SILVIA TIRADO BOZAN DE DURAN - PERSONAL INFORMATION TAKEN FROM HER INTERROGATIONS ON 23 AND 28 NOVEMBER 1963
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
Document date: 11/1/63
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Released under the John

F. Kennedy

Assassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:N 53320 Date:

06-24-2017

DOCUMENT TYPE

CLASSIFICATION

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DATE OF LAST REVIEW

COMMENTS

SILVIA TIRADO BOZAN DE DURAN - PERSONAL INFORMATION

TAKEN FROM HER INTERROGATIONS ON. 23 AND 28 NOVEMBER

1963

DATE

11/01/1963

PAGES : 42/

SUBJECTS: INTERROGATION

DURAN SILVIA

JFK ASSASSINATION

PAPER

UNCLASSIFIED

: RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

07/12/04

: JEK-RH02 : F043: 20040323-1063688

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

104-10404-10123

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SILVIA TIRADO BOZAN DE DURAN

Personal information taken from her interrogations on 23 and

28 November 1963:

"Silvia Tirado de DURAN stated

is Mexican

by birth, 26 years old, married,

no religion, employed,

address in Dept. 3, house no. 143 Constituyentes,

co City; that she has been married to Horacio DURAN

Navarro since 5 November 1958 and that they have a

daughter named Patricia three and one-half years old;

that in July or August. of 1961,

she was offered

ployment as coordinator at the Mexican-Cuban Institute

of Cultural Relations, then headed by Lic. Augustin

Cue CANOVAS.

That since that time she had

frequently

visited officers of the Cuban Embassy, having personal

friendship with Ambassador PORTUONDO,

attaches Teresa PROENZA and Luis ALVERU as well as

with other employees.

Her contacts were principally

With Maricarmen OLAVARRI, Secretary to Consul Eusebio

AZCUE, a Spaniard and relative of AZCUE, and who re-

ceived 500 pesos monthly.

"In December 1961 she and her husband made a trip

to Havana by plane.

They paid

their own tickets,

but all other

expenses of their visit to all the is-

lands were paid by the Cuban Institute of Freindship

with the Peoples (Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los

Pueblos - ICAP) and the Cultural House:

"She sympathized with the Cuban movement since its

beginning; that

she was a coordinator of the Mexican-

Cuban Institute of Cultural Relations since July or

and that she studied for the career of an

English-Spanish secretary at the Escuela Bancaria.

She mastered English, knows some French, and is study-

ing philosophy.

She has a leftist ideology, by con-

viction, and is in accord with communism, but does not

belong to any political group nor has she participated

in meetings or acts of this nature.

That officers of

the Cuban Embassy, incliding the Consul, have been in

her home; that she knows almost all the principal lef-

tists in Mexico without being a friend of them; that

except for one visit to Brownesville, Texas, she has

not been in the United States."

[Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 21 February 1964,

from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject:

Translations of Interrogation Reports of Silvia DURAN.]

"She said she knew Carlos LECHUGA Hevia who was

Ambassador in Mexico and who arrived here when

she was working

as Coordinator in the Mexican-Cuban

Institute of Cultural Relations.

She became friendly

with this person but she never did any personal work

for him.

She said that this Ambassador came to her

to visit her on

the occasion of a party which

she held.

She considers him as a friend

frequently

"She said that while she was working in the afore-

mentioned Institute, and before working as a secretary

in the Consulate she went to the Cuban Embassy to help

Teresa. PROENZA.

The help she rendered there consisted

of answering the telephones and doing secondary tasks.

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The Cultural Attache PROENZA never assigned her any

work outside the Embassy.

said that she had

PROENZA before

she had been

coordinator for the

Institute since she was

Guerrero, the husband of DURAN's sister-in-law, who

of Paul FLORES

about three and

a half years ago. It was through

FLORES that DURAN met PROENZA.

"She stated

that she has had her present ideology

and that it is based on convic-

tion and studies.

five yearshe said she had not belonged nor

does she belong to any student groups.

