Originator: HSCA
Document date: 10/24/1978
Document type: REPORT

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180-10142-10223

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

DRAFT - 10/24/78

FOLDER 24

# 11

MANUEL, RAY RIVERO

Manuel Ray Rivero was born in cuba in 1924. (ESCA

:009005 Memo to G. Robert Balkey, 6/28/78, Interview with

Manolo Ray Rivero fron Fonzi/Gonzalezin Because of his

has bean deserchedar softspohan,?

1921947,

outstanding performance as a civil engineer, he was granted

a scholarship in 1917 by the Cuban Ministry of Public Works

unue gaguate

tonstudesat the univerity of Utah. scA 006468, p. 9, Item

FBI Manolo Ray References, Section 2) Ray was in the United

States for two years but did not complete his work for a

to cuba,

Masters Degree, lIbid, file hid various positions in the

engineering field, one of which was Project Manager for the

construction of the

Havana Hilton Hotel. (Ibid)

In May 1957, he organized the Civic Resistance

Movement which supervised sabotage and acts of terrorism

8.

Cable t Wir

froM MASH, 11(17/60)

i, deepest suicerity and

conviction. (E1R/000 R0y LÖLIE

against the Batista regime. (Ibid) Fidel Castro appointed

Latr

him Minister of Public Works in February 1959. (Ibid)

follories November he was arrested and relieved of his

official position. (HSCA 005990, p. 2, FBI Correlation Study,

Manolo Ray file, #97-4546,_.

section 1. (Ray abode vicastro

because of his communist connections. (Ibia)) Hellounded the anti Cat.

Movimento Revolucionario del Pueblo (MRP) in 1960, serving

as its Chief with the following individuals completing the

leadership: Raul Chibas, Special Assistant to Ray; Juan

Esteves

Ramires, Secretary; Ramon Barquin, Military Intelli-

gence

Matters; and Rogelio Cisneros, Chief of MRP in Cuba.

(CIA/Deputy Director of Operations, Manuel Ray Rivero file,

Volume II)

LO NOY MARDUCE

RETURN TO CIA

142-10223

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## Page 2

Manuel

Page 2

Ray - 10/24/78

while still ie Cuba,

In the Summer of 1960, aRay was actively recruited

by the CIA to become a member of the ERD, approaches being

made through Raul Chibas. (CIA/DDO, Ray Vol I) Ray's back-

ground was questioned by the State Department. (CIA/DDO Ray

Vol I, Memo to WH/4 Chief from Acting Chief, WH, 9/27/60,

Subject: State Approval to Include Manuel Ray Rivero into

on how 10,1960

u.5,

gits ther

clandestinely

the FRD Complex) and by the Miami CIA office (CIA/DDO Ray

Vol I, Cable from MASH to WH9, 9/29/60) Despite these

objections, Ray was granted Provisional Operational Approvals

I and, with the aid of the CIA was bro"

by the CIA on 25 October 1960 / (CIA/DDO Ray Vol I, POA form)

His personnel papers contain the following assessment: "Subject

has definite political action potential, is a pro-democratic

official of government who is not in sympathy with aims of

international Communism and who is interested in strengthening

ties between Cuba and U.s. (CIA/DDO, Ray Vol I, PROform, Part 2,)

Section VI)

had contact

wah

Not everyone in the CIA who knew Ray were in agreement

with this assessment. In a Memo for Record dated 11/21/60,

it was reported that, "...Ray did not politically represent

anything to cheer about." (CIA/DDO Ray Vol II, Memo for Record,

11/21/60, Subject: Meeting with King and Esterline on Subject

of Handling MRP) Another CIA officer who met privately with

Ray in November 1960 stated that his political posture was

doubtful as far as U.S. Government acceptance is concerned.

(CIA/DDO Ray VOL II, Cable to Director from MASH, 11/17/60)

(Ray II Cable to De pu UMASA

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## Page 3

Manuel Ray - 10/24/78

Page 3

Still another Memo for Record states that Ray's action all

seemed directed toward making him the future power in Cuba

rather than overthrowing Castro. (CIA/DDO, Ray Vol V, Memo

for Record, 2 June 1961, Subject: Relations with Manolo Ray

and the MRP from (James A. NOel)

The memo further pointed out

that it was believed Ray was so far "left" in his thinking

that he would be as dangerous (or more so in the long run)

to U.S. interests as Castro, if he ever got to be a power in

Cuba. (Ibid)

Ray made his polftical position very clear during a

private meeting with a CIA officer on November 15, 1960' ICIA/DO,

Ray Vol II, Cable to Director

from MASH) He said the MRP did

not wish to reinstate the

1940

Cuban Constitution and that

the Castro laws passed at the

beginning of his regime would

Continue a

be promulgated. (Ibid) Ray

further informed the CIA officer

that he believed the State

should regulate private invest-

ments and utilities should be nationalized. (Ibid) Charges

of "Fidelismo without fidel" were made against Ray's MRPDra

(CIA/DDO, Ray Vol II,/

Contact repoft from wallace. A.

