mexico City ~ received a note, dated 23 July 1964, from the Secretariat of Foreign Relations. This note stated the agreement of the Mexican Government to the publication by the Warren Commission. of the documents 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 which had been provided to the U. S. Embassy as attachments. to the, Secretariat's note of 9 June 1964. Document no. 5 had been inadvertantly omitted. Following a conversation between Minister Counselor C. A. BOONSTRA and Ambassador Jose GALLASTEGUI, Secretariat of For- SECRET
14-00000 4 7 - 30 - — SECRET eign Relations, the latter said that it was the intention of the Mexican Government to allow the publication of all the documents, including document no. 5. Accordingly, the note was retyped with the inclusion of document 5, lind returned to the Embassy under the same date and note number. [Memorandum of Conversation, dated 14 August ides, between Ambassador Jose GALLASTEGUI, Secretariat of Foreign Relations; and U. S. Minister Counselor, C. A. BOONSTRA; Subject: Clea- rance for Publication of Mexican Documents by the Warren Commission. ] 8 September 1964. : Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters two photo- Static samples of Silvia DURAN's signature, in accordance with referenced cables. [DIR 47423 and MEXI-0805.] [HMMA~ 24280, 8 September 1964. ] 14 September 1964 : Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters another copy of Silvia DURAN's signature. [HMMA-24304, 14 September 1964.] 16 September 1964 : Mr. SLAWSON of the Warren Commission in a discussion relating to Silvia DURAN's handwriting sample asked if there -s information available regarding her current status of moral, attitude, current employment. Headquarters asks the Mexico Station to furnish information relating to DURAN's Situation and outlook. Headquarters suggest that Mexican of- ficials not be consulted. [DIR 49619, 16 September 1964.] 16 September 1964 os Headquarters forwards request from Warren_Commission for any substantive data which can be cited in the published re- . port as am authoritative source regarding allegations that Silvia DURAN and her husband were or are members of ‘the Commun- ist Party. SECRET a adel g Late ay ee,
14-00000 be Ser, Mr. SLAWSON, the Commission attorney, recalls that both the Chief of Station and the Legal Attache referred to these allesations during SLAWSON's visit to’ Mexico. Headquarters asks whether any documentary or other evidence exists or can be attributed to Mexican authorities. [DIR 49941, 16 Septenber 1964.] | 13 September 1964 TSD forwards to Chief, Counter Intelligence Staff a “Memorandum on handwriting identification. Sees "1. Reference forwarded (1) a poor quality reduced size photograph of a Cuban visa appli- Cation in the name of Lee H. OSWALD with a hand- written notation in the lower left corner that appears to read ‘Hotel del Camercon (?)/Room 18 46-60-51(?)', (2) enlarged photograph, unknown Size, of signature 'S. de DURAN', and (3) xerox copy of volume 3 of the exhibits in the "'Inves- tigation of Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, November 22, 1963', containing handwri- ting specimens of lee Harvey OSWALD... It was re- quested that an effort be made to determine if Silvia DURAN ow Lee H. OSWALD wrote the notation in the lower left corner of the visa application." [Memorandum no. G-9813 for Chief, DDP/CI, dated 18 September 1964, from TSD/GARB/ODS. ] 19 September 1964 : In response to Headquarters' requests (DIR 49619 and 49941), the Mexico Station forwarded the following infor- mation "from high official of Mexican Government in a posi- tion to know the facts": "a. Her full name is Silvia Tirado Bazan de DURAN; . her husband;s full name is Horacio (DURAN) Navarro. "b. At the time of interrogation by Mexican authori- ties on the OSWALD case both Silvia DURAN and her husband denied they were members of the Partido Communista Mexicano, Partido Popular Socialista, or any communist or Marxist front groups. "c. Both stated that they "believed completely in Marxist Leninist principles and tried to live as Marxists’. "d. According to Mexican official, ‘No Mexican has worked for the Cuban Embassy in Mexico sifice 1959 who is not a completely convinced communist'. e. . Both Silvia and her husband were listed in Federal Police organization files as communists, members of the PCM. (This latter information is not releasable in do- cumentary form.) — tf SECRET
