SECRET SUB-COMMITTEE ON CUBAN SUBVERSION 30 March 1963 MEMORANDUM FOR THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON CUBAN AFFAIRS SUBJECT: First Progress Report, Sub-Committee on Cuban Subversion ENCLOSURE: Progress Achieved in Impeding Travel to Cuba l. On 8 March the President approved certain actions proposed to combat Castro-Communist subversion in Latin America. Subsequently, the related departments and agencies undertook to execute those © decisions. This is the first report of progress achieved. 2. The three-week period covered by the report has been sufficient to set the program in motion and to bring about the following principal developments, which come within the purview of the sub-committee: . i a. In addition.to the program on control of subversive travel, approved by the President on 8 March, four companion action pro- grams have also been completed and forwarded for approval, covering the | movements of »f arms, 4 the. movement, “of propaganda “materials, the the exchange ‘of intelligence, and | Surveillance of the en ere nner Penne aBe AW ago att aie AE hn ee MAE ees OY WORN Caribbean. Prost tire b. Action programs on the control-of the movement of funds _ for subversive purposes and the training of Latin Americans in the United States are in preparation. c, Preparations have been made, including the development of -a set of action objectives, for use in the ministerial meeting on security in Managua on 3 April. _ d. Tangible progress is evident in the effort to impede and C) monitor the travel of subversives through Mexico. That country, as a result of efforts by the Department of State and the Central GROUP-1 | SECRET EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC Cea 4 DOWNGRADING AND DECLASSIFICATION HW 5QC55 " Paciays2a3m107aet. N . es manana “ypriqenne teen steer tai Sg Pat! an Yepamanmtnates Nott Seu geseimgwete rimiencta cptuant eh ney crim apm
naa . SECRET Intelligence Agency, is now taking informal, though useful, steps to regulate travel to and from Cuba, and has agreed to prohibit the introduction by Cubana Airlines of Russian-made aircraft on the Mexico-Havana route. 3. Specific actions taken-to date by each department and agency concerned are summarized in the enclosure. Subsequent reports will be submitted on the first day of each month. These reports will cover further progress achieved in the now on-going program to control subversive travel, and in implementing decisions, as they are taken, on the additional anti-subversion programs which have been submitted . by the sub-committee for approval. For the Sub-Committee: d V. H. KRULAK eo So oo . Major General, USMC . , a | . — Chairman | SECRET | | , z HW 50955 Docld: 32424010 Page 4 Fyne eee tenie a Rene  RREITCSSME Fe EMRE SEO Dt Pa teenaane RIE HAE ite re se
O HW 450955 SECRET PROGRESS ACHIEVED IN IMPEDING TRAVEL TO CUBA |. The Department of State has: ‘a. Determined that a Committee of the Council of the Organization of American States has prepared a program _ of travel control measures which will be recommended for implementation to member governments within the next several weeks. ; b. Consulted our Ambassador in Mexico concerning the possibility of institution by that country of adminis- trative procedures to delay, or otherwise make. difficult, the carrying of passengers to Cuba. The ‘Ambassador, has reported that essentially all feasible control measures, short of discontinuing Cubana flights, are being taken by the Mexican government. e. Determined that Mexico is now requiring that visas for Cuba be ‘placed securely in passports of all travelers departing for that country, and is stamping passports to indicate that a person has departed or arrived from Cuba. d. Determined that Mexico is prepared to furnish manifests of all carriers departing for or arriving from Cuba to Latin American countries which request them. . e. Forwarded a memorandum to the President recom- ~ mending that ‘we seek action in the Council of the Organization of American States to prohibit Latin American ships from serving Cuba and to prohibit member countries from granting overflight or landing rights to Soviet aircraft. f. Persuaded Mexico, through the good offices of Senator Mansfield, to refuse~to permit Cubana Airlines to employ Soviet-made Ilyushin 18 aircraft on the Havana-Mexico route. g. Pursued arrangements for a conference at Managua on 3 April, to be attended by representatives of the Isthmian states and the United States, for the purpose of considering measures to control Castro-Communist SECRET Doctda: 327474010 Page 5 cee a nee ee meagre SRE A ache en phate aol wx Oem oa eerie recep