"DURAN indicated

she was acquainted with the

eninist Spactacus League (Liga Leninista Espartaco

but that she is not in agreement with it,

husband shares her opinion.

They admire Jose REVUELTAS

as a writer but not as a politician since they are 1l

lisagreement with his book

entitled "The Headless Pro-

letariat' (Proletariado sin Cabeza) in which he tries

to prove the inexistence of the Mexican Communist Party

(Partido Communista Mexicano, PCM) while it is

that this party does indeed exist, although it is dis-

organized.

She said that she had

not belonged to

organization but that she is friendly with

such as Jose REVUELTAS and the two LIZALDES.

"She disclaimed membership in the PCM, and said

she had not tried to joon it because she was in

greement with it except for its support of Cuba."

[Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 21 February 1964,

from Richard HELMS, DeputynDirector for Plans; Subject:

Translations of Interrogation Reports of Silvia DURAN.]

At the time of her arrest on 23 November 1963,

DURAN had been

employed by the Cuban Consulate in

replacement for Maricarmen

OLIVARRI upon the latter's death in July 1963.

carmen OLAVARRI had served as secretary to the Cuban

Consul Eusebio AZCUE, who left Mexico on 18 November

after having been replaced by Alfredo MIRAVAL

DURAN's duties included the preparation of visas

and the handling of visa applications which were for-

warded to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs for

approval.

[MEXI-7065 (IN 67737), 25 November 1963; FBI Report, dated

18 May 1964.]

Constituyentes

California; he then

to Meixco.

He received a degree from the Escuela Nacional

de Artes Plasticas.

Formerly married to Lucille DEJARDIN,

but divorced her on 5 November 1958 after six years of

marriage.

He then married his present wife Silvia Tirado

de DURAN.

[DIR 85668, 29 November 1963.]

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26 November 1962

_ : (Date of dissemination)

A usually reliable and sensitive

source in

Mexico

City reported that on 26 November 1962 Gladys LECHUGA,

wife of Carlos LECHUGA, Cuban Ambassador

to

the United

Nations; formerly Cuban Ambassador

to Mexico, said

that

she had

received two letters from her husband

in New

York.

He asked

for separation and

said that the person in whom

he is interested

is Silvia T. de DURAN; that she is "of

his ideas" and was willing to go to Cuba. According to

source, Teresa PROENZA, Cultural Attache at the Cuban Em-

bassy in Mexico City said that DURAN had never been a

Marxist or a communist.

Another usually reliable source with good contacts in

the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City reported in November 1962

that LECHUGA and DURAN did have an affair. The Cuban Embassy

was aware of it, but efforts were made to keep it from be-

coming known.

Information from a source whose reliability could not

be judged reported that LECHUGA had offered to marry DURAN,

a Mexican married woman, after divorcing his wife, since. she

(Silvia DURAN) was ready to accompany him to Cuba.

IDIR 84950, 25 November 1963; dissemination to the FBI.]

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27 September 1963

In mid-afternoon, Silvia DURAN informed the Soviet

Embassy that a male American citizen had requested

visa

to transit Cuba on his way to the Soviet Union.

She wan-

ted to know who the American had talked with at the Soviet

Consulate.

Also, she indicated that the Cuban Consulate

could

grant him the visa and

arrange

immigration details

if the concession of a Soviet visa were

assured.

[Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 31 January 1964,

from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject:

Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey

OSWALD in Mexico City, 28 September - 3 October 1963.]

27 September 1963

At 1605 hours (Mexico time) on Friday, 27 September

1963, Silvia DURAN, a Mexican national, a local employee

of the Cuban Embassy, Consular Section, a receptionist [sic]

speaks with an unknown male at the Soviet Embassy. Silvia

DURAN tells the man that the American citizen was there,

the one who wants a visa for Cuba on his way to the Soviet

Union, and he wants to know with

whom he was talking there

because she

(Silvia DURAN) had sent him to the Soviet Em-

bassy

saying that if they accepted him

and

gave him a visa,

then

the Cubans (Embassy) would also give him

a visa without

further

paper

work, only advising immigration

in Cuba. The

American, she says, wants to know with whom he had talked

there because he says he was told there would be no problem.

