MEMO FOR: ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF CASTRO JUNE 1965
Originator: CIA
From: C/WH/C/MO
To: ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF, WHD FOR CUBA
Document date: 08/24/1965
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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1104-10308-10021

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

B-K-C-H-E-T

21 MUG 1965

MEBPRANDUM FOR: Acting Deputy Chief, WILD for Cuba

SUBJECT

: Attempted Assassination of CASTRO June 1965 .

REFERENCE

: OSMA-19782, 11 August 1965

0/

On returuins to Mrdrid ca 10 August, QUANTUM-51,)

Spanish diplonat who has been in Havana for years, reported

that Mario SALABARRIA Agular, former Commandante In the Cuben

National Police 1944-17 and chief of Police Intelligence

(311E) 1945-47, and 21 unidentitied persons vere arrested for

consuring is till tidel CASTRo late in June or early July 1905.

Accorcing to QUANTUM-S) who talked with meinbers of his family.

SALABARRIA had sworn toPlavenge the death of Eufemio FERNANDEZ

Ortogn, former National Folice Captaln.

As the lender of this

conspiracy, SALAPARRIA WOrked CLOSeLY With Dr. Bernardo MILANES

01

ready to carty out their plans.

SALABARRIA then advancod the

inte set for the assassination. The conspiracy was discoverer

and he as arrestod. When his wile learned that SALABARRIA vaS

to be condemned to icath, sho went to Firel to plead for her

hushand's life.

Fidel, who at one time had been thetr friend,

denied knowledge of SALABARRIA's case but assured her that his

Ilfe vould be spared.

According to (QUANTUM-51, SALABARRIA's

wile knows nothing further of her husband's fate.!

2. News of SALABARRIA's role in an abortivo assassination

attempt and of his arrest is significant confirmation of current

reports regarding

the exposure of a plot to kill CASTRO in

Havana in June-July 1965.

The Agency bas known di Mario

SALABARRIA's conspiritorial activitles and personal dedication

to his role as fidel's murderer since the summer of 1963.

that time SALABARRIA vas secking tensons and funds for his

alsslon.

Through his confidant, anturvy-s,

Invans waterfront and & long time friend of QUANTUM-51 ho

sought contact with AMTURVY-1,

then a minor GOC official.

SALABARRIA had known AMTURVY-l'g brother, ANCONCERT-I, fOr

twenty years and he assumed that AMTURVY-l ras in touch rith the

Agoncy thinugh ANCONCERT-1 in Miani.

Accordingly at their first

necting in the summor of 1963 In AMTURVY-4'a bar, SALABARRIA

told ANTURVy-l that he was a member of a group which ras plotting

CASTRO's death. He asked AMTURVY-1 to help him obtain money and

weapons for this conspiracy. He emphasized, in partieulile the

he needed money to purchase vehicles which were essential

group were to succecd in their mission. In return for whatever

7/50

ED T

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g-1ot-1-t-1

AntURvY-l could furnish, sALAbARRIA ofiered to carry out minor

sabotage actions for AMTURVY-l'8 American "contacts". A few

monthg later in October 1963, when we were sntisfied with

SALABARRIA's bonafides, ve managed to get a few pistols,

revolvers and some sabotage materials into SALABARRIA's

hands

through AMTURVY-1. SALABARRIA responded with a plea for more,

but denied that he could retrieve an arms cache from a site

On

the north coast. AMTURVY-1 became cynienl about SALABARRIA'S

plans and then

in response to our instructions he abanconed

direct contact with SALABARRIA early in 1964. SALABARRIA,

however, continued to see AMTURVY-A who kept in touch with both

AMTUrVY-1 and QUANTUM-51.)01

Meanwhile, SALABARRIA's accomplice, Dr. Bernardo MILANES

Lopez,

prominent Havana doctor who was the personal pbysician of

CASTRO's mother for 15 years until her death in July 1963, was

recruited in November-December 1903 while on a vialt to Madrid.

During the course of his recrutiment, MULANES stated that he

was active in a group of conspirators who were plotting to kill

CASTRO,

He alluded to disgruntled Rebel Arny officers and nedical

collergues, but he did not name SALABARRIA among those few he

1dentified

as persons of trust. He did, however, spell out the

groups needs for weapons, money and vehicles in order to carry

out their assassination mission. And, he finally agreed to

serve as a colloction agent in return

for linited financial

compensation and in the apparent hope that ve rould in time

furnish hin with sufficient funds for the needed vehicles.

Following his return to Havana in January 1964, MILANES proved

to be a fairly regular S/" correspondent, a source of soue Order

of Battle.

While he repeatedly urged us

to help him obtrin the

vehicles for his group, he never disclosed to us how deeply

involved he, hinself, was in the plot to kill CASTRO. We

subsequently learned that he had informed SALABARRIA of his

recrultment by cla in maorid and that he mad tried to persuade

SALABARRIA to work directly with him rather than with ANTURVY-4.

1. MILANES vas arrested in the company of his chauffeur

and nephew, both fully witting of his clandestine activities

for

the Agency

and presumably equally involved in the conspirary

to kill CASTRO. From the limited evidence rogutred to date,

It appears that MILANES' arrest may have been prompted by the

blackmarketeoring of hig nephew, censorship of his mall or

physical surveillance.

In any case, it is known that he had

In his possession compronising Agency comno equipment and S/f

materials.

Originated by: Susan L. Darling:cm

Orig & 1-- Addressee

1--

WH/C/MO

I -- WH/C/MO/FI-CI

Walter T.