14-00000 - 32 - Horacio DURAN continues to live at Avenida Constituyen- tes no. 143, anartment no. 3. Silvia has disappeared. Her husband refuses to say where she is - merely states she is out of Mexico. Her whereabouts are unknown and Mexican authorities believe she is being’ hidden by the Cubans. . Mexican authorities report that she has. not worked at the Cuban Consulate or any other job sinte her deten- tion on the OSWALD case. Mexican officials do not know her present morale but bedieve she is still fri- ghtened, very pro-CASTRO, pro-communist,iand anti- USA, and anti-MNexican police authorities. Horacio DURAN has kent up payments on rent and lights. He seems to live as well as ever; however, the source of his. income remains a mystery. [MEXI-0930 (IN 77619), 19 September 1964.] 22 September 1964 The Agency forwards a memorandum to J.é bee RANKIN, General Counsel of the Warren Commission, containing in- formation on Silvia Tirado Bazan de DURAN. "1. In response to the verbal qequest of Mr. SLAWSON of your staff, I forward details on the political background and recent activity of Silvia Tirado Bazan de DURAN. "2. A high official of the Mexican Government, in a position to know the facts, has indicated that no Mexican has worked for the Cuban Embassy in Mexico since 1959 who is not a completely convinced communist. Both Mrs. DURAN and her husband were listed in the Mexican security organization's files as members of the Mexican Communist Party. "3. As of the date of this letter, Mr. DURAN con- _ tinues to live at Avenida Constituyentes Number 3 [sic - 143], Apartment 3. Mrs. DURAN, however, is out of circulation and her whereabouts are unknown. It is reported that she has not worked at the Cuban ........ Embassy or|at any other job since her detainment for ae interrogation on the OSWALD case. Mr. DURAN refuses to state where she is, except for the indication that ‘she is outside of Mexico’. It is believed by the official cited in paragraph 2 above that Mrs. DURAN is being hidden out by the Cubans." [Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, 22 September 1964, from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plnas. DDP 4-4921.] 22 Sevtember 1964 : The Mexico City Station reports to Headquarters that it does net have exemplars available for a comparison with referenced visa application. ‘The type face matches that of other documents from the Embassy. The weak impression of the top of the lower case letter "e' also appears in a docu- EL ito te ee does
14-00000 -33- SECRET | i ment from the Commercial Office of the Embassy and was ap- parently prepared on the same typewriter as the visa appli- cation form. Stationerv used for the letter from Havana appears to be genuine. Both documents have an' authentic flavor. Station is attempting to obtain a blahk visa ap- plication for comparison. ; | [MEXI-9969 (IN 79218), 22 September 1964.] : Headquarters expresses its appreciation to the Mexico City Station for its assistance. The handwritting investi- gation can now be considered completed. | "All Headquarters components involved in the OSWALD affair wish to express their apprecia- tion to the Station for its effort in this and other facets of the OSWALD case." [HMMW-12931, 25 September 1964.] . 30 September 1964 | : ; According to reliable and sensitive source Silvia DURAN informed Raul PEREYRA of the Cuban Embassy that she had been on an excursion with some students to the Isla Mujeres and Merida. PEREYRA who recently returned from Cuba said Eusebio AZCUE sent greetings to Silvia. (MEXI-1129 (IN ), & October 1964.] 5 October 1964 ; : (date of report) According to LICOOKIE, "Elena GARRO de PAZ, Elena PAZ €the daughter) and Deba Garro de Guerrero GALVAN set around all weekend (no dates given by source) recalling details of their having been in a group with OSWALD here last fall dur- ing the days that he was in Mexico. The write-ups of. the Warren Commission report in the newspaper sparked this dis- cussion, and they apparently had never really sat around de- termined to piece it all together, although all three were deeply affected by Kennedy's assassination, seemed literally to adore the Kennedy family image, still follow Robert Kennedy's career with great interest and admiration." | SEGRE”
14-00000 - 34 - oo SECRET i The main points covered: . "Elena and Deba are first cousins of three young eee ee mm Mex dcans named DURAN - Ruben, Horacio, and Lynn. Horacio is the husband of Silvia DURAN, the Mexi- can girl who was arrested for questioning about OSWALD because she had been in touch with him at the Cuban Embassy when he went there looking for avisa. [She is or was also a ringleader (no ad- tional details provided by source) at th¢ Cuban- Mexican Institute, according to the source. | "While OSWALD was here last fall the DURAN cousins invited the GARRO sisters and young Elena PAZ to a "twist party' at the home of Ruben DURAN mid-week. A few communists they knew (Deba is a communist and “Elena has been in touch with communists since she Was a young girl and went to Republican Spain with. Octavio PAZ.) and a number of peeple who struck them as very peculiar at the time, were there. OSWALD was there with two other beatnik