The man in the Soviet Embassy says to wait a moment. A

different Soviet speaks, and Silvia DURAN

explains the same

thing to him. This man says to leave a name and telephone

number and says he will call back. Silvia DURAN gives the

telephone number 11-28-47 (Cuban Consulate). She also takes

advantage of the conversation and stated she has moved and

wants to advise the Soviet Embassy of her change of address

so that she can receive the Soviet Embassy's bulletin. The

man says to call KOUKHARENKO to give her new address, then

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he asks the name of the Consul or Cultural Attache.

Silvia

DURAN says the name is. Teresa PROENZA and the telephone num-

ber if 14-13-26. The man says thanks.

[Memorandum

for Deputy Chief, Operations Staff, dated 2 May

1975, from

Raymond G. ROCCA; Subject:

Review of Agency

Holdings Regarding Photograph of Unidentified Individual

in Mexico City Published by the Warren Commission.]

27 September 1963

Pursuant to her inquiry, Silvia DURAN received a con-

firmation from the Soviet Embassy that the American had been

to the USSR installation. He had shown them a letter from

the Soviet Consulate in Washington indicating that he had

been long awaiting a visa for himself and his wife to go to

the USSR. No answer had come from Washington; however, the

waiting period was sometimes four or five months. The Ameri-

can also had a letter attesting that he was a member of a

pro-Cuban organization but he had claimed that the Cubans

would not give him a visa unless he had

atready received a

Russian visa.

Although the American was still at the Cuban Consulate,

Silvia DURAN repeated that she could not give him a transit

visa unless a Soviet visa was

forthcoming, notwithstanding

the American's wish to go to Cuba to wait there for his So-

viet visa. According to DURAN, the American knew no one in

Cuba and she intended to annotate appropriately the American's

card. The Soviet official echoed her statement that the

American was not known.

[Memorandum

for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 31 January 1964,

from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject:

Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey

OSWALD in Mexico City, 28 September - 3 October 1963.1

27 September 1963

At 1626 hours (Mexico time) on Friday, 27 September

1963, an unidentified male, a Soviet, calls the Cuban Con-

sulate, asks Silvia DURAN if the American had been there.

Silvia DURAN says he is there now. The Soviet says the

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American showed papers from

the Consulate in Washington,

that he wants to gotto the

Soviet Union and be there for

a 10ng

time with his wife, who is Russian, but

the answer

has

not come from Washington in respect to this problem,

and

according to this procedure it takes four to five

months, but

without permission from

the

Soviet Union they

should

ask, or better said, they cannot

issue

a visa

there

without asking Washington. However, according to this man,

he showed a letter indicating he was a member of

an organi-

zation in favor of Cuba and

that the Cubans said

that they

cannot issue a visa without his having a visa for the Soviet

Union, and now he (the Soviet) does not know what to do with

him (the American), because they have to wait for an answer

from Washington.

Silvia DURAN agrees the same problem exists with the

Cubans, that the problem with him (the American) is that he

does not know anyone in Cuba and therefore if that is true

it will be difficult for him to get a visa for Cuba, be-

cause he was thinking of processing his visa ifor the Soviet

Union), because he knew it would require waiting a long time

for his visa to the Soviet Union while in Cuba, and from

there

go to the Soviet Union. The soviet said the thing is

that if his wife right now were in Washington she would re-

ceive her visa right now, or permission, from

the Soviet

Union, to return to her country, she is going to receive her

visa

in Washington but having this visa, she could communicate

to any place this permission, for example here or any place

she could receive it (visa or permission), but right now they

do not have them.

Silvia DURAN says certainly and they

can-

not give a letter either because they do not know if the visa

will be approved. The Soviet says he cannot give a letter

or recommendation

either because he does not know him (the

American) and asks to be excused for bothering her. Silvia

says that's all right and many thanks.

