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104-10095-10202

2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

Wi gate file

8 MAY *9733

-APPROVED FOR RELEASE 1993

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

MEMORANDUA FOR:

SUBJECT

Deputy Director for Operations

Media Inquiry to Cuban Exile Journalist

Miami re Cuban Involvement in Watefgate

Case and Attitudes in Niani Area

in

1. This manorandun is for your information only:

2. On 7 May 1973 we were advised by Station WH/Miami that

¿no enployees of a station Miriani proprietary haditole tha

Station that one Rene VIERA Gonzalez,

a Cuban exila journalist

who writes for Diario Las Amaricas and oins the Westchester

Mal1 Bookstore in Miami received a call in carly May: from one

FNU COTILIES who said he worked for the Tines in Washington.

(GOTTLIES is believed to be Sanford GOTTLItS, 11102 Brandywine

Kensington, Md. who was fornerly an employee of the

fational Cormitice on Sane Nuclert Polier".

'A pretext call to

the Washingion bureau of the lew York Times verifiei; that one

"Sandy" Gottlieb was employed there.) COTTLIEB asked VIERA

what people in Miami were saying about the latergate case and

that participation the Cubans had in it. He specifically

asked soout the activities oi Reinaldo PICO former 2505

Brigade nember), Orlando PILDRA (Lormer Chief of Cuban Bureau

0f Investigation in Batista Government), and Rolando HASFERRER

(former Cuban Senator and self-admitted

former Conmunist).

liH/Miami proprietary enployee and forner Controller of

Revolutionary Democratic Front-FRD-and currently employed by

an OGC proprietary) vore still in the Miami area.. He. was siso

interested in Edgardo BUTTARI, a Cuban born in West Tampa,

•Florida, a former Cuban Congressman and Minister of Conmerce

who is reportodly associatad with dr, Charios "Bebe" REBOZO.

According to GOTTLIEB, BUTTARI as appointed as "political

chies in the Republican Party".

RETURN TO CIA

Background Use Only

Do Not Reproduce

A.9095j5

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3.

GOTTLIEB apparently has current information on the

knew that Juan A. PAULA was involved in the jewelry

activities of the persons he mentioned; for example business

(PAULA and AntOniO FELIX GENSVA Corzo, a WH/Miani proprietary

employee recently purchasad a jewelry business) and'he knew

Miani thay would have lunch together.

149 05

4,

VIERA

does not know sollulaß but talked to nim because

• GUTTLIES 531d ne WaS Ieconnended by LInesto BalANCOURT who

go Economic Planning and Budget, OAS. The conversation was

initially in English but continued in Spanish.

VIERA said ha

provided no information to GOTTLIEB on the basis that he is a

Cuban exile and did not want to got involved in internal u.s.

affairs. We do not know why COTTLIEß was interested in Joaquin

SANJENIS OJ JUAn A. PAULA.

(Attached are sunnary biographies

•of persons of interest to GOTTLIEB.)

5,

On 7 May 1973(larvin L. EVANS, Chiof; TUAry was

briefed on the substance of the report from MH/Miani pertaining

tO JUAN A. PAULA,

who works for the chultuAl proprietary, >

ACKERCHER and AVANTwhich utilizes NORTINEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES, ≥ Y

INC, as office space cover.

Among other duties performed by

the proprietary ara the monthly checks sent to the dependents

of imprisoned assets which are signed in true name by PAULA.

du (EVANS was unaware that PAULA had purchased a new jewelry

business in agsociation with antonio Genova; however, he teels

that OhMuTuAlis protected and compartmented from the HMiami

propriotary and he has the utmost confidence in the proprietary

being able to field any questions. •CUMUTUAL conmnication with

o the proprietasy is by unjisted phone, anc a post office box.

EVANS said that ZCKERCHER and AVANtcould possibly be linked

tO NORTUNEST MANAGENENT) but the trail would end thero.. Ho

feels that either proprietary could only be linked o

the Agancy

ol by innuendo.

He did say that Howard HUNT was awara of

Criwottan then he served as

/ CA/EUR.) CVANS Ieals

secure 35

Far as NORTHNEST MANAGEMENT and ACKERCHER and AVANT) are

concerned.

2 4

SECHET

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6.

EVANS)mentioned that the bona fida las firn occupying

the other portion of the MUTUAl offices are the attorneys

that bEAN

The commondrill be the "biggest

receptionist area is

nanned by unMutuAl employees uno also monitor all telephone

calls, incoming and outgoing for the other law firm. EVArSo6

mentioned that thare nave been nunerous calls fIon the nedia

and outgojag ovarseas calls to such places as Japan and Europe.

7. EVANS will be traveling to

Miami on 10 May 1973.

Nassau and returning vis

He intends to talk with his proprietary

people at that time on other @UNUTUAl business and vili also

contact COS, HH/Miami.

(The COS has been alerted to expect

= E311 from EVANS on 10 May 1973:)

Janes E. Flanzery

James E. Flannery

Acting Chief

Western Hianisphere Division

cc: Director of Security

Attachnents: A-F Biographic Sumnaries

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TACHMENT A

Rene VIBRA Gonzalez

Reporter for Diario Las Americas; was speaker for

Journalism in Exile at meeting hald Flagler Thoater,

Miami June 1957-

Had also been head of Public Relations for Cuban.

National Bank.

Date not given.

SEO&T

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L¿ACHMENT B

Reinaldo PICO Ramon - formerly AMICS-31 (201-284658)

POd granted 14 October 1960 as PM assat.

Menber

2506 Brigade, captured Bay of Pigs. Member of Prisoners

Conmission sent by Castro to Mizni to nagotiate releise

of prisoners in exchange for nechanical equipment and other

supplies noeded by Cuba.

Defected and refused to accompany

other nenbers of Prisoners Commission on their return to:

Cuba in July 1951.

POA granted 15 Juna 1967 for use as

CA/ Prop asset:

SGSWIRLED 3-October 1964 -- 0A 4_ February

1966.

Amicably terminated 30 June 1968.

As of July 1959

in Caracas, Venezuala.

In December 1969 he was destribed

by a sourco as "one does not know where the bluft begins and

caes, what is true and what is lie"

...:..

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ATTACHMENT C

Orlando PIEDRA

Griando Elono PIEDRA-NEGLERLA (201-247379)

aka - DIlando Eleno NEGUERLA-PIEDRA

aka - Orlando PIEDRA

aka - 0. ROCA

Born 18 Decenber 1917, Havana, Cuba.

Believed to be Cuban citizen

curIently

Was Chief of Cuban Bureau of Investigation in Batista Covern-

ment.

of Batista,

Told FBI June 1959 he was forced to. leave Cuba upon fall

Reportedly head of anti-Castro group in Miani in

June 1959,

In Sept 59 reported to be friendly with Rolando

ex-cubas sanator and publisher.

RIEDRA

During Batista regine was

included with others as

responsible officials considered directly involved in torture

and killing of Cuban citizens.

Rasided in Fort Lauderdale,

Fia. in February 1960.

During Batista zegime PIEDRA Was in

charge of all natters pertainias to sanblins involved in

contraband.

In 1955 iu Cuba PIEDRI was also

business of Chizeso contraband.

No indication ho ever used by Agency.

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TTACHMENT D

Rolando Arcadio NASFERRER Rojas (201-42669)

Former Cuban

sonator and self-admitted forner Conrunist.

Quite active during early od's in various anti-castro

accivities in u.S.

Recently serred four and one-nalt

year

prison sentence

received U.S. District Court for violation of

U.S. neutrality laws.

No indication Headquarters has been in touch with subject

at any tine.

Born 1913 in Cuba; typifies worst elements in former regime

of Barista.

Name connotes ruthlessness, assassination, torture

and extortion.

Stall considos bis if pate a sarsian Socialist, has boen

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LACHHENT E

Edgar Anthony BUTTARI Puig (D.V.M.)

aka. - Edgar A. BUTTARI (Doctor)

aka - Edgardo BUTTARI Y Puig (201-275771)

Photo availabls

While information in his file does not indicate any past 05

presert ulA contact,

there is unscurced information in the

•I/COS CAIC FILE WIICh SHONS INaL SUITARI WAS In tOUCH MICH

Frank Bander (Gerard Droller) in Miani in the Spring of 1960,

apparently in zelation to SUITARI's involvenent with the

Revolutionary Denocratic Froni (FRD). Curroatly BUTTARI i5

involved in many business ventures in South Flosida and is

reportedly associated with Charles "Bebe" Rebozo socially and

in business.

Eagardo BUTTARI was born 14 August 1909 (also given 1914)

et west Tampa,

Florida, the son of a Cuban who fought in the

Cuban Independence War.

Appointed Cuban Inspector Ganeral

Instructor of the Ministry of State in 1953,

He lates became

Under Secretary Of Labor, In 1938 he returned io Cuba and

served as Secretary of Commarce until 1940.

ile later was appointed

Minister of the tuban Foreign Service, Appointed Ninister of

Connerce by Batista in 1942, he held that post uncil 1944

when he resigned to run for

she liouse of Representatives,

Habana.

remainea in the house of Representatives until 1952.

•BUTTARI arrived in the U.S, in March 1960

to reside in

Miani, Florida.

He became involved wich the Revolutionary

Democratic Front,

During his first term as Minister of Conmerce in 1933 he vas

responsible for the arrest uf. several American representatives

of large lard exporters in the U.s. (Swift, Armour, etc.)

for increasing pricos. At the same time he endeavored to put

forvard legislation of nationalistic tendencies, warning to

"Yankee Imperialisn"

, and seened somewhai unfriendly to the

U.S.

He later changed and in 1933 became more ancious to

cooperate with che U.S., epparently having gotten over his

openly anti-Anerican feelings.

However, he did not appear to.

be dependasle according to inbassy reports.

He has been

described as astute, clever, intalligent but slippery.

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