looking boys, one of whom was very tall and all three of whom they remember quite well. When they. began asking questions about-the Americans, who were standing together all evening and did not dance at all, they were shifted to another room (the FARRO's were); however, they were intrigued be- cause their cousin said he did not know who they were, except that Silvia DURAN had brought them, _ and none of the other guests made any attempt to — approach them. When the GARRO's were so insistent about meeting them, the DURANS replied that the boys were leaving town very early the next morning. The next day, well along in the day, the GARRO sis- ters and Elenita PAZ saw all three boys together on Insurgentes. In other words, they had not left town. At the time they they remarked about it. "As soon as OSWALD's picture was printed in the news- papers all three clearly remembered him, and, of course, the arrest of Silvia DURAN almost immedi- ately afterward, underlined their certainty¥. They were so sickened (Elena and Elehita) that they broke off their relations with the DURANs; however, their cousins very nervously looked them up later, Deba de Guerrero GALVAN says that Lynn DURAN and one of the DURAN boys have made trips to Texas, and that most conspicuously they have all prospered this last year. Always poor before, they now have an expensive car each. "Horacio DURAN works on the El Dia newspaper." [Blind Memorandum, dated 5 October 1964; Subject: Mexican Communists Who Had Contact with OSWALD, as Has Not appeared in Warren Commission Write-ups in Press.] “17 November 1964 ~~ Bersonnel from the Legal Attache's office_in the U.S. Embassy, Mexico City, interviewed Mrs. Elena Garro de PAZ and her daughter, Elena PAZ Garro. [Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 27 December 1965, from Nathan L. FERRIS, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. ] - | SECRET
14-00000 ARR 24 Novemher 1964 yg The FBI report on information supplied on 24 November 1964 by Elena Garro de PAZ and her dauchter, Elena PAZ Garro. "Tney are residents of “Mexico City, but declined to supply their home address. Mrs. PAZ stated she is a cousin of Ruben, Lidia, and Horacio DURAN, the latter being the hushand of Silvia Pirado de DURAN. She said she had not furnished previously the information set forth hereinafter because of fear of Teprisals. "Mrs. PAZ said that on Aueust 23, 1963, she attended a dinner at the home of a Mexican communist whom she declined to identify. Among others present at this dinner were Cuban’ Consul Fusebio AZCUE and his wife. She had not previously known AZCUE. In conversation with him during the course of the evening she learned that he was supposed to return to Cuba on or about August 27, 1963. She later learned that he did not depart Mexico at that time. . "According to Mrs. PAZ, she had infrequent contact with her cousins, the DURRNS; however, on a date she fixed as Saturday, September 28, 1963, she received a telephone call from Ruben DURAN, who invited her and her daughter to attend a party at his house during the first past of the following week. She was unable to fix the exact date of this party, but felt it had been held on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, September 30, October 1, and October 2, 1963, respectively, with the most likely possibility that it was held on the evening of October 1 or October 2, 1963. - "It was Mrs. PAZ' recollection that at about 9:00 a.m. on the date of the party she and her daughter were picked up and taken to the party by Lidia DURAN. Also accompanying them was Mrs. PAZ' sister, Deva Garro de Guerrero GALVAN. She described this sister as a commu- nist who was expélled from the Party for being a Catho- lic. “At about 10:39 p.m. three young, white Americans arri- _ ved at the party. They were greeted by Silvia DURAN and spoke only to her. They more or less isolated themselves from the rest of the party and insofar as she observed they had no conversation with anyone else at the party. "The three Americans appeared to be between twenty-two and twenty-four years of age. One of them was dressed in a sweater and dark trousers and appeared to be about five feet nine inches in height. The second ohe was about six feet tall, had blond, straight hair, a long chin, and was a bit 'beatnik' in appearance although his dress included a coat. The third American wore no coat. 9 ® « "It is to be noted that investigation has established that Lee Harvey OSWALD departed Mexico City by bus at 8:30 a.m. on October 2, 1963, and could not have been identical with the American allegedly observed by Mrs. PAZ at the party of this party were held'on the evening of October 1 or October 2, 1963. . ef rt ® e * e {FBI Report, 11 December 1964; Subject: Lee Harvey OS'YALD. DBA-93645.] - SECRET