[Memorandum for Deputy Chief, Operations Staff, dated 2 May

1975, from Raymond ROCCA; Subject: Review

of Agency Holdings

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Regarding Photograph if Unidentified Individual in Mexico

City Published by the Warren Commission.]

28 September 1963

Silvia DURAN was again visited at the Cuban Embassy in

Mexico City by the American seeking a Cuban transit visa.

Mrs. DURAN contacted at least two members of the Soviet Embassy

and facilitated a direct conversation between one of the So-

viets and the American.

Conversing in poor Russian, the Am-

erican stated that he already had been to the Soviet Consu-

late and had left an address. The Soviet official replied

that he was aware of that. The American suggested that he

had not known his address then, and he had gone to the Cuban

Embassy to ask for the address, because they had it. The

American then acceded to the Soviet official's invitation to

come by and give them the address.

[Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 31 January, 1964,

from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject:

Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey

OSWALD in Mexico City, 28 September - 3 October 1963.]

28 September 1963

At 1151 hours (Mexico time) on Saturday, 28 September

1963., Silvia DURAN calls the USSR Embassy

and talks to an

unidentified Soviet. She says that in the Cuban Embassy

there if a North American who was at the Soviet Embassy. The

Soviet says wait a minute. Silvia DURAN speaks English with

someone - and comments in Spanish that they gave APARICIO

telephone number 14-12-99 and to take the number down - Silvia

DURAN then says the American citizen is going to talk with

you, i.e., the Soviet. The American first speaks Russian and

the Soviet speaks English. They continue in English. The

American talks broken Russian and says I was in your Embassy

and spoke to your Consul. Just a minute.

A Soviet takes

the phone and asks the American in English what does he want.

The American says please speak Russian. The Russian says

what else do you want? The American says I was just now at

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your Embassy and they took my address.

The Soviet says I

know that. The American, in hardly recognizable Russian,

says. I did not know

it then.

I went to the Cuban Embassy

to

ask them for my address, because they have it.

The

Soviet says why don't you come again and leave your address

with us, it

not far from the Cuban Embassy.

The American

says

I'll be there gight away.

[Memorandum for Deputy

Chief, Operations Staff, dated 2 May

1975, from Raymond G. ROCCA; Subject:

Review

of Agency Hold-

ings Regarding Photograph of Unidentified Individual in

Mexico City Published by the Warren Commission.]

23 November 1963

Mexico Station suggests to the Ministry of Gobernacion

that Silvia DURAN, who is a Mexican employee at the Cuban

Embassy and who put Lee OSWALD on the telephone from the Cu-

ban Embassy to talk to the Soviet Embassy on 28 September,

be arrested immediately and held incommunicado until she

gives all details relating to OSWALD known to her.

[MEXI-7029 (IN

), 23 November 1963.1 1

23 November 1963

LIC. Luis ECHEVARRIA informed the Chief of Station at

1800 Mexico time that Silvia DURAN and her husband had al-

ready been arrested. They are presently under interrogation

by Gobernacion authorities. The Chief of Station asked

ECHEVARRIA to take measures

requested in DIR 84916 [see

below]. ECHEVARRIA promised

to try to keep

arrest

secret.

He definitely promised

all information obtained from DURANS.

First report should be ready by 20.00 Mexico

time. Station

added that it will not be possible to keep arrest from her

family and from Cuban Embassy very long.

[MEXI-7037 (IN 67236), 24 November 1963.]

23 November 1963

_: (Date pf dissemination)

Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau of

Investigation information regarding Silvial DURAN, arrested

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by Mexican authorities before

6:00 p.m.

on 23 November 1963

for interrogation.

[DIR 84950, 25 November 1963.1

23 November 1963

-:

Headquarters tells Mexico City Station that the arrest

of Silvia DURAN is an extremely serious matter which could

prejudice United

States Government freedom of action on the

entire question of Cuban responsibility.

