MEMO:FIELD OFFICE MEMO OF 11 JUNE 1969 - CHARLES GOVEA AND FRANCISCO WILFREDO 'PANCHO' VARONA (ALONSO)
Originator: CIA
From: PONCHAY, ANTHONY R., COS, WH/MIAMI
To: SAIC, MIAMI FIELD OFFICE
Document date: 06/18/1969
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

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CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

RELEASE AS SANITIZED

1999

18 June 1969

MEMORANDUM FOi: Special Agent in Charge

Miami Field Office

SUBJECT

: Field Office Memorandu

mof y June 1969

Re: Charles GOVEA and Francisco

Wilfredo "Pancho" VARONA (Alonso)

1. I have nnv read with care the referenced memorandum

..Esiavieix.

which deals specificilly with charges by a former agent Wilfredo

"Pancho" VARONA against his handler known as "Frank" or

Enrique. As you wil have perceived from reading VARONA's

file by the time you read this memorandum, MI. VARONA is not

well regarded by ou Station and/or the people who have handled

him to date. This onstitutes the reason for his termination. I

would also like you o examine the field traces on Mr. Charles

GOVEA, an attachrent to this memorandum. These traces

indicate that Mr. GIVEA has had in the past, and possibly still

may have, some coltact with Castro intelligence organizations.

We are presently witing for a more complete read-out on Mr.

GOVEA from the N. York Office of the FBI. Understandably,

therefore, you can te we look somewhat askance at the GOVEA/

VERONA informatio. Although we recognize the integrity of

the unwitting intermediary Mr. Winston Guest of Palm Beach,

Florida, ie also reognize the implications for "Frank" in Mr.

GOVEA's knowledg: of our affairs given his possible Castro

intelligence connecion. Axiomatically, we will be interested in

knowing, at some pant in the near future, whether "Frank's"

true identity is knorn by either VARONA or GOVEA.

2. I have dircussed this memorandum in detail with

"Frank".

Our vices on VARONA's allegations are presented

below, keyed to you: basic memorandum.

refusta

SEC

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a. ia paragraph 4 of your memorandum of

11 June 196::

fir. VARONA was recruited sometime

during 1957 jy Mr. William Murray then assigned to

the Agency'+ Station in Havana. He was subsequently

handled by li. Jack Stewart another Agency Officer

presently stizioned in Kingston, Jamaica. Later, still

in Cuba, he vas handled by Mr. Frank Belsito now serving

in Panama aid Emilio Rodriguez (deceased.) Mr. Rodriguez

turned Mr. TARONA over to "Frank" in November 1960.

*inside"

In August 19i1, Mr. VARONA took asylum in the Brazilian

Embassy in Zavana. He was later granted "salvo conducto"

to Rio de Janeiro.

In the interim "Frank" was exfiltrated

from Cuba tr the U.S. When Mr. VARONA arrived in the

Florida area during March 1962, he was met by his Havana

Case Office: 'Frank" who continued to handle him until

August 1962, at which time he was turned over to the Greek

Case Officer he refers to. The Greek Case Officer handled

him for appoximately three years. Along about 1965, the

Greek Case Officer turned Mr. VARONA over to MI. Al

- McQuade aki Fred who handled Mr. VARONA until May

1968, at whih time he was turned over to "Pepe" intro-

duced by "F.ank" who served as an intermediary because

of his previnis connection with MI. VARONA. Pepe's

specific job vas to give Mr. VARONA one last chance to

prove that h: could be productive before being terminated.

Pepe, an experienced agent handler's problems with Mr.

VARONA wese precisely like those of his predecessors.

He found Mi. VARONA to be untruthful, bellicose and

generally natisfactory for any form of continued employ-

ment by WE Miami. Therefore, after due consideration

of MI. VARINA's potential to cause trouble because of

his long exprience with the Agency, the decision was

taken to ternnate him recognizing full well there might

be security percussions.

SEARES

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In th light of the foregoing, it is worrisome

to find out tiat Mr. VARONA is aware that "Frank"

recently recived transfer orders from the Organization.

We need mase information on this. We suspect that the

origin of this statement is the fact that Mr. VARONA

recently met "Frank" on the street in Mexico City by

complete haypenstance. During that meeting "Frank"

alluded to the fact that he was no longer working in

Miami (although in fact he was) to confuse MI. VARONA

as to his tru. whereabouts. It should be noted that Mr.