Cint

C./WНI/С/MO

i/ny

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13-00000

CIA HISTOKICAL REVIEW PROGRAMS

1355

"RELEASE AS SANITIZED

1998

MESPRANDUX FOR: Acting Deputy Chief,.

RALD

for Cuba

SUBJECT

: Attempted Assassination of CASTRO June 1965.

REFERENCE

: [022719783, 11 August 1965

On returning to Madrid ca 10 August, L 0l

Enst

Harlo

National Police 1944-47 and chief of Police Intelligence

and 27 unidentified persong vere arrested for

According to

SALABARRIA had C.O) ~who talked with menbers of his family.

arorn to avenge the death of Eufenio FERNANDEL

Ortoga, former National Police Captals.

As the lender of this

conspiracy, SALAPARRIA worked closely with Dr. Bernardo MILANES

Lopez tho dren un the assassination plans aud allegedly obtaine

noney and reapons from the

United States.

MILANES, according to

Yeady to carry out their

Jintormation, was arrested before the plotters fere

plans.

SALABARRIA then advanced the

cate set for the assassination. The conspiracy ras discoyerer

and: he ras arrestod.

When his wife learned that SALABARRIA raS

to be condenued to dcath, sho went to Firel to plead for her

husbrnd's life. Fidel, who at one time had been their frienci,

denied knowledge of SALABARRIA's case but assured her that his

life would be spared.

Wise knore nothing further of her husband's late.

According to L

, SALABARRIA'3

2. News of SALABARRIA's role in an abortivo assassination

attempt and of his arrest is significant confirmation of current

reports regarding the exposure of a plot to kill CASTRO in

Havana in June-July 1955.

The Agency has knonn of Marlo

SALABARRIA ' conspiratorial activities ind personal dedication

to hls role as fidel's nurderer since the summer of 1963.

At

that time SALABARRIA Pas secking weapons and funds for his.

misslon.

Through his confidant, ANTURVY-4,

a barkeen on the

Invans saterfront and a long time friend of &

01 Jhe

sought contact with ANTURVY-1,

then a minor GOC official.

SALABARRIA had known AUTURVY-l's brother, ANCONCERT-1, for

twenty yeurs and ho assumed that ANTURVY-l ras in touch rith

Agency thinugh AMCONCERT-1 1n Miami.

Accordingly at their first

meeting In the summer of 1963 In ANTURVY-4'a bar, SALABARRIN

LOId ANTURVY-1

that he was a nember of a group which ras plotting

CASTRO'& death.

He asked AMTURVY-1 to help hin obtain noney and

seapons for this conspiracy. He emphasized, in particular, that

uceded money to purchase vehicles which pere essential if the

crup were to succeed in their mission.

In return for whatever

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Not 1-1-1

..

ANTURVY-I could furnish, SALABARRIA offered to carry out minor

sabotage actions for ANTURVY-l'B American "contacts". A lew

months later In October 1963, then we were snilsfied ilth

SALABARRIA's bonafloes, we managed to get a few pistols,

revolvers and sone savotage materials into SALABARRIA'S

hands

through ANTURVY-1. SALABARRIA responded with a plea for more,

but denied that he could retrlove an arms cache from a site

the north coast. ANTURVI-l became cynienl about SALABARRIA's

plans and then in responge to our instructions he abauconed

direct contact with SALABARRIA early in 1964.

SALABARRIA,

however, continued to see AuTURVY-4 who kept in touch with both

ANTURVY-1 And LOl

Mcanchile, SALABARRIA's accomplice, DI. Bernardo MILANES

Lopez,

proninent Havana doctor who was the personal physician of

CASTRO's mother for 15 years until her death in July 1963, was

recruited in November-December 1963 while on a vialt to Madrio.

During the course of his recruitment, MILANES stated that he

was native in a group of conspirators gho vere plotting to kill

CASTRO.

alluded to disgruntled Rebel Arny officers and medienl

colleagues, but he did not name SALABARRIA anong those few he

Identified

as persons of trust. He did, horever, spell out the

groups

needs for weapons, money and vehicles in order to carry

out their assassination mission.

And, he finally agreed to

serve is : colloction agent in return

for limited finaucial

compensation and in.

tho apparent hope that se rould in time

furnish hin with

sufficient funds for the needed vehicles.

Following his return to Havana In January 1964, MILANES proved

to be a fairly rogular 3/l correspondent, a source of soue Order

of Battle.

While he repentedly urged us

to help hin obtrin the

vehicles for his group, he never disclosed to us how deeply

Involved he, hnself, was in the plot to kill CASTRO. Ne

subsenuently learned that he had informed SALABARRIA of lis

recruitment by CIA in Madrid and that he had tried to porsusce

SALABARRIA to work directly with him rather than with AlTuRVY-a.

1. MILANES was arrested in the compang of his chauffeur

and acphew, both fully witting of his clandestine activities

for the Agency and presumably equally involved in the conspirary

to k111 CASTRO.

From the limited evidence acqulled to date,

It appears that MILANES' arrest may have been prompted by the

blackmarketeoring of his nephew, censorship of his mall or

physical surveillance.

In any case, it is known that he had

In hig possession comproniain! Agency commo equipment and s/y

materials.

Originated bÿ: Susan L. Darling: cm

Orig & l- Addresses

1-- WII/C/MO

1-- WH/C/MO/FI-CI

Taltar T. CInt

C/WM/C/10

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