With full regard

for Mexican interests, Headquarters requests the Station to

ensure that her arrest is kept abslutely secret, that no i

information from her is published or leaked, that all such

information is cabled to Headquarters, and that the fact of

her arrest and her statements are not spread to leftist or

disloyal circles in the Mexican Government

[DIR 84916, 23 November 1963.]

23 November 1063

At 1915 hours (Mexico time), the Mexico City Station

advised

the Legal Attache of Silvia DURAN's arrest and of

Headquarters' desire for secrecy. The Legal Attache had

not heard of the arrest although he had talked to Gobernacion:

contacts several times during the last hour.

The Station

indicated that it had also informed the Ambassador.

[MEXI - 7042 (IN

), 23 November 1963.1

23 November 1963

Silvia DURAN was arrested at home with her husband and

members of the family who were having a party. All were

taken to jail. Since she had told not only her husband but

other members

of the family about OSWALD's visits after she

read the name and saw his picture on television, she attribu-

ted her arrest to a denounciation by a cousin whom she does

not like. The Station then indicates that the source of the

Mexican Government's knowledge (of her contact with OSWALD)

has not been revealed to her.

[MEXI-7054 (IN 67378), 24 November 1963.]

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23. November 1963

Silvia DURAN had the impression that OSWALD had or be-

lieved he had made arrangements in Washington whereby in-

structions would be sent to

the Soviet Embassy in Mexico to

issue a Soviet entry visa in a manner which would not require

him personally to visit the Soviet Embassy. Failure of his

real or imagined instructions to work smoothly caused him to

become rude to the Soviets.

Her impression was that he was

simply a "comrade" who could not live confortably under the

rigors of capitalism and wished to return to his spiritual

home in the USSR. If OSWALD. talked to anyone else in the

Cuban Embassy, she was unaware of it.

[MEXI-7054 (IN 67378), 24 November 1963.]

23 November 1963

According to source, the staff meeting at the Cuban

Embassy on 23 November was very short and somber. The

general impression was one of shock and disbelief.

[MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963.]

24 November 1963

Luis ECHEVARRIA told the Chief of Station that Silvia

DURAN was completely cooperative and gave a written

state-

ment attesting to two visits by OSWALD. She could not remem-

ber the exact dated but said it was the latter part of Sep-

tember. OSWALD showed her a American passport showing a

long stay in the USSR. OSWALD said he was a communist and

an admirer of CASTRO. He wanted her help to get a transit

visa to Cuba in order to go to the USSR.

She said she could

only arrange transit through Cuba if he already had a Soviet

visa. The Soviets told her that they had further checking

to do before they could issue a visa. DURAN did not know

why he returned to the United States without a visa. DURAN

told Gobernacion that she had recognized OSWALD on the tele-

vision on 22 November 1963.

The Chief of Station has told the Ambassador of DURAN'S

arrest and will brief the Legal Attache at 0930, 25 November,

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at a meeting in the Ambassador's office.

[MEXI-7046 (IN 67278), 24 November 1963.]

24 November 1963

Luis ECHEVARRIA is aware of the United States Govern-

ment's concern regarding any leaks

and has warned Silvia

DURAN about talking. He feels, however, that at least the

fact of the arrest may well be leaked by other

members of

her family who were picked up at

the same

time. The Chief

of Station will continue to push

the need

for

secrecy.

DURAN and her husband will be released but will be kept

under close surveillance.

[MEXI-7054 (IN 67378), 24 November 1963.1

24 November 1963

Headquarters asks the Mexico Station that when Lee OSWALD

was in Mexico City in late September and early October to get a

Soviet visa and a Cuban transit visa, did he want to travel

to Cuba right away, alone, or have his wife join him there

and then leave later? Although it appears' that he was then

thinking only about a peaceful change of residence to the

Soviet Union, it is also possible that he was getting docu-

mented to make a quick escape after assassinating the Presi-

dent.

