Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: MM
To: HQ
Document date: 7/7/54
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

4/29/201

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER: 124-90055-10253

RECORD SERIES :

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER:

CR 109-430-1246

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM:

MM

TO: HQ

TITLE :

Released under the John

• kennedy

issassination Records

Collection

Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:NW 54463 Date:

10-12-2017

DATE: 07/07/1954

PAGES:

4

SUBJECTS:

ANTONIO DE VARONA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS:

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 06/08/1998

• OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

MEMO

V9.1

HH 54463

DocId: 32326661

Page 1

31

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## Page 2

CON

CARLOS FRIO SOCARRAS, Former President of Cube

ROBERTO E. CANESSA,

Secretary of foreign Affairs of

El Salvador

July 7, 1954

An informant of known reliability has advised that

he was contacted on June 26, 1954, by SEGUNDC, CURTI, former

Secretary of Interior under

PRIO regime in Cuba,

presently closely associated with CARLOS PRIO SOCARRAS in Miami.

CURII remarked that the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of El

Americas.

He requested that the informant arrange an interview

for him with Secretary CANESSA, stating that it was very impor-

tant to do so.

subsequently on dune 21, 1954, the informant consultec

Secretary CANESSA following his arrival in Miami,

to him the desires of SEGUNDO CURTI for an interview. CANESSA

remarked, "I will be glad to meet with Secretary CURTI, but I

do not think anything will be accomplished through that meeting

because my government, through our representative in the Organi-

zation

of the American States, has made clear its attitude con-

cerning the Cuban problem."

The informant told Secretary CANESSA that he believed

CURTI wanted to discuss with him a matter relating to Dr. PRIO's

arrest and the resulting prosecution based upon the confiscation

of armaments.

The informant quoted Secretary CANESSA as stating,

"That is one of the most regrettable incidents to have occurred

in the recent history of inter-American relations.

It was a

great mistake on the part of the American authorities.

are many ways to solve a problem of this magnitude without legal

interventions and the resulting

publicity.

Those responsible for

Justice Department,

have set back

the prestige of the United States, and if at the end, PRIO is

found guilty, then the case will really be critical.

PRIO is

the Cuban constitutional president. I want you to know personally

PRIO was never my friend, but above all we have to recognize the

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

DECLASSIFIED

ONN

12/4/85

A21,326

176 G

ERE IS: 09-430-1246

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## Page 3

fact that PRIO, as the deposed constitutional president of a

state, has the right to fight for the restoration of consti-

tutional government in his country. Otherwise, he would not

merit the slightest consideration from anyone.

There is no

doubt in my mind that PRIO broke the rules and regulations

forth by the laws of this country. But, why should the authori-

ties act openly when PRIO could be decently called to Washington

and in a secret meeting asked either to stop his activities or

to leave United States territory?

"Right now, we have the most regrettable case of

Guatemala. Who has been helping the rebels to depose a consti

tutional

government? I do not think we have to dig very far to

Iind out that there is a direct United States participation in

This participation is not resented by anyone of us because

we are all

against any Communistic government in the Americas.

We go further.

We knowingly will deny that there is American

participation in the revolutionary movement to depose the

Arbenz covernment.

Why then cannot PRIO's case be treated in

the margin of existing laws, if by so doing the United States

will preserve its prestige among its friends?

concern.

"PRIO's arrest and prosecution is a matter of local

Neither myself nor my government will ever intervene

one way or the other in the PRIO case as we maintain the policy

of non-intervention in local affairs. We merely regret that this

case exists and I most sincerely believe that the entire thing

should be brought to a halt and Dr. PRIO and his group 'invited'

to depart from the United States with appropriate official

explanations and satisfactions, as the fact is that local

authorities have insulted the dignity and majesty of a consti-

tutionally elected president who greatly cooperated with the

United States Government.

"Of course, all these are my private reactions toward

this most regrettable case.

However, for the reasons I have

explained to you, nothing officially can be said."

Informant said that Secretary CANESSA concluded by

stating that he would be pleased to meet with CURTI following

the reception that evening given by Mr. WALTER FREEMAN, Consul

of El salvador in Miami, For

Immediately thereafter the informant contacted CURTI,

who requested that the meeting be arranged to take place at the

home of ELISE RIERA

SOMEZ, who is registered under the Foreign

TONY

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TON ANTE

Agents Registration Act as a public relations agent for PRIo.

CURTI

stated that he would also invite TONYA

President of

PRIO'S

authentic party and also MARTINEZFRAGA,

was relayed to Secretary CANESSA, who requested that the meeting

oe postponed until ten o'clock the forlowing morning.

My mi, T

During the afternoon of June 29, ROBERTO MOLINO-MORALES,

who is the Second Chief of Protocol of the Republic of El

Salvador, and who accompanied Secretary CANESSA to Miami, advised

the informant,

"We all know that BATISTA is a double crosser;

that all of his statements as far as democracy is concerned, are

forced by circumstances.

PRio on the other hand, granted the

suban people the greatest degree of freedom and democracy which

had ever existed in Cuba. PRIO made some mistakes, such as the

open support of the Caribbean Legion.

ment, were ready to secretly support the Caribbean Legion at the

beginning because we welcomed the return of freedom and democracy

to those of our sister republics who were under dictatorships.

sut, Phlo, with his open support to the legion, curtailed any

action by us.

Perhaps, at the end, this proved to be best for

us in El Salvador."

The informant stated that during the reception, Secretary

CANESSA approached him privately, stating,

"You know, I have been

chinking very seriously about that interview with Secretary CURTI.

I know I will not be able to promise him anything, as much as 1

would like to do so, as the smallest bit of information which

might reach the State Department in Washington about this inter-

view would embarrass me and my government.

This is one of those

problems where one has to sacrifice his own personal feelings and

the dictates of good conscience in order to safeguard our good

relations with Washington.

I know the FBI, the Central Intelli-

gence Agency, and other agencies in this country today watch very

carefully each and every step any diplomat or official makes while

not only visiting

in the United States, but even in our own

countries.

This is a fact that we resent, but we cannot openly

protest against this insulting and flagrant intervention because

if we do so, our common enemy (Communism) will strengthen their

propaganda.

Because of

I beg of you to

cleverly evade the appointment with CURTI.

all of these reasons at the same time,

after my departure, explain to him what I have told you."

Subsequently, the informant notified CURTI that secre-

tary CANESSA would be unable to see him and upon relaying this

information to CANESSA, the latter told him that although he had

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