SECRET - subversive activities to include development of action | topics for presentation at the meeting as well as prepa- ration of background material for the U.S. delegates. oh. Informed Venezuela, Colombia, Jamaica, Trinidad and the Dominican Republic of plans to consult with Isthmian countries at the San Jose Conference in regard to increasing the Caribbean surveillance effort with U.S. training and material support, and stated U.S. willing- ness to provide similar assistance to the countries, addressed. Replies from Trinidad and Venezuela have been negative. Other countries have not yet responded. 2. The Department of Defense has: a, Continued U.S. air and sea surveillance of the area . “surrounding Cuba. b. Continued the improvement of communications in 9» Latin America by: (1) installation of a multi-channel radio station in Costa Rica, (2) continuing work on a similar facility in Nicaragua, (3) continuing negotia- tions for installation of military radio facilities in Honduras, Colombia and Ecuador, (4) commencing installa-. tion of a submarine cable between Fort Sherman, Canal Zone, and Jamaica, to be completed about 1 April, (5) leasing six channels in this cable for communication between the U.S. and the Canal Zone, and (6) making minor ‘improvements. in radio facilities previously installed in Bolivia and Guatemala. ec. Initiated.a study, to be completed during the first week in April, on the feasibility and desirability of establishing intelligence centers at Caribbean Command ang Caribbean Sea Frontier Headquarters for rapid pro- cessing and dissemination to countries concerned, via the American Ambassadors, of the intelligence on the movement of subversives. d. Directed establishment of a U.S. military alerting ‘system for the Caribbean area, by which intelligence on subversive movement can be rapidly transmitted to United States Ambassadors in countries concerned. CINCARIB has sufficient communication facilities to initiate the system, and improvement of these facilities is continu- ing. SECRET BW 50955 Docld:32424010- Page 6 71 cee re aeapamamytaremaminmannmanie a a ie Ate ny cm
= i / SECRET e. Developed modified military assistance guidance to provide selected countries with necessary small patrol craft, training and logistical support for patrol of their coasts. mo f. Taken the following actions to provide training assistance as required to improve coastal patrol capa- pilities of Latin American military forces: (1) Commenced appraisal of a proposal by CINCARIB to establish a Small Craft Training and Inspection Facility in the Canal Zone. (2) Established liaison with the Coast Guard in “regard to training assistance. The Coast Guard has © stated that it can provide a Mobile Training Team, as an interim measure, and can loan two 40-foot utility poats for training in the Canal Zone until replacement craft are provided under the Military Assistance Program. ° 3. The Central Intelligence Agency has: a. Informed[._]stations in Latin America of the program approved by the President and designated a Senior Officer at each station to supervise implementation at highest priority. , b. Intensified efforts throughout Latin America to discourage travel to Cuba. Progress in each country is summarized as follows: (1) Argentina: Station has urged the | to reintroduce travel impediments, such as a requirement that good-conduct certificates be obtained before leaving the country; and is attempting to per- suade the Argentines to stamp passports "not valid for ‘travel to Cuba", Liaison services appear mildly recep- tive. Advance information on Cuban travel by Argentines through Mexico will be sought from that country. . Plans “have been made to send two agents to Cuba to seek in-- formation on the mechanics of travel. Propaganda against Cuba subversion is being intensified. (2) Bolivia: Efforts to discourage travel to Cuba with the Bolivian government have been unsuccessful. The station is concentrating on the penetration of Castro-Communist groups. SECRET oe 3 _ aw 50955 Doctld: 32474010 Page 7 . ‘« ant + mens enre tenia n Ett ph etree Rea trrepapres pancetta mentee ee metas ne stem het meine oe Sereno
—, io HW 50955 aA SECRET (3) Brazil: Because of Government policy, efforts chrough the Brazilian National Government have shown little promise. The Station is working through the armed forces and friendly State security services to arrange travel impediments as feasible. The possi- - bility of requiring State good-conduct certificates prior to travel is being explored. Propaganda assets are being utilized by the Station to support its actions. (4) Chile: Station is attempting to persuade the Chilean Government to limit travel on Chilean pass- ports to countries specified before departure. Clandestine collection of information on travel to Cuba is being intensified. (5) Colombia: Through and covertly.. tnrough the foreign Office, the Station is exploring means of impeding travel to Cuba. Arrangements have been made for passing selected information on travel to the Colombians. Coverage