[DIR 84920, 24 November 1963.1

25 November 1963

Headquarters asks that LITAMIL/9 be queried as to his

knowledge regarding Lee OSWALD's contacts with the Cuban and

Soviet Embassies.

[DIR 84926, 25 November 1963.1

25 November 1963

The Mexico City Station responds that LITAMIL/9 was

asked this point during the night of 23 November, but he dis-

claimed any knowledge of OSWALD's visits.: The Station has

instructed him to report any new facts or

significant reactions

of his associates.

[MEXI-7065 (IN 67737), 25 November 1963.1

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25 November 1963

(Date of dissemination)

Headquarters disseminates information on Silvia DURAN

to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

[DIR. 84950, 25 November 1963; Subject:

Silvia T. DURAN,

Mexican Employee of the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City, Con-

tact with Lee OSWALD.]

25 November 1963

Silvia DURAN returned to her office.

She seemed quite

please with her performance.

Her account of the interroga-

tion contained little new except that the

police had threa-

tened her with extradition to the United States to face

OSWALD. She had no fear of a confrontation with him.

[MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963.]

25 November 1963

The FBI interviewed Salvador DIAZ Verson (on an unknown

date) in Miami. The latter stated that while he was in Mexi-

co City from 20 to 29 November 1963, attending the Congress

of the International Federation of Professional Newspaper

Organization, he was at the offices of the newspaper Excel-

sior on the night of 25 November 1963. There he learned

through

the Mexican press that the Mexican Government had

arrested one Silvia DURAN; that DURAN allegedly had OSWALD

as

guest in her house during his visit to Mexico; that

DURAN placed OSWALD in contact with officials of the Cuban

Embassy in Mexico City. DIAZ Verson went

on to claim

that

he was told by DI. DORRELL Navarros, an exiled Cuban news-

paperman employed by Excelsior that OSWALD and DURAN on the

day following OSWALD's arrival in Mexico City went to a res-

taurant called the Caballo Blanco or possibly the Caballo

Bayo where they met an official of the Cuban Embassy. DIAZ

Verson claimed he knows nothing about OSWALD and the Cuban

official leaving the restaurant together in a car.

(NB: DIAZ Verson was interviewed by the FBI sometime before

11 January 1964.)

[Memorandum to Mr. Clarence A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires

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ad interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark D. ANDERSON,

Legal Attache; Subject:

Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win-

ston M. SCOTT. ]

26 November 1963

Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters a trans-

lation of a conversation between Cuban President DORTICOS in

Havana and Ambassador Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas in Mexico City

at 0924 hours on 26 November 1963.

DORTICOS was concerned whether the Mexicans had ques-

tioned Silvia DURAN about the passage of money to the "Ameri-

can".

The Ambassador responded that she had not been asked

about money.

[MEXI -7068 (IN

), 26 November 1963.]

26 November 1963

The Cuban Government passes a note to the Mexican Am-

bassador to Cuba, Gilberto BOSQUES, protesting the action of

the Mexican police in questioning an employee of the Cuban

Consulate in Mexico©City about OSWALD's reported application

for a Cuban transit visa during his visit.

In its note, the Cuban Government had charged that its

Consulate's employee, Senora Silvia DURAN, had been

detained

by the police on 23 November, held in prison until midnight,

physically mistreated, and subjected to insinutations

about

alleged "intimate relations" with OSWALD. The Cuban note

said that this "illegal" investigation corresponded

to the

plan of reactionaries in the United States who were using

President Kennedy's assassination to promote a war policy on

the bases of accusations against Cuba and the Soviet Union.

Alleging that the Mexican police actions had disregarded the

minimum guarantees owed to employees of a consular office,

the Cuban note concluded that the incident had damaged the

friendly relations between the two countries.

[U. S. Embassy Despatch, Mexico City, dated 2 December

1963,

despatch no. illegible.]

