MEMORANDUM: MEETING IN MR. COERR'S OFFICE 1100-1230, 13 OCT 1961
Originator: CIA
From: DC/WH/4
To: THE RECORD
Document date: 10/19/1961
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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

SECKET

17 Cctober 1951

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RF CORD

SUBJECT

: Mootlag In vir. CooTr'o offico, 8100-1230, 13 Oct 61

' PARTICIPANTS:

Mossro, Coors, Wollam, Hurwlich, Whodbes,

Colonal Johnson

1.

Colone! Johnson gave a full account of hio two meetingo with

DE. MIRO da MiamI on 5 and 6 Cotobor, following la dolall lho Momo-

randa for tho Hecord proparad by Colonel Johnson ol these meetings.

Ho aldo outlined the lesmo Paula had glvon Dean as the badget los 1961

on the basia of thoir recelvlag $100, 000 for that month. That outlino,

18 w98 remarkad, appeara to bo largely tho same as tha old E'RD budgor.

All proacat loit that this budgot appoarod to bo well-padded and. largoly

jor clarioo. A was remarkod by Colonel Johnson that ¿aero soomod

so bo a vosy good possibility thai some o those on the salary llat may

also bo rocolving support from HEW. Colonel Johnson remarked that

ho would be seeing Dr. MIRO on Monday, 16 Oclober, at which time

ho arpecta to clardly some of the budget maltore and also to got from

ClA's Miami atailon some more docallo from Air. Paula..

2. Ms. Coors taloed the question of what wea the covor to bo

asad by Colonel Johnson la sia contacts with Di, MIRO. Colonel Johasos

ald that tho covor questlon had not yot been reoolved, that it was

quastionablo how long any cover would bold up, particularly with tho

press, that the covor of public relationa consullant, le covor of a

roBoBIch man of toacher la Miami, and varioua osher possibilitles moro

undos considorarlan.

Aís. Coors commenred that the astute presa rep-

rosontativos might soon learn the identity of the ClA reprosentative

With MIRO, partieularly il opposition leadere like PRIC, voo, he se-

masked, already sooms to know, ahould become angry and report in

the preas what chay know.

Ms. Hurwitch starod that MIRC had told him

Chas PRIO, OF a rEpTECODLatIVA Ol PRIO, had eald tO MIRC, "I undo. -

asand that you have a Colonel Johnson as jour repre scatalive with the

U.S. Governmone." MIRO also declared to Nir. Hurwich that only

ho, MIRO, and hla socculary, ARAGON, had reason to know of

Colonal Johnaon's role. There was some epeculation on how PRIO had

learnod al tho mattor. *

1. 17!:1.

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3.

Mr. Whedboo onld that there was nood so, clarily juas tho

Colonel Johnson ropresented to Dr. MIRO, that MIRO had been sold

ho would have a roprosantatire who would hava frequens contact with

Ms. Goodwin in tho While Hours and Mis. lioodward and others at

tho Department of Slato and would also be in contace mith the Agancy,

and that it was accordingly the understanding of the Agency that

Colonel Jobison would thorefore reprosont or be the llat between

De. MIRO and tho U. S. Govemment, al loast in the Mams area.

He romarked that tale cartainly had somo bearing on tha cover mattor

and les socurlty aspocta. Me. Coerr romarkad that it saensed

Colonel Johnson was simply an ovart representative of the Agency.

Ms. Whedboa remarked that this was hardly posaible and ofill savo

any aecurity or denlability. I ho was overt, he was autarlically

a roprosentativa of the U.S. Goveramont. Ms. Hurwitch inierposed

thes ho considerad Colonal Johnaon to be solely the reprasantasino of

the Agancy. Ho sald lhat Mr. Goodwin had aald lat be, Goodula,

only ranted to bo consulted on tha most important lanues and last MIRO's

normal contact la. Washingtoa fur policy guldanco abould be willa the

Cuban doak in the Department of Stato, La Miami, Colorol Jabasai

would then work our with MIRO the Agency support al Raesa poldolea.

1. Mr. Hurwitch continued, exprecalng his vies thas

Colonel Jobndo abould havo the authority from tha Agoncy lo diacuss

and approvo Dr. MIRO's operational plana ouch as tours to Lalla

Ameriça, support of internal gruups and the like and, li cortain plano

more approvod by them, to sit down with MIRO, the military advisore

and reprosentalives of the insornal groups, and work out final decalla

los actually running operallons in support of theds elements.

Aís. Hibedbes countorad, "It da by no means an aimple as that.