of Colombian-Cuban institutions and attempts to identify and interrogate Colombians who have traveled to Cuba are being ex- panded. , (6) Costa Rica: Station is making arrangements _ 'to pass information on Cuba travelers to the Costa Rican Government on a regular basis and to provide. guidance and covert support. (7) Dominican Republic: Both the | | have been approached in regard ~ to preventing travel to Cuba, and both seem willing to cooperate fully. (8) Ecuador: Since the Government of Ecuador makes little effort to control travel to Cuba, the Station is relying on covert assets, including some in the police, to impede and harass travelers. Efforts continue to persuade the government to, take restric-. tive measures. (9) El Salvador: Station [nas resulted in the arrest of several returnees from Cuba. informal arrangements already exist for denying or delaying exit permits to persons going to Cuba and for harassing returnees. SECRET 4 DocTd: 324274010 . Page. ti
rd co™ XQ / C) HY 0955 SECRET & (10) Guatemala: Efforts to identify illegal travelers and methods employed have been increased. Arrangements have been made to facilitate proces- sing of travel information received from Mexico. (11) Haiti: The status of our relations with the Duvalier.Government has precluded cooperation. Station has instructed assets to report Cuban travel information. (12) Honduras: The Station has proposed to the a travel control system, ineluding card in Unilateral assets have intensified intelligence collection efforts related to travel with a view to passing selected information to the ee | Names of returnees from Cuba will be screened and an effort made to -expand patrols on the north coast. (13) Jamaica: The Jamaican Government already effectively controls travel to and from Cuba. A travel control program has been discussed with Jamaican jofficials, who will cooperate. & (14) Mexico: Station has arranged for harassment of Cuba travelers and for stamping passports to.show travel to Cuba. Airport travel lists are obtained and passed to other stations. Efforts are being intensified to identify disaffected travelers who might provide information. (15) Nicaragua: Station is pressing efforts to develop travel information. (16) Panama: Arrangements have been made to interview at least ten persons who have returned from Cuba. Station will pass selected information to Panamanian officials. (17) Paraguay: The Paraguayan Government already discourages travel by threat of arrest, questioning and surveillance. Station has emphasized the potential threat of Cuban subversive activities with good results. (18) Peru: A Peruvian source recently returned from insurgency training in Cuba has been developed and is providing valuable intelligence. The SECRET - 5 Doctd: 324274010 Page 9 Ae nee oe ett ner amnenttan gnateomatnaphnnnesen mene 8 ee ma
yo ~ SECRET ‘possibility of harassing and impeding travelers to “Cuba has been discussed with Peruvian officials. a Efforts to promote greater cooperation are being , made, to include passing of selected information. (19) Trinidad: Station will attempt to collect information on travel and seek cooperation of local although the attitude of the government in regard to establishing a travel con- - trol.program is not highly promising. (20): Uruguay: Uruguayan law permits travel to any country. Clandestine assets have agreed to arrange, . on request, administrative delays of as much as two . months. A plan is.being developed to pass derogatory information to the Mexican Ambassador on prospective travelers to Cuba via Mexico. Argentine travellers_ using false passports have been identified. .” (21) Venezuela: The need to improve travel con- ; trols has been impressed upon venemet an C __ cn, i Station has influenced the Venezuelan NL ' Government to establish a commission to study Colombian border crossing controls. Establishment of a special frontier police organization is under consideration. Station regularly exchanges infor- . ‘mation with local security services and is expand ing efforts to obtain travel information. 4, The U. S. Information Agency has; a. Issued News Policy Notes providing guidance to public information media designed to further attain- — ment of the following objectives: | (1) Alert the Hemisphere to the dangers of subversive training in Cuba of nationals of other countries, (2) Diseredit those who have received sub- versive training, a (3) Discourage prospective trainees, and (4) Impress Latin American governments and _ peoples with the need to halt travel to Cuba. — SECRET 6 HY 50955 DocId: 32424010 ‘Page 10
we oe : 4 . . tse 2 . at Moe! SECRET b. Initiated preparation of a Circular Instruction to the Field, based on the News Policy Notes mentioned - - above} to be completed: by 3 April 1963. a KT a SECRET : : 7 HW 50955 Docld:32424010 Page 11