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26 November 1963

Mexico City Station forwards Ambassador's message for

passing to the Secretary of State, Mr. McCONE, and Mr. HOOVER.:

In his message, the Ambassador suggested that the Mexi-

cans should rearrest

and interrogate Silvia Tirado de DURAN

along the following lines:

"a.

Confront Silvia DURAN again with Nicaraguan

and have Nicaraguan

inform her of details of his

statement to us.

"b.

Tell Silvia DURAN that she is the only liv-

ing non-Cuban

who knows the

full story and hence

she is in the same position as OSWALD was prior

to his assassination; her only chance for sur-

vival is

to come clean with the whole

to cooperate completely with the Mexican Govern-

ment in return for Mexican Government protection.

She will not in any case be allowed to leave

Mexico. "

The Ambassador asks for immediate instructions on

whether "we are authorized to request President LOPEZ

Mateos to rearrest and take Silvia DURAN into protective

custody. Danger of her disappearance or murder may be

immediate and great."

[MEXI-7072 (IN

), 26 November 1963.1

27 November 1963

Headquarters suggests to the Mexico Station that in

lieu of arresting Silvia DURAN, she be placed under close

surveillance by CIA or by Mexican authorities.

[DIR 85198, 27 November 1963.]

27 November 1963

_(date of dissemination)

Headquarters

disseminates information obtained from

Silvia Tirado de

DURAN to the Federal Bureau of Investiga-

tion. The dissemination is based upon MEXI-7054 (IN 67378)

and MEXI-7065 (IN 67737)..

[DIR 85222, 27 November 1963.]

27 November 1963

At 1215 hours (Mexico time), Luis ECHEVARRIA, acting

Minister of Gobernacion, informed the Chief of Station that

Silvia DURAN had been rearrested because she was attempting

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to leave Mexico for Cuba.

[MEXI-7101 (IN 69048), 27 November 1963.]

2.7 November 1963

Headquarters

instructs the Mexico Station that, in

light of DURAN's second arrest, Mexican

authorities should

interrogate Silvia DURAN to the extent necessary

to clarify

outstanding points

which have been raised by your cables

during the last 48 hours. Meadquarters goes

on to say that

the Station may provide questions to the Mexican interroga-

tors "but we do not want any Americans to confront Silvia

DURAN or be in contact with her."

[DIR 85318, 27 November 1963.]

27 November 1963

With reference to DIR 85318 (see above entry), Head-

quarters tells the Mexico Station that it wants to be cer-

tain "that there is no misunderstanding between us, we want

to insure that neither Sylvia DURAN nor the Cubans gets the

impression that the Americans behind her rearrest. In other

words, we want Mexican authorities to take responsibility

for whole affair."

[DIR 85371, 27 November 1963.1

27 November 1963

: (Date of dissemination)

Headquarters reports Silvia DURAN's second arrest

to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Depart-

ment, and the White House. Dissemination based upon

MEXI-7101 (IN 69048), 27 November 1963.

[DIR 85471, 27 November 1963.1

27 November 1963

Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters a trans-

lation of a second conversation between President DORTICOS

and Ambassador HERNANDEZ Armas which took place at 1839

(Mexico time) on 27 November. DORTICOS appeared to be still

concerned whether the Mexicans had threatened Silvia DURAN

to force her into making a statement to the effect that the

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(Cuban) Consulate had given money "to the man . . . that

American".

The Ambassador responded that at no time had

they done

such a thing.

[MEXI -7097 (IN

•), 27 November 1963.1

27 November 1963

LITAMIL/9 reported that after Silvia DURAN's first

arrest it was public knowledge that there was a great deal

of discussion of this action in the Embassy. LITAMIL/9

described DURAN as being very intelligent and quick witted.

According to source, there was almost no discussion

about the assassination in the Embassy, nor did he hear any

expressions of pleasure.

(MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963.]

27 November 1963

Headquarters requests Mexico City Station not to take

any action to rearrest Silvia DURAN or to arrest others

without approval from Washington.