14-00000 rN 30 June. 1965 : (date of dissemination) The Agency forwards a dissemination to the Federal Bureau of Investigation containing information on Silvia DURAN. . "1. A usually reliable and senisitive source reports that on 15 June 1965 an unidentiffied woman speaking French called Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas, Cuban Ambassador to Mexico, from Chicago. The woman stated she was calling on behaif of a Mr. GAN (phonetic); she asked whether Silvia DURAN was a friend of Harvey Lee OSWALD, and if DURAN had returned to Cuba. The Ambassador, who does not understand much French, said that DURAN used to work at the Embassy, no longer does, and that she resides in Mexico, but he does not know the address. The woman again asked if DURAN was a friend of OSWALD. The Ambassador, who appeared not to understand the question fully, answered affirmatively." [Based upon MEXI-3832 (IN.92908) .] (CSCI-316/02654-65, 30 June 1965.] 10 December 1965 os (date of report) Charles W. THOMAS, Political Officer, U:S. Embassy, Mexico City, reports that in the course of a discussion about other matters, Sra. de PAZ mentioned that she had . met Lee Harvey OSWALD. She was very reluctant to discuss the matter, but finally imparted the following information: "1. %In September 1963, shortly after her return from abroad, she went to a party at the home of Ruben DURAN, who is married to her cousin. -Her daughter, Elenita, accompanied her. There she met OSWALD and two other young Americans who were with him. The three young Americans remained apart from the other guests. She expressed an interest in talking to them; but was dis- couraged from doing so. by some of the other guests. "2. Most of the guests at the party were communists or philocommunists. She remembers seeing the Cuban Consul, ASQUE [sic - AZCUE]; General Clark FLORES of the Mexican Olympic Committee; Silvia DURAN, who she later learned was OSWALD's mistress while he was here; Emilio CARBALLIDO, the writer, who she thinks is now | in the United. ‘States ; and a Latin American Negro man with red hair. "3, In November 1963, when the identity of Kennedy's assassin-became known, she and her daughter went to the Cuban Embassy and, once admitted through the front gate, shouted 'assassin' and other insults at the staff there. . ; ; "A. Shortly afterward, she and her: daughter were visited by a friend, Manuel CARVILLO, who was then an official in the Secretariat of Gobernacion, and were told he had orders to escort them to a smalT and obscure hotel in the center of town. They were kept there for eight days under pretext that they were in dancer.
14-00000 . my . : va . ey . 3 7 = ee a SECRET When she told @ARVILLO she wanted to go to the Ameri- 5 ome eee Gan Embassy and explain what she knew of OSWALD's co- nnections here with Mexican communists and Cubans, she was told that the American Embassv was full of communist spies. She said CARVILLO tries to give the impression that he is an extreme rightist. He now has a job with Bellas Artes. "S. Some of the other people who were at the party with OSWALD were taken to the state of Veracruz, wnere they were 'protected' by Governor UOPEZ Arias. Ruben DURAN is reportedly ‘protect! by General Clark FLORES and is now driving a big car and looking very prosperous. "6, “lany communists. and philocommunists here believe Kennedy's assassination was the result of a communist plot engineered by Fidel CASTRO. Ruben DURAN has sub- sequently told her that he is not really a communist and that it had been a great mistake to kill Kennedy." (Memorandum of Conversation, dated 10 December 1965; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD and Kennedy Assassination. ]° 16 December 1965 Mexico City Station reports to Headquarters information provided by Elena Garro de PAZ and reported by Charles W. THOMAS, Political Officer of the U.S. Embassy, Mexico City. [See preceding entry. ] [MEXI-5621 (IN ), 16 December 1965.] 25 December 1965 On 25 December 1965, Elena Garro de PAZ again discussed at considerable length her alleged. encounter with OSWALD. Some further information on this subject was given subsequently on 9 January 1966. During this latter conversation, Mrs. de PAZ admitted that she had gone to the Embassy on an earlier occa- sion with her daughter and mother-in-law and had talked with two Embassy officers (presumably from the Legal Attache! s of- fice) about this matter. She said since the Embassy officers - ‘did not give much credence to anything they said, they did not ne lob ts(-5u to give a very complete story. The following informa- tion supplements and in some instances corrects that given in the memorandum of 10 December. 7 "Le soe "2. She believes that the date of the party was about September 2 or 3, 1963. It was a few days before the visit of the Soviet astronaut, GAGARIN. She believes “SECRET.
14-00000 it was a Monday or Tuesday because it was an odd night tp have a party. (September 2 and 3, in fact, do fall on Monday and Tuesday.) She cannot conviently recon- Struct the date from her calendar because it is in a desk which is now stored away with a lot'of other fur- niture blocking it. { "4. Although Sra. de PAZ had returned  fyom an extended Stay in Europe only in June or July, shelhad already met Eusebio AZCUE and knows positively that he was at the Party. On another occasion (it was not clear whether before or after the party in question), she at- tended a par ~others, Eusebio .. AZCUE; Emilio CARBALLIDO, the pro-CASTRO writer; and a Latin American negro. man with red hair. (These last two were not at the DURAN party as was mistakenly sta- ted in the December 10 memorandum.) .. . The day after the assassination, Elenita de PAZ encountered Sra. de AZCUE in Saborns. On seeing her, Sra. de AZCUE turned and hurried out of the store. AZCUE was imme- diately called back to Havana after the..assassination,. and his wife followed him shortly thereafter. (NB: According to Agency files, AZCUE left Mexico City on 18 November 1963 - four days before the assassination.) Mo. ee "6, a e e "7. Later that day [23 November 1963], they were visited by a friend, Manuel VALVILLO, who said that they were in serious danger from the communists and that he would take them to a small hotel where they would be safe for a few days. . . . Among other things he said was that Sylvia DURAN had been arrested. This was not public informa- tion at that time. [According to Elena de PAZ, CALVILLO was known around town to be an undercover agent for the Secretariat of Gobernacion and to be a personal friend of Noe PALOMARES and Gustavo DIAZ Ordaz.] "13. At about the end of January 1964, Ruben DURAN v visited Sra. de PAZ. ... . He said it was Silvia DURAN who got him involved with OSWALD. He added that he was not really a communist and was against the assassination. "14, 2... "15. Sra. de PAZ stated that it was common knowledge that Silvia DURAN was the mistress of OSWALD. The only per- son she could remember who told her this, however ,. was Victor RICO Galan, the pro-CASTRO journalist. "16, She also stated that ske understood that OSWALD had come to Mexico more than once." [Memorandum of Conversation, dated 25 December 1965; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD and Kennedy Assassination. ] 27 December 1965 The Legal Attache in Mexico City, Nathan L. FERRIS, reported to the Ambassador that ". . . Mrs. Elena Garro de PAZ and her daughter, Elena PAZ Garro, were interviewed by personnel of this office on 17 and 24 November 1964, at SEGAET
14-00000 which time they furnished information similar to that set forth ' in referenced memorandum. Inquiries conducted at that time, € however, failed to substantiate the allevationg 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 4 further action is being taken concerning her recent repeti- tion of those allegations." | [Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 27 December 1965, from Nathan L. FERRIS, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copies sent to. the DCM C. A. BOONSTRA, Mr. Wallace W. STUART, Counselor for Political Affairs, and Winston M. SCOTT. ] 29 December 1965 The Mexico Station reports to Headquarters that the Legal Attache in Mexico interviewed Elena Garro de PAZ and daughter Elena PAZ Garro in November 1964 and failed to substantiate allegations reported in referenced cable [MEXI- 5621 (IN ), 16 December 1965]. ([MEXI-5741 (IN ), 29 December 1965.] 23 February 1966 : In a memorandum to The Ambassador, the Legal Attache in Mexico City, Nathan L. FERRIS, referencing the Memorandum of Conversation dated 25 December 1965 (see entry above), Stated that "Extensive investigation conducted in the United States and Mexico after the assassination of President Kennedy failed to disclose that OSWALD traveled to Mexico prior to September 26, 1963. OSWALD was residing in New Orleans, Louisiana, in early September, 1963, and no information has been obtained to indicate that he was away from that area in early September 1963. | "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." _{Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 23 February 1966, from N. L. FERRIS, Legal Attache. ] SECRET
