DISPATCH - DEBRIEFING OF AMHINT SAFEHOUSE OWNER
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF OF STATION JMWAVE
To: CHIEF TASK FORCE W
Document date: 05/30/1962
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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

DISPATCH

Chict, Task Force N

QLASUTICATION

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ATar

3

FROCESSINO

'ACTAM

"make: +00 10081i16

CAN'ATT NETING

Chief uf Station, JANAVE

sari Operational/GYROSE KUCAGE/ANHINT/KUTUBE

Debriefing of ANHINT Safehouse Ouner

RETURN TO CIA

Action:

Ref

FYI

and files

HAVE 3911

Background Use Ohly

Do Not Reproduce

Gerie Fon 29 Hay 1962 fe about 1230 houra loca?, JukaYs debriesed

**LEON Rodrizuez tor general PW aspectsland confirmation of the

Independent inftltration operatlon.ed ANHINT-53 and AUHINT-40 by the

Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE) on 20 May 1962.

06:06

Subbed one bea December 1205 1n Jovellanes, Province

Cuba zas talle 36, sur

son of Juan LEON.

and Marto RODRIGUEZ,

Varadero, Jatanzas: Province.

In Kiani, he 18

temporarily residing af42238 SWIst-Ster.

plan to retyrn to. Cuba during the present regime.

(LEONis representative of the middle-class, small town Cuban

Ilicial with moderate posticalanterest ane ultimately conservativ

and PrO-PBPRIME. He was mayor of Manguito

Matanzas Province froi

1954-t0.1959, Д

period during which the BATISTA regime

flourished

and declined, although subject does not profess to be "Batistiano".

He probnbly contributed very little to the opposition of BATISTA and

by the same token contributed very little to the opposition of CASTRO.

He is currently owner of the small dwelling at the above address and

loaned the shelter and facilities to AUllINT personnel but without

RECLIOCGFILD

Distribution:

RESTRICTED TO.SAS/mEBe-rRir

3 - C/TFW W

JUN 1 1 1952

1041240722099-132-16/3

408+63-475/58

Told: 7

1505)

ES C

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DATE FRO

30 Ma: 1962

OISPATON SMIUR ANO ALATSIA

UFGA -4216

JuM : 1552

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participating in their operations...Tuls was done more for reasons

of family ties and simpathetir attitude townd student activitles that

18 traditional 18 cuba.

Needless to bny, however, this lé & modest.

declarntion on his part since she type of ald he had been lending with

out rescruntion is purishable by death or imprisonment for all or

any membors of his immedlate fanily.

Subject related the erents of 20 May in his small beach

resort village as follows:

"At nbout 10:00 P.M. on Sunday, 20 May, he and his family had

returned to their house, which is located about three blocks fron the

Parque Infantil ISIT where the confolk were dancing and celebrating

this-trad1tlonal date..

Shortly after arriving, they heard gunfire

in the genrral direction of the beach.

Thig was described as mixed

nutomatic fire and single shots.

"There was much shouting and confusion

appeared in the doorway, dripping wet and panting. Behind him,

ANHINT-40. "

"After recognition and eschange of explanations, LEON unpacked onc

the familyosuitcases for dry Clothing and gent th

neir bathroomato change and remain concealed until the comrotion die

down... The LEON) family were departing Cuba and had their home prepared

or closure and processing with local muritia post as required byo!

r'evolutionary decree.

ifter the two AMMlINTswere settled, 1EON le

his house and went out to send the pre-arranged coded cable to miami

confirming their safe arrival.

They slept In his house that night and

departed early Monday morning for Havana."

"Although the LEON family has a reputation for political indifferchei

precautions were made for travel in which the two-man team traveled

the remainder of the trip and installation la a Havana satchous

"Prior to departure. Varadero, however, LEON) had to visit the

Milltia Post to turn over the keys to his house and process hig de

parture.

During a forty-minute walt there, he overheard conversationg

among

the officers.

From these conversations, It was apparent that

the militla patrol. encountering the beach operation reported the clash

as "escapces": that two or nor? vere killed and the bodies taken with

the other escapees: that there vere no militia casaulties: that there

was no inkling that an infiltration operation had taken place prior

to the patrol encounter."

"When queried as to militia casualties since the DRE had reported

that at least too had been "dropped on the beach, subject comnented

that 'one does not shoot a militiaman down that easy.

Whole town would have known about it by morning. "

of propaganda in Cuba. He recalled that the radio program with Juan

S. (Leasas very vague and lacked details concerning his knowledge

AMADOR Rodriguez on lorgware ar midday was popular and heard by many

of the townfolk.

He remarked that they listen to a 5:00 All and 12:00

noon shortwave program coming from Key lest, and finally, that the

Voice of America shortwave brordcasts were very effective in his

region. He never tuned in to Radio Las Americas and instantly associated

it with the former "Radio

Swan" repeating the usual hearsay that "it

was discredited".

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Although subjert was abriously nut a sund

sourse for militory

Ob or other intelligence peservations, he did provide sore fragmentary

information on his arpa.

He described a place known as loras finns.."

located between Birdinas and Gillscu 110 alles Suuth) pointed vut on

the map to be

about 22509-51188.

There Is a Militin Post there with

about 500 land 600 starloned there for short periods.. He obseried some

tank movement, about six to eight tanks trarcling in and out of this

aron at a time, but could not describe them as to type or size. He'

described the militia personnel in this region as a "Very low type"

of cuban which das disgusting so the local country people and there

was continuous friction..

He consented that it uns just such camps or

pust as this that turned the general population into oppositionists.

About 17 or 18 day, subject observed a lnrge freighter unload.

1ng cargo in Matanzas harbor.

The local people described it as Russian

and subject could not confirm or deny this.

The silpment tas large,

and in various size crates that were trucked out of the dock

area in large convoys.

Near a village known as Palmillas (2238N-8015#') about 10 miles

Southeast of Colon,, Province

of Matanzas, sub.fcct repoits that there.

nie: two guerrilla bands

of twelle to twenty men each.

During 15 to 17

these bands attaoted farms orcupled

by militia, killing one

militiaman and

running the others off the farm. They burned the house,

destrojed the farm caulprent.

9.

Again on the 18th of was, one of these bands attacked another

militia post and killed one militia.

This particular incident came from

personal friend of/LEOV. e milletamn prior his death and who is a

he doctor who treated

Subject concluded the interview with some of his opinions

and observations

concerning the state of public morale in Cuba

He pointed out that much of

the population,

"better people" today.

the country, understood the United States

position on Cuba.

Implication being

the reason for United

States fallure to take direct

action or intervention

in Cuba.)

He said the peuple understand that

CASTRO is their own doing and that the United States cannot be held

responsible for his presence.

He described the greater part of the

populace as sick and tired,

undernourished, disgusted with blatant

propnganda lies, terrorized by

repression but ultimately disposed to

resist at all costs.

That 11 arms were generally available among the

especially rifles and ammunition for them,

CASTRO would have

been overthrown by now, without a bit of outside help.

That the farmers

and some city folk,.

in desperation, leave their homes to join the

guerrilla bands with no hope for supply and many times turned down by

guerrilla leaders who cannot supply

their own band as it is.

departed with the reminder that the "Cubans traditionally prefer to

live good or not live at all."

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