This

1a a lot more complicated than just having too os a dosen peopló sit

down in Milaml and agreo on something. Take, los instance, sho

simplo matter, rolatively speaklag, of sending lo Latin America a

persos on a speaking tour. Did you know that the Immigralian and

Nasuralization Servico and tha FBl require all roquesto lor support

from them to be sent back hare to Washington and then their poople

in Miami have to be instructod by their Hoadquartors here la Hashing-

ros to facilitate such travel, thua, in effect, the final control on travel

da up hero in Waabington and it doesn't oven reside in the Agancy.

Each individual has to bo so handled." Mr. Hurwitch said be thought

shat this could be worked out so that lt could ba done entiraly locally

in Miami. Mt. Whedbes expressed somo doubt and sald thas somehow

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ho had the Impresaion that LilRO had little-assets bur thought that

Ií ho could acquire all the facilitiea of ClA an a sovernmont ontity

placod al hia disposal, ho could do something. Of course those

facilittes and the authority of ClA simply could not be turned over to

Dr. MIO.

S.. Colonel Johnson Bald that he felt there was a considorable

arod in which we could support Dr. MIRC and ho refortod to the

Stato Department's propaganda plan, "Operacion Griois, " which

De. MIRO sald he had recelved during his visit to Mr. Hurwitch and

W5. Aioralos Carrion. Mo, Hurelich explainod that this was la so

senso & Dopariment ol Staro plan but rather a suggested draft by

Moralea Carrion and pausod to MIRO as meroly an indication dí tho

Dors ol propaganda operation in Latin America that might be elloctivo.

6. On the subject of propaganda and the acilvitos of the

"'collateral groups" Ilko the FORD, the DRE, etC, outaldo the CRC,

both Mir. Wollim and Mr. Harmitch aald thoy belleved it wou!d be

possible to transfer these groups and thoir actinitias la their entirety

to DE. MIRO In accordance with his desires.

Mr. Whedbeo said

he sympathizod with MIRD's polion but doubted that it would work.

is. Huswitch aald that il we bad some doubte on thie matter, ho von-

dered-why these doubts had not been brought up by Mir. Blasell in the :

discusnions with Mr. Goodwin. Ms. Hurwitch then claimed he had a

Goodwin mamo saylag tho DRE, FORU, sad all intornal groups must

bo financed through MIRO.: Mi. Hurwilch wondered when thin now

position add developed in the Agency, N.r. #hedbee statod that tho

Agoncy had bad long experience during the past tun years in dealing

with the various Cuban elementa both in and outaide Cuba, and that

these types of probleme had ezlated from the beginning and although

choy may room new to Mr: Hurwilch and MP. Wollam, who had recent -

ly come on the desk, they cortainly mere not new to lit. Coors, tho

readlly agreed. Int. Wedbee pointsd out that, in the early seages of

1960, attempta wera made to form some sort of coalstion of the

miscellaneous Cuban groups. Elsally the FRD was burn and much

later tha CRC, reaponaibility for walch was then transferred to tho

Vihito Houso and the Stato Department alter the lavasion. In lhe lirat

or sarly stagos mentioned, relatively little had come of our alterapto

lo gonerato meaninglul activities tbrough Cuban-controlled channels

such de tho F KD, that lhe Agency, to achlove any real degree of succesa

la dereloping propaganda and other activities against Castro, had to

form mlocollaneous groups, polilical and collateral, and then try lo

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shove thai one way or the other under the umbrella of tha FRD.

: He pointed out that the most tollins colticloin mado by tha proos and

by mambors of tho Stato Depariment, 10o, st that time was that

ma more forcias those varlous groups through monetary control into

Joining the FRU: Ha alatod lurthor that this lad boon diocuasod lo

Daltimoro last month in detall With Ds, MIRO, who at that limo.

Booined to agroo chat ll Di. MIRO and the CRC wero to succoed in

controlling to othor groups, both collateral and political, it ideally

abouid be by leadership rather than by axorcising linanclal control.

Mr. Whedbeo then brought up the question of just how lar

should we go in aupport of MIRO and the Council, and how are wo going

so juatily some of these axpenses.

Conaldorable decusalon followed,

at the conclusion of which Mr. Whodbed sald he would lika to throw out

as the table some specifie pointe simply so an idlesilos al somo al.....

tha problom areas which he folt had been at loadi touched upon by tho

dicussian and to which in the coming moeka come considorallon would

have to bo givon, although cortalaly tals meating edould not isy to

arrivo se any dolinitiva answaro:

a. I should bo claritied whethor or nut, in faci, somo of

Rhose porsona liorad as recelving salaried (rom the FRD are aloo re-

ceiving economie ald from the HEW.

D. It should do norad that Dr. MIRO's request to engago la

activitloo aro somotines vory unreallatic. For examplo, at ono point

DE. MIRO wansod to lake ovor the Swan Island operation and wanted

to pul up a $2, 000, 000 radlo atation al Koy liest to beam propaganda

to Cuba and'álao to jam Cuban broadcants.

The proposal to have sound table discussions including

DE. MIRO, blo military commiaolon, and representatives ol the latersal

groups to decide on sabotage and commando-typo saldo is rather ua-

reallatie for a varloty of roasons, Including security factora and the

quasilan of whether os not thie would be accoptable to any or all al

d. D8. MIRO has apparently tho idoa that ho can use bla

million dollaro for whatever be desires with líttle or no advance spo

pröval, and above shia figure he may ask for unlimited lunds lor

oporationa. This area certaialy noods clearing up.

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Di. MIRO hao roquediad that tho ligency purri over lo

alin the lunda, tho control of the bank accounts: and the entiro

mechanism for making the "dependont paymento." This lo a rathor

hoy item relatod to pasi hiatory, Ms, ¡'hodboo olatod li was bio

porsonal opinion that tale should not under any circumelances be

ramad over to the CRC to administor independently.

S. Rolalive to BiLRO's roquest for ald to lho Escambray:

roslotance group, Mr. Whoulbee stated that to had discuneed this

matter vory thoroughly with Ur. MIRO, and ll appearud from that

convornation that MilkO had had only ono indirect contact with this

DI. MIRO had merely a pluce of papor signod by RAMIREZ

and saveral othoro allogodly in the Escambray, staring that thare

were some 30 of thom in desperato stralta and in nood of support and

that, I1 weapons wore givin to thom, thay could muster 100.

Dr. MIRO was at lhat point not oven sure how the papor had got to

him and had no means whatdoovor of communicating with RAMIrEZ.

Ho proposed tha use of a boat to get the supplies to the North coast

of Cuba, but had no Idsa has to got thom from tho Norib coast lo lo

Iscambasy. Ao an alternalivo, ho suggestod an air drop by a plano

{som Flosido.

With regard to the financial ald that MIRO had opokoa

to both Mr. Hurwitch and Colonel Johnson sbour, 1.0., the $70, 000

monthly to bo sent into Cubs via the Ilallan Embassy, Mr. M'heciboo

polated out phat tho ltallas Ambaasados, when contacted by an Agency

reprasontativo, atated that he, for the time being, did not want bis

Ernbasay utslised further la thia sypo of transaction, Rat af the 570, 000

gIvon MIRO, apparently only $10, 000 was sent into tho ltallan Embassy

and, of this, a large portion went for the needs of parsons in asylum

la the Embasoy rather than for support of Cuban Intornal realotanco

alemonto outaldo tha Embassy, In al loast one lastanco, the Agency,

Ibrough separate channols, bad, la fact, arrangod to send lundo lo

tho principal intornal group which was supposed to havo recelvad..

but didn't--a portlon of the $40, 000. Cartelaly wo could not givo

lusther support to ubla activity without a good deal of clarification of

exsctly how futuro lunde wore to bo post in by Do. MIRo.

8. Air. Hurwitch then sald tast, with regard to Dr. MIRO's pro-

posal for tha Council to eutablish ¡taell on Cuban soil vla a commando

aporation and then got U.S, military support, this had boon brought up

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rapeacodly with Mr. Goodwin, and Dr. MIRO had boen sold Marly not

so count on a U.S, military operallon agalnas Cuba. Mir. Hurmitca

Bald that MIRi now soonia to ba making the same proposal agalo

through Colonel Jobnaan, and that he ahould be discouraged from

making any plane for such as operatios.

• 9. Mr. Hurwitch nald that he bellered something could be done

for the throe Cuban rosidanta of the U.S, who bad fought at Playa

Giron, but who now couldn't got ald through the Halugo Council or

Social Securlty. He ollerod to take care of any auch mallars wilh HEW.

Accordingly, tho names and dala were left with Mr. Hollam for

Mr. Hurwitch's use.

Mr. Hurwitch added that Ms. Wiso as tho

Hefugao Coator in Miami mighi be a good contaci il ClA vanted to

handla those mattoro itaall in Miami.

(Signcd), R. E. Whebco

R. E. WHEDBEE

DC/ W11/4

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