FIRST PROGRESS REPORT, SUBCOMMITTEE ON CUBAN SUBVERSION
Originator: JCS
From: V.H.KRULAK
To: ICCCA
Document date: 03/30/1963
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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198-10007-10018

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

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198-10007-10018

CALIFANO PAPERS

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: JCS •

FROM:

V.H.KRULAK

TO : ICCCA

TITLE:

FIRST PROGRESS REPORT, SUBCOMMITTEE ON CUBAN SUBVERSION

DATE :

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

03/30/1963

9

IMPEDING TRAVEL TO CUBA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Secret

RESTRICTIONS: 1C; 4

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 04/02/1998

OPENING CRITERIA:

COMMENTS :

Califano Papers, Box 4, Folder 18. Memo from Krulak to the ICCCA re: the First Progress Report of

the Subcommittee on Cuban Subversion.

JFK Review

Declastor the EyE 352 Exempt

v9.1

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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

HH 50955

1. 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:

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 arms, the movement of propaganda

materials,

the exchange of intelligence, and surveillance of the

Caribbean.

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.

SECRET

d. Tangible progress is evident in the effort to impede and

monitor the travel of subversives through Mexico. That country,

as a result of efforts by the Department of State and the Central

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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:

V.. H. KRULAK

Major General, USMC

Chairman

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PROGRESS ACHIEVED IN IMPEDING TRAVEL TO CUBA

1.

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.

c. 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.

I. 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

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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.

h. 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

Latin America by: (1) installation of a multi-channel

Flone to the tat to rava a mat a not an

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.

c. Initiated a study, to be completed during the first

In April, on the feasibility and desirability of

establishing intelligence centers at Caribbean Command

and Caribbean Sea Frontier Headquarters for rapid pro-

cessing and dissemination to countries concerned, via

the American Ambassadors, of the intelligence on

movement of subversives.

d. Directed

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.

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e. Developed modified military assistance guidance to

provide selected countries with necessary small patrol

craft, training and logistical

support

for patrol of their

coasts.

f. Taken the following actions to provide training

assistance as required to improve coastal patrol capa-

bilities 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 leam,

as an interim measure, and can loan two 40-foot utility

boats for training in

the Canal Zone until replacement

craft are provided under the Military Assistance

Program.

3. The Central Intelligence Agency has:

a. Informed 21 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 local security

service to reintroduce travel impediments, such as a

requirement that good-conduct certificates be obtained

before leaving the country; and 1s attempting to per-

suade the Argentines to stamp passports

"not valia for

travel to Cuba"

• Liaison services appear mildly recep-

tive.

Advance information on Cuban travel by Argentines

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

through liaison with the Bolivian government have been

unsuccessful.

The station is concentrating on the

penetration of Castro-Communist groups.

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(3) Brazil: Because of Government policy, efforts.

through the Brazilian National Government have shown

little promise.

The Station 1s 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 local services, and covertly

through the Foreign Office, the Station 1s 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 President and

the Security Service 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 liaison has 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.

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(10) Guatemala: Efforts to identify 11legal

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

Ministry of the Interior a travel control system,

including card indices.

Unilateral assets have

intensified intelligence collection efforts related

to travel with a view to passing selected information to the

President and the Security Police.

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

to and from Cuba.

travel control program has been discussed with

Jamaican security officials, 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

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possibility of harassing and impeding travelers to

Cuba has been discussed with Peruvian officials.

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

security service, 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 Venezuelan security

services. Station has influenced the Venezuelan

Government to establish a commission to study

Colombian border crossing controls.

Establishment

of a special frontier police organization 1s 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) Discredit those who have received sub-

versive training,

(3) Discourage prospective trainees, and

(4) Impress Latin American governments and

peoples with the need to halt travel to cuba.

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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.

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