Parlett, 10/17/60, Subject: Meeting with Juan Estevez and

(Jorge Beruff. 10/13/60)

The

CIA

• received negative information about Ray from

prominent exiled Cubans. Ray was described by one exile as

highly dangerous because of his ambition to play a prominent

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## Page 4

Manuel Ray - 10/24/78

Page 4

role in the Cuban government after Castro's overthrow. (CIA/DDO,

Ray Vol II, Memo for Record, John D. Peters, 11/8/60, Subj:

contact Report on Meeting with Rogelio Gonzalez). Miro Cardona

was opposed to Ray, believing his program was too Marxist.

(CIA/DDO Ray, Vol. III, Information Report from U.S. Citizen,

Free-lance writer and part-time sugar broker, 12/22/60) and

also stated that Ray was bitterly anti-American as well as

probably totalitarian in his thinking. (CIA/DDO, Ray Vol IV,

Memo to S - Dr. Berle from ARA - Philip W. Bonsal, March 16, 1961,

Subject: Recent Cuban Developments) Manuel Artime advised

that Ray's group, MRP, was opposed to banning the Communist

Party and in favor of "nationalizing everything.". (CIA/DDO,.

Ray Vol IV, Cable to Bell from JMWAVE, 3/1/61) Although

potstical

the CIA actively recruited h

aware of his controversialkmts, /Ray was-aetivety-reeruited

to join the FRD. (CIA/DDO Ray Vol II, Cable to Director from

MASH, 11/17/60) Ray was described as, "... a natural leader

of highest intellect, deepest sincerity and conviction" by

his recruiter. (Ibia) The Stutt Deft. White Hanse a St beept.

pushed for his inclucion (cite)

Ray received full operational approval as apolitical

assetff"

on 7 February 1961

• (CIA/DDO Ray Vol IV) and

accepted appointment to the CRC on 27 March 1961. (CIA/DDO

Ray Vol IV, Memo for Record, 27 March 1961 by Gerald Droller,

Subject: Ray Accepts appointment to Council ....) Ray had

resisted joining the CRC because he felt the members were

too restrained and he did not want to become a part of a

situation in which someone else was running the show for the

exiles.

(HSCA #009005, Memo to G. Robert Blakey, 6/28/78,

Interview with Manolo Ray Rivero, from Fonzi/Gonzaleg)

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## Page 5

Manuel Ray - 10/24/78

Page 5

a may2?, 1962 mian thered story by Somes Buckaran Clares three Satin

leaders peeporteal Ray

o former Preudent of

- 90o. Monoz Marie PR, Romulo Betancourt o

- Joce Feguerad, (CA/DAO Ray. Vol II-Cable t k

Within a week, Ray met with a CIA officer and

complained that Miro was backing away from his commitments

and was not willing to give Ray any voice in the Council.

(CIA/DDO Ray Vol V, Cable from JMWAVE to Bell, 4/3/61) He

statin's that

cabled ta evento ASCA Investigators that certain influential and

wealthy Americans, among them William Pawley, opposed him

and a lot of heavy propaganda was circulated at this time

accusing him of being a Communist. (HSCA #009005, Memo to

G. Robert Blakey, 6/28/78, p. 4, Interview with Manolo Ray

Rivero, from Fonzi/Gonzales) Housew

= was persuaded to remain

Ray

in the ere as a show of unity but withdrew from the organization

shortly after the Bay of Pigs invasion and requested the CIA

Enlange

to give him support independent of the CRC. AteTA/DDo Ray—

Vol V, Memo foI Record, 2 June 1961, Subject: Relations with

Manolo Ray

' and the MRP, signed(

JamesSA. NOel) and

In October 1961, the Puerto Rican Planning Board

announced that Ray had accepted a position as consultant to

that Board, ad Ray took up residency in Puerto Rico. (CIA/DDO

Ray Vol VI, Memo for Chief/WH Division, 10 October 1961

from warren s. Xauge

Subject: General - Cuban Matters;

Specific - Manuel (Manolo) Ray) He was looked upon with great

favor by the Puerto Rican government. ICIA/DO VOl VII, Cable

dated 2 July 1962 to Director from San Juan athough there was no

evidence that gout was supporting tu MRP. (Olid). (Efpand)

Manuel Ray became actively engaged

in recruitment

of Castro defectors in the summer of 1962. (CIA/DDo Ray Vol VII,

Cable dated 25 July 1962) His efforts were initially directed

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Manuel Ray - 10/24/78

Page 6

toward the Cuban Ambassador in mexico) (CIA/DDO Ray Vol VII,

Cable to Mexico City) from Director, 23 August 1962) and

later Cuban officials in Paris and Brussels. (CIA/DDO, Ray

file Vol IX, Cable to Director fron Paris

19 June 1963,

#77272) File reviews failed to ascertain if any of his

endeavors were fruitful. (quote hia Capabilitia)

In the two months preceeding the assassination of

JFK, Ray was travelling in Lating America -- Honduras, (CIA/DDO

Ray Vol XI, Field Information Report, 1 October 1963)

* Costa Rica in late September 1963, (CIA/DDO Ray Vol XI,

Dispatch to Chief/WHD Erom CS/Panama), 3 October 1963) and

Venezuela in October (CIA/DDO Ray Vol XI, Memo for Record,

2 October 1963 from Alfonso Rodriguez) devoting his full time

to JURE, (CIA/DDO Ray Vol XI, Draft, 4 October 1963 by

Rodriguez, Subject: Manuel Ray Rivero)

On November 1, 1963, he met with a CIA officer on

St. Thomas Island to discuss JURE plans to begin operations

inside Cuba by the end of December. (CIA/DDO Ray Vol. XI,

Memo for Record from Alfonso Rodriguez, Subject: Meeting with

Ray in St. Thomas, 31 October - 1 November, 1963) JURE was

to be involved in an infiltration plan known as Operation Bola,

(CIA/DDO Ray Vol XI, Cable to JMWAVE, from Director, 12/3/63)

to commence when the CIA cached materials for JURE on 25 November.

(CIA/DDO, Ray Vol XI, Cable to JMWAVE from Director, 18 Nov. 1963)

in 1938

Howen, Ray told HSCA investigators that he was in Caracas on November

22, 1963 with Rogelio Cisneros and could not recall the dates

Sid dineros would have been

in charge

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## Page 7

Manuel Ray - 10/24/78

Page

the CIA/JURE operation was to have taken place. (HSCA #009005,

Memo to G. Robert Balkey, 6/28,78, Interview with Manolo Ray

Rivero, by Fonzi/Gonzales, pp 6-7) The JURE ship failed to

pick up the cached materials

on 25 November 1963 as scheduled

and Ray gave the CIA no full explanation forthis failure.

(CIA/DDO Ray Vol XI, Memo for Record, 13 December 1963, from

Alfonso Rodriguez)

The Western Hemisphere division of the CIA received

word in April 1964 that in the late 1940's, Ray had been

closely associated

with a known Puerto Rican Communist and

was friendly with the Puerto Ricans who were working on the

rennovation of the White House and the group that tried to

assassinate President Truman. (CIA/DDO, Ray - Assorted

documents, Dispatch to Deputy Chief WH/SA from Chief of

Station, JMWAVE, 14 April 1964 in Mexico, D.F.) The source

of this information was referred to by cryptonym and when a

HSCA researcher requested the identily of the individual in

ApT

7o, the CIA indicated that he was a "current asset"

of theirs and his identity-could not be revealed. This

information on Ray was dissiminated to the Secret Service

(HSCA #008290, Item 3, Secret Service Administrative Profile subtitle

3/27-75

on Manuel Ray Rivero, Case # COz 33115, Subject: #00311)

and the FBI (HSCA #006468, Item 5, page 1, FBI #97-4546,

Memo from San Juan - Secret, dated October 12, 1964, Re: JURE)

Ray's primary activities the first half of 1964

involved infiltration plans into Cuba and are discussed in

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Manuel Ray - 10/24/78

Page 8

the JURE section. The failure of the attempt brought Ray's

prestige to a near absolute low point among the Cuban

exiles.

(CIA/DDO, Ray Vol XV, Cable to Director Erom

WAVE, 6/20/64Mn an effort to enable JURE to move its

activities from U.S. territory, the CIA made a final payment

to Ray's group of $75,000 for the period of 1 October - 31 Dec.

1964. (CIA/DDO, Ray Vol XVII, Autonomous Operations -

Operating Plan.)

Suer

The military Chris of the MDO, aureano Baticta Hella,

(EAMSCA Security File 092, JFK, FBI Senstly doe. Vol 32, Stem 2,

+597-4110-823)

sud that Ray, as a result of his falme Is infeltiate Culo,

had caused the death os impricoment of many of thee Claw

underground members and that Ray it. had lost his

followerig, was considered a part of the "sad past". (Abic. P3)

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