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2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

SEGRET

i sate file

8 MAY *373)

MEMORANDUM FOR:

SUBJECT

Deputy Director for Operations

Media Inquiry to Cuban Exile Journalist in

Miami re Cuban Involvement in Watergate

Case and Attitudes in Miami Area

1. This manorandum is for your information only:

2. On 7 May 1973 we were advised by Station WH/Miami that

two employees of a Siation Wi,Miani proprietary had tole the

Station that one

Rene VIERA Gonzalez,

a Cuban exile lournalist

who writes for Diario Las Americas and owns the Westchester

Mall Bookstore In Miami received a call in early May fron one

FNU COTILIES who said he worked for the Times in Washington.

•(GOTTLEB Is belloved to be Sanford GOTTLIEB, 11102 Brandyvine

St., Kensington, Ma, who was formerly an employee of the

National Conmittee on Sane Nuclear Policy". A pretexi call to

the Washington bureau of the New York Times verified that one

"Sandy" Gottlieb was employed there.) COTILIEB asked VIERA

what people in Miami were saying about the latergate case and

what participation the Cubans had in it.

He specifically

asked about the activities of Reinaldo PICO (former 2506

Brigade member), Orlando PIEDRA (former Chief of Cuban Bureau

of Investigation in Batista Government), and Rolando MASFERRER

(former Cuban Senator and self-admitted

former Communist).

do also asked ii ITT had an oifice in miami

SANJENIS Perdome (former Chief of a Wa/liami proprietary sia

anicably terninated in 1972) and Juan A. PAULA (former

WH/Miami proprietary enployee and former Controller of

Revolutionary

Democratic Front-FRD-and currently employed by

an OGC proprietary)

were Still

in che Miami area,

Me. was

3150

interested in Edgardo BUTTARI, a Cuban born in West Tampa,

Florida, a former Cuban Congressman

and Minister of Commerce

who is reportedly associated with Mr. Charies

"Bebe" RE30Z0.

According to GOTTLIEB, BUTTARI

was appointed as "political

chief in the Republican Party".

2: 5005355

16L1?

3S0HL1

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GOTTLIEB apparently has current information on the

activities of the persons he mentioned; for example, he

knew that Juan A. PAULA was involved in the jewelry

business

that Reinaldo PICO had resided in Venezuela and had rocently

returned to the United States. The phone conversation lasted

about 45 minutes and GOTTLIEB told VIERA that if he cane

to

Miani they would have lunch together.

4

VIERA does not know GOTTLIEB but talked to him because

GOTTLIED said he was reconnended by Ernesto BETANCOURT who

has resided in the Washington area for more than ten years.

BETANCOURT was a former Agency asset and is currently Chief of

Economic Planning and Budget, AS. The conversation was

initially in English but continued in Spanish.

VIERA said he

provided no information to GOTTLIEB on the basis that he is a

Cuban exile and did not want to get involved in internal u.s.

affairs.

We do not know why COrTLIBß was interested in Joaquin

SANJENIS OT JUAN A. PAULA.

(Attached are sunmary biographies

of persons of interest to GOTTLIE3.)

5.

On 7 May 1973 Marvin L. EVANS, Chief, ARMUTUAD, was

briefed on the substance of the report from Wi/Miami pertaining

to Juan A. PAULA, who works for the MutUAl proprietary?

MCKERCHER and AVANT which utilizes NORTHWESI JNAGEMENT SERVICES,

INC. as office space cover.

Among other duties performed by

the propEleraly ara the monthly checks sent to the dependents

of imprisoned assets which are signed in true name by paula.

EVANS was unaware that PAULA had purchased a new jewelry

business in association with Antonio GENOVA; however, he feels

that MUTUAD is protected and compartmented from the WH/Miami

proprietary and ha has the utmost confidence in the proprietary

being able to field any quastions. rhutUAD communication with

the proprietary is by uniistod phone and a post office box.

EVANS said that licKERCHER and AVANT could possibly be linied

to WORTUNEST MANAGEUEND but the trail would end there.

feels that either proprietary could only be linked in the Agancy

by innuendo.

(He did say that Howard HUNT was aware of

MINUTUAD when he served as C/CA/EUR.) EVANS feels secure as

far as NORTEWEST MANAGIMENY and UCKERCHER and AVAND are

concerned.

..:':

SEOHET

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6. EVANS mentioned that the bona fide law firm occupying

the other portion of the AHMUTUAD offices are the attorneys

that the boog

for gohn DEl

(These lawyers are cleared and witting.)

One of the lawyers told EVANS that DEAl will be the "biggest

canary singer of the year".

The connon receptionist area is

manned by MAMUTUAD employees who also monitor all telephone

calls, incoming and outgoing for the other law firm.

EVANS

mentioned that there have been numerous calls from

the media

and outgoing overseas calls to such places as Japan and Europe.

7. EVANS will be traveling to Nassau and returning via

Miami on 10 May 1973. He intends to talk with his proprietary

people at that time

on other SHUTUAl business and will also

contact COS, HH/Miami.

(The COS has been alerted to expect

a call from EVANS on 10 May 1973.)

Jages E. Flanzery

James E. Flannery

Acting Chief

Western lienisphere Division

cc: Director of Security

Attachments: A-F Biographic Summaries

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