VARONA reers to "Frank" as "Frank" because at one

point during the time that he was being handled by

"Frank", otherwise known as Enrique, he instructed

MI. VARON: to introduce him to the Vasco de CUNHA

family as "Frank" Stevens, otherwise he had known

"Frank" under the name, Enrique.

The basis for Mr.

VARONA saying that he believed "Frank" mishandled

the WOFIRM program in many ways appears to be

vituperation plus frustration. The vituperation being

a basic ingrdient in his opportunistic character.

b. Fa paragraph 5 of your memorandum of

11 June 196%.

That "Frank" had certain responsibilities

re Juanita Cistro is very true. "Frank" was funda-

mentally resonsible for the defection of Juanita Castro

although Mr. VARONA furnished the lead. The "Frank"/'

Juanita Casto relationship is now quasi-legendary. He

did not fumbe the very difficult handling of this contro-

versial persi. MI. VARONA would have been in no

position to laow the load placed upon "Frank" by the

Agency in tring to gain operational mileage from Miss

Castro. Re:he information that "Frank" was in posses-

sion of infornation which could have resulted in the

assassinatini of Fidel Castro, the following comment

must be mai:: This refers to the Plan RAPHAEL which

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involved Mi. VARONA's brother. "Frank" was not

the Case Offer on this operation, although he had

originally re:ruited Mr. VARONA's brother in Cuba

prior to his filtration. The Case Officer for the

RAPHAEL peration, if one considers that there was

a case office, would have been Stephen P. Mangello.

Re MI. VAFONA's charge that five of his family went to

jail in Cuba ind four of his friends "went to the wall" in

Cuba because of the shortcomings of "Frank, " "Frank" has

the following specifically to say in rebuttal:

"VATONA was continuously admonished from

the time of lis arrival in the U.S. in March 1962 to

be discreet soncerning his connection as well as his

relatives' omnection with the Agency. It was common

knowledge ir. the exile community that VARONA and

his family vere dedicating their lives to the overthrow

of Castro. No member of VARONA's family was

molested by Castro until the exfiltration of VARONA's.

brother in 1764. VARONA's brother left a wife and

two childrei: behind and later within a period of three

months initated divorce proceedings. VARONA's

brother anc probably his wife, and possibly other

members & the family knew of Plan RAPHAEL. It

would be disicult, if well nigh impossible, to ascertain

who could lüve been the cause of the arrest of members

of VARON's family, since besides the family members,

other agens who were also involved in this Plan were

arrested approximately the same time. Re the four

friends "wio went to the wall, " this appears to be sheer

embellishnent on the part of Mr. VARONA. "

c. Ne paragraph 6 of your memorandum of

11 June 1937:

who holds she highest position for the Agency in Miami

and who-vicks directly for "Frank" is oné Joaquin

SANGENt this again is embellishment. Mr. VARONA

- has obviouly known for some years that MI. SANGENIS

WH/Miani Station's several projects.

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Mr. VARON: is not informed on other Station

operations, so it is understandable that in his

attempt to bring attention to himself that he

would focus in those things he is aware of.

MI. VARONI's opinion of Mr. SANGENIS and

his handling of money is his own opinion. The

Station's viev is that it is lamentable that Mr.

VARONA, oer the years, did not show the same

amount of prrsonal dedication to getting the job

done that Ms. SANGENIS has shown. Again, it

appears to be one more vituperative allegation

which has Litle basis, based on information so far

provided by Mr. VARONA.

d. Re paragraph 7 of your memorandum of

I1 June 1967

TARONA was in fact the messenger sent

by "Frank" to the person who was going to conduct

the exfiltration of 'Frank" and several.co-workers

in June 1961. He did not, as he suggests, have a

prime or organizing role in this exfiltration which

was, in fact handled by the NORBREGAS family,

long time assets of the Havana Station. Whether he

* Was tea the an chewere on the periphery

e. I paragraph 8 of your memorandum of

11 June 196%:

VARONA is a good

friend of the Vasco de CUNHA family.

He got to

know this fartly when Vasco LITTAO vas Ambassador

to Cuba. Tic Ambassador gave bem asylum during the

BATISTA piriod, and this formed the basis of their'

friendship. From time to time over the years, the

:

SiS.ET

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Agency fouri it useful to use this friendship as a

means of coltrolling MI. VARONA when he became

unmanagealie.

1. Fa paragraphs 9 and 10 of your memorandum

of 11 June 1169:

is know that vur ARONA has writter

at least one irticle for VIDA LATINA

We have no

information however, to tie effect that he is being

at all successful in re-establishing and/or revitalizing

the old "Autintico" Pajty. Given his unfavorable

reputation ir the Cuban community, it is unlikely that

he would enjay any success in this endeavor.

g. Te paragraph ll of your memorandum of

I1 June 19619:

It should be noted that Mr. Osorla DAVILA,

presently ling in Miami, is the brother of a prominent

Communist i Cuba today and should be viewed in that

light.

"Fraik's" recollection of the situation involving

servants ani the ASPRU home, which he took over with

the servants does not jive with Mr. VARONA's report.

There were vo white and two black servants in the

house. The aight of the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Cuban

Internal Serice sent agents to the ASPRU home to pick

up "Frank.' One colored and one white servant were at

home at that time and they told the DSE agents that

"Frank" war. "a gay blade" and would not be home until

early the ne: morning. The DSE left the residence

leaving behirl a note for "Frank" to report to thei,

headquarter: the following morning. In this context

it should be luted that "Frank's" cover in Cuba during

the period i question was that of a professional gambler;

a cover whim served him well during most of his service

there.

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h. Ee paragraph 12 of your memorandum of

11 June 19t::

(e) "Frank" has no knowledge of the material

referred to. A further check will be made to determine

if this infornation was passed to "Pepe" who wo uld have

made it avaïable to the Station.

(3) This material apparently was passed to

"Pepe" and subsequently analyzed by the Station. DSE

personalities were carded. MI. VARONA's statement

that 'Frank' did not properly utilize the information

again appears to be another vituperative attempt to

strike at 'Fank" who he apparently blames for his

downfall wit the Agency.

(e), (d), (e), (f). No Comment.

(e), (h), (i), ). This is probably completely

fabricated raterial. Nevertheless because of its rather

sensational sature, the Station would be interested in

receiving tre copies of this material so that it can be

analyzed in de light of specific, positive collection,

evidentiary saterial at hand.

It would also be appreci-

ated if your iffice could glean the source or sources of

this alleged sensational material.

Pe: (k), (1), (m).

(i) No comment

Er Henri VIXAMAR is a Haitian exile living

most of his ime in Canada. There is no information

that Mr. VIZAMAR Is a fa

ommunist.

(=) As in (g), (h), (i), () above, the Station

would like to now the source of the alleged photograph

which Mr. VARONA refers to. This again appears to

be sheer fabrication.

•225

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(1) No comment.

a well-know= Mexican Communist poet.

•Nicolas GUILLEN is

2. If you read the foregoing analysis in the light of Mr.

VARONA's file, I believe you will clearly ascertain that we

put little, if any, cafidence in any statements made by Mr.

VARONA. We are reeply troubled, however, by the fact that

VI. VARONA has died one Mr. Charles GOVEAlas his means

of getting to the eminent American citizen Mr. Winston Guest,

who in turn used his good offices to establish contact with you.

We consider it highy important to determine whether Mr. GOVEA

has any current comection with Cuban intelligence and to that

end, we have urgenty requested from the Bureau any and all

current information bearing on the matter. Although Mr.

VARONA cannot provide Cuban intelligence through Mr. GOVEA

anything really curient, he could albeit unwittingly provide a

tremendous amount of information dealing with Agency modus

operandi which we vould not like them to have. This becomes

quite important in vew of the fact that we have several indications

of aggressive DGI/IV operations to gain information on the AMOT

as well as our AMCRAFT operations.

3. Your pa:agraph 15 clearly reveals the fact that

VARONA has an ax: to grind and he has chosen this way of

reingratiating hims:lf with the Agency by passing information

on "Frank" the man who handled him for the longest period of

time. For tactical felitical reasons you may deem it wise to

"receive his report." under no circumstances, however, would

we want this to be wed as a bridge to become involved in again

with a man in whos: integrity or objectivity we have no confidence

whatsoever. To referate re the previous paragraph, we are most

concerned about GOTEA and if we can develop any current infor-

mation on MI. GOVLA's contacts with Cuban intelligence, we

believe it will be ne:ssary to get some word to Mr. Guest to

disengage himself f::n contact with this person.

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4. This menorandum has not been completely researched.

It is suggested, how-ver, that you forward it with your memorandum

of 11 June 1969 to yiur office so that this matter may be placed in

perspective.

5. I would preciate notification when you forward your

memorandum to your Headquarters as I would like to furnish a

copy simultaneously along with my analysis of the situation. I

appreciate your pronptness in bringing the VARONA/GOVEA

contact to my attenton.

Anthony R. PONCHAY

Chief of Station, WH/Miami

Attachment:

a/s

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