[DIR 85178, 27 November 1963.1

27 November 1963

Headquarters suggests to the Mexico City Station that

"in lieu of arresting DURAN, she be put under close surveil-

lance by the CIA or by Mexican authorities."

[DIR 85198, 27 November 1963.]

27 November 1963

Headquarters informs the Mexico City Station that the

Department of Justice is preparing a report on the whole as-

sassination case and will undoubtedly want to include the

detailed data on OSWALD's activities in Mexico. Obviously

the telephone tap material cannot be used, but the statements

of Silvia DURAN which carry essentially the same import could

be used without compromising Mexico Station's sources or re-

vealing the nature and extent of your liaison. Therefore re-

quest you cable in a translated version of her statements and

obtain (official Mexican] permission to use these statements

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in the official report, which, incidentally will be pub-

lished.

[DIR 95245, 27 November 1963.]

27 - 29 November 1963

Silvia DURAN was arrested for the second time on 27

November, interrogated on the 28th, and released on the

29th of November. The interrogation was based upon ques-

tions prepared by the Station and approved by the Legal

Attache.

registered owners of cars she had been seen in

during a January 1963 surveillance.

Claimed never a member of the Liga Leninista

Espartaco or PFM,

inasmuch as she did

not agree

with ideas of neither except for support of Cuba.

"c.

tion with

twice, once for GAGARIN

once at anniversary of Revolution.

Remembered OSWALD perfectly and denied he wore

glasses.

Otherwise no additions to original story.

Knew of no re-daired negro in the Cuban Embassy.

new people arrived

at the Embassy around the time

of OSWALD's visits.

Admitted to a one two-week trip to Cuba in 1961.

trips

since then and does not plan to

nied having

asked the Ambassador to send her there

She de-

after her first interrogation."

[MEXI-7364 (IN 79373), 12 December 1963]

28 November 1963

-:

Mexico City Station comments that the second pickup

of Silvia DURAN, which

was made on the Government's

initias

tive without prior consultation with Station

or the

U.S.

Embassy, obviously evidence

of a great

desire of Mexican

authorities to be of

service. Immediately after pickup,

ECHEVARRIA had received

instructions from LITENSOR per-

sonally not to release DURAN until Winston SCOTT

said

At Headquarters' request, Chief of Station furnished in-

terrogation questions to ECHEVARRIA night of 27 November.

[MEXI-7118 (IN 69656), 28 November 1963.]

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28 November 1963

The Mexico Station advises Headquarters that it is

sending a photostatic copy of a ten-page statement by

Silvia DURAN obtained from Luis ECHEVARRIA. Roger T.

KINGMAN (P) will carry the document to Washington where

he is arriving at Dulles Airport at 0800 on 28 November

1963.

[MEXI -7105 (IN

), 27 November 1963.]

28 November 1963

In light of DIR 85371, the Station felt it had no

alternative but to inform ECHEVARRIA that neither SCOTT

nor the U. S. Government making an official request for

DURAN's continued detention. The decision to release her

must be theirs (the Mexicans). This was done at 1200

noon (Mexico time) on 28 November.

[MEXI-7118 (IN 69656), 28 November 1963.]

28 November 1963

Luis ECHEVARRIA advised the Chief of Station that un-

less there are significant developments from the present

interrogation of Silvia DURAN )based upon questions furnished

by the COS on 27 November) or from the interrogation of Gil-

berto ALVARADO, DURAN will be released during the night of

28 November or early morning 29 November.

[MEXI-7124 (IN 69676), 28 November 1963.1

28 November 1963

Luis ECHEVARRIA advised the Chief of Station that the

Mexican Government had

refused to accept the very rude note

of protest handed to the Mexican Ambassador BOSQUES in Havana

on 27 November by Raul ROA, the Cuban foeign minister.

[MEXI-7124 (IN 69676), 28 November 1963.]

28 November 1963

The Mexican Foreign Minister Manuel TELLO announced

on

28 November that the Mexican Ambassador to Cuba, Gilberto

BOSQUES, had been instructed to return as "unacceptable" