HW 53320 -15- (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 ' J), 27 November 1963.] 27 November 1963 — LITAMIL/9 reported that after Silvia DURAN's first arrest it was public knowledge that there was a great deal of discussion of this action in the Embassy. LITAMIL/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. [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 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 Baa. a Docld: 323894272 Page i?
e «(Ol -in the official report, which, incidentally 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. "b. Claimed never a member of the Liga Leninista Espartaco or PFM, inasmuch as she did not agree with ideas of neigher except for support of Cuba. "c. 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 a of OSWALD's visits. "f, 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. S. 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. [MEXI-7118 (IN 69656), 28 November 1963.] HW 53320 DBDocld:32389422 Page 13
- 17 -. 28 November 1963 The Mexico Station advises Headquarters that it is sending a photostatic copy of a ten-page statement by Silvia DURAN obtained from Luis ECHEVARRIA. Roger T. KINGMAN (P) will carry the document to Washington where he is arriving at Dulles Airport at 0800 on 28 November 1963. . - [MEXI-7105 (IN )}, 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 HW 53320 DBDocld:32389422 Page 19
>. .,. @ ‘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 November 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 visasiifor 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 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 November 1963, from Winston M. SCOTT. ] : HW 53320 Docld: 3250erStabense-cceires—abeut
29 November 1963 Headquarters wants to be sure that Mexico City Sta- 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 White House information relating to S¢lvia DURAN's (second) release. [DIR 85714, 29 November 1963. ] 29 November 1963 oS : (datesof dissemination) Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau of In- vestigation, the Department of State, and the White House, a rush 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 i963. | [DIR 85758, 29 November 1963. ] 1l 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 HW 53320 0 Bocld:32389422 Page 21
| AW 53320 @ © 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.] ‘12 December 1963 : (date of dissemination) Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau 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 LITAMIL/7 and 7/9 on 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. ] DoclId: 32389422 Page 22
| HW 53320 @ 1. @ 27 December 1963 LITAMIL/9 reported on 27 December 1963 that Silvia had not returned to work since her release from her second arrest. Silvia's husband was angry over Foreign Minister ROA's note which made a cause celebre of the affair.. He told a Cuban Embassy official that ROA's note was inaccu- rate in claiming that Silvia had been mistreated by the Mexican police. [MEXI-7615 (IN 91178), 2 January 1964.] 2 January 1964 LITAMIL/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. LITAMIL/9 did not talk to Silvia about the OSWALD visit, merely stood around with other staff members while Silvia recounted her arrest, interroga- tion, and rélease. 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 20 November to 29 November 1963. [FBI Fietd 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.] DoclId: 32369422 Page 23
11 January 1964 On 11 January 1964, Dr. Eduardo BORRELL Navarro was interviewed in Mexico City by a confidential source. He made the following statements regarding Salvador DIAZ Ver- son's allegations concerning Lee Harvey OSWALD. Salvador DIAZ Verson was in Mexico City as he claimed and did discuss Lee OSWALD with BORRELL and other Cuban exiles. BORRELL did not tell the story credited to him by DIAZ Verson concerning 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. [Memorandum to Mr. Clarence A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires ad interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark TD. ANDERSON, ‘al Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win- ‘Leg i 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.] HW 53320 DoclId:32389422 Page 24
- WW 453320 17 January 1964 On 17 January 1964, a source who has furnished reliable 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 Bayo 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- rant. {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 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. fabti-: ‘cation. 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. 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 Docld: 323894272 Page 25
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 talked 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. | This seems to discredit completely the story that OSWALD had had a long conference with the Cuban Ambassador in Mexico City. {Blind Memorandum, dated 29 January 1964; Subject: Presence of Salvador DIAZ Verson in Mexico around 22 November 1963.] 31 January 1964 ot 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; Sub#ect: Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey 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, HW 53320) DBocld:32389422 Page 276
- 25 - immediately following their detainment on 23 November 1963. ‘b. Results of the interrogation of Silvia Tirado de ‘DURAN on the morning of 28 November 1963. [Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 21 February 1964, from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject: Translations of Interrogation Reports of Silvia DURAN. ] 27 February 1964 — Salvador DIAZ Verson was interviewed by Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at Miami, Floride, on 27 February 1964, at which time DIAZ Verson furnished the following information: "DIAZ Verson resides at 8770 S.W. 21st Street, West- chester, Miami, Florida. He is a Cuban exile, for- merly associated with the Cuban police in 1933, Chief of Cuban Military Intelligence Service during the period 1948 to 1952, but primarily a newspaperman by profession. "He had been previously interviewed by a Special Agent of the FBI on January 4 and 9, 1964, on which dates he furnished the data which he had obtained while attending a Congress of the International Federation of Professional Newspaper Organizations (FIOPP), in Mexico City, from November 20, 1963 to November 29, 1963. "He stated he knew absolutely nothing first hand concerning the visit of Lee [Harvey |OSWALD to Mexico or of persons contacted by OSWALD while in Mexico. He stated, as previously reported, that he did have contact with Dr. Eduardo BORRELL Navarro, who is employed by the Mexican newspaper Excelsior, but stated he did not, and does not, attribute to Dr. BORRELL Navarro the information regarding the contact of OSWALD with Silvia DURAN, an employee of the Cuban Consukate at a Mexico City restaurant. I"DEAZ stated the only contact of OSWALD discussed by ' him with BORRELL Navarro was that of the visit of OSWALD to the Cuban Consulate in Mexico, and the fact that Silvia DURAN was picked up and interviewed by the Mexican police. He said there was some speculation and talk regarding the identity of the specific offi- cial of the Cuban Consulate or Embassy with whom DURAN may have placed OSWALD in contact. DIAZ Verson stated Dr. BORRELL Navarro never stated that OSWALD went to a restaurant in Mexico City called the Caballo Blanco or possibly the Caballo Bayo, where OSWALD and DURAN alle- gedly met an official of the Cuban Embassy. DIAZ Ver- son stated he did not discuss with BORRELL Navarro the allegation that. OSWALD was a gust in the house of Sil- via DURAN while he was in Mexico. "DIAZ Verson stated the matter of OSWALD allegedly meeting with DURAN at the restaurant and allegedly be- ing a guest in her home, were strictly unidentified questions, comments, and the voicing of thoughts and \. 53320 Docld:323689422 Page 27
- 26 8 speculation by a rather large group of Latin 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 Embassy?' FERNANDEZ Varela admitted he had not understood the story too well and perhaps had conffised 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, of 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- sible nameéng of sources. "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 relationship 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 Fie#d 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: itém :may'-be useful to the Commission in the evaulation of Mrs. DURAN's story." [Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 7 April 1964, from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans. DDP 4-1787.] L. 53320 Docld:32369422 Page 23
HW 53320 ‘ 5 May 1964 On 5 May, Mr. WHITTEN and Mr. HALL met with Mr. SLAWSON of the Commission in Mr. WHITTEN's 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 : (date of FBI Report) 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. Docld:3236942> Page 29
AW 93320 a | - 28 - ® "On 24 March 1964, Captain Fernando GUTIERREZ Barrios, Assistant Director of the Mexican Federal Security Police, Mexico, D. F., made available a copy of a signed statement which had been made by Silvia DURAN to the Federal Security 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. 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.] Docld:3238942> Page 30
23 July 1964 | Date of Note no. 507794 from the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign [Rélations granting the permission of the Mexican Government to publish the documents on the activities of Lee Harvey OSWALD in Mexico. | [According to the source document , this note was 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 referanée to Ambassador FREEMAN's dis- cussion with him of documents which the Warren Commission 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- : ) HW 53320 Docld:32369422 Page 31
_ WW 453320 @ a. ® 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, and returned to the Embassy under the same date and note number. | [Memorandum of Conversation, dated 14 August 1964, between Ambassador Jose GALLASTEGUI, Secretariat of Foreign Relations s 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 | Headquarters forwards request from Warren Commission for any substantive data which can be cited in the published re- port as an authoritative source regarding allegations that Silvia DURAN and her husband were or are members of the Commun- ist Party. Docld:32369422 Page 32
: AW 533270 at. e Mr. SLAWSON, the Commission attorney, recalls that both the Chief of Station and the Legal Attache referred. to these allegations 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 September 1964.] 18 September 1964 TSD forwards to Chief, Counter Intelligence Staff a memorandum on handwriting identification. "1, Reference forwarded (1) a poor quality reduced size photograph o£ 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(?7)', (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/QDS. ] 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. "bh. 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 since 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.) eG a - - . wey Ye ‘ee 2° ’ ” oa * + . - . oa . Sow ke a alae wool Es oo : . +t + ek 5 os Lo. a ee : > tO weet . tet et “ : oe . ‘ = : os A an Docld: 32389422 Page 353
- 32 - Horacio DURAN continues to live at Avenida Constituyen- tes no. 143, apartment 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 since her deten- tion on the OSWALD case. Mexican officials do not know her present morale but be@ieve she is still fri- ghtened, very pro-CASTRO, pro-communist, and anti- USA, and anti-Mexican police authorities. Horacio DURAN has kept 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. Lee 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 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 September 1964 The Mexico City Station reports to Headquarters that it does nes 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- HW 53320 Bocld:32389422 Page 34
HW 53320 ment from the Commercial Office of the Embassy and was ap- parently prepared on the same typewriter as the visa appli- cation form. Stationery used for the letter from Havana appears to be genuine. Both documents have an authentic flavor. Station is attempting to obtain a blank visa ap- plication for comparison. [MEXI-0969 (IN 79218), 22 September 1964.] 25 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 )}, 5 October 1964.] 5 October 1964 f : (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." Docld: 32389422 Page 35
- 34 - The main points covered: "Elena and Deba are first cousins of three young Mexicans 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 the 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 Elentta) 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 © Personnel 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. ] HW 53320 DBocld:32389422 Page 36
HW 53320 © ap. @ 13 July 1966 | os Charles W. THOMAS, Political Officer, U. S. Embassy, Mexico City, reports further information on Lee Harvey 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 party at the home of her cousin Ruben DURAN, when OSWALD was in Mexico prior to the Kennedy assassination." (NB: This report has no information on Silvia DURAN.) [Memorandum of Conversation, dated 13 July 1966; Subject: Further on OSWALD and Kennedy Assassination. ] 26 May 1967 tt 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 52, 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 recalted 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 any thing 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. | L | Docld:32368942> Page 42