14-00000 wy 13 July 1966. Charles WV. THOMAS , Political Officer, U. S. Embassy, “exico Citv, renorts further information on Lee Harvev OSWALD and the assassination of Kennedy. "Sra. PAZ des- cribed some developments which may have some bearing on her claim that she saw Lee Harvey OSWALD at a barty at the home of her cousin Ruben DURAN, when OSWALD was in Mexico prior to the Kennedy assassination." (NB: This renort has no information on Silvia DURAN.) [Memorandum of Conversation, dated 13 July 1966; Subject: Further on OSWALD and Kennedy Assassination. ] 26 May 1967 : During a meeting with his agent handler, LIRING/3 stated that "he was doing his best to keep active, cer- contacts he had had in the past that were on the periphery of the official Cuban circle. He mentioned specifically the case of Silvia and Horacio DURAN... He related that Silvia DURAN worked as a receptionist at the Consulate in 1963-1964 and was on duty when Lee Harvey OSWALD applied - “for a visa. She had been recommended to the Cubans by Teresa PROENZA, the Press Attache from 1959 until 1962. LIRING/3 described Teresa PROENZA as a Cuban woman aged about $2, a Lesbian, and a member of the Communist Party of Cuba, who was currently in jail in Cuba as the result of a conviction for espionage on behalf of CIA. LIRING/3 recalled that dur- ing his last visit to Havana, a friend of his in the Minis- try of Education, informed him of Teresa PROENZA's present Situation and advised LIRING/3, in the event he was asked, he deny that he had known Teresa PROENZA or had had anything to do with her. LIRING/3 continued that just the other day Silvia DURAN had telephoned him to say hello and that he had visited her at her home to renew his acquaintance. [LIFEAT SAN-26 (10.8): reveals. that at about 1245 on 22 May 1967, LIRING/3 telephoned 15-78-11 and asked for Sra. "Silvia. When (the maid) informed him she was not in, he asked for Sr. Horacio. SECRET
14-00000 Wi we eee - 41 - SECRET é When same negative reply given, he asked that they be advised that LIRING/3 had called to. say hello. SAN-26 (11. 0) reveals an incoming Call from Silvia DURAN in which she asks. how he obtained her number. He replies: "At the Cuban Institute". She states that she is stu- dying at some school and at the moment is free to talk to LIRING/3. The latter replies jthat he would go by to visit her (Constituyentes145, apt. 3) in a few minutes.] LIRING/3 continued that Silvia DURAN infdrmed him that she had first met OSWALD when he applied for a'visa and had gone out with him several times Since she liked him from the Start. She admitted that she had sexual relations with him -but insisted that she had no idea of his plans. When the ..news..of the assassination broke she stated that she was im- mediately taken into custody by the Mexican police and in- terrogated thoroughly and beaten until she admitted that she had had an affair with OSWALD. She added that ever since then she has cut off all contact with the Cubans, particu- larly, since her husband Horacio who was badly shaken by the whole affair, went into a rage and has forbidden her to see them. She added that she felt certain that her telephone was tapped by the Mexican police, or, more probably by CIA, since tapping was an expensive proposition and the Mexicans wouldn't be able to afford it for so long a period. ROWTON (P), LIRING/3's agent handler, counseled LIRING/3 against further contact with the DURAN's on the ground that it might put him under some sort of suspicion whether in the eyes of the Mexican police or the Cubans. He pointed out that lit- tle -r nothing was to be gained from such a contact." [HMMA-32243, 13 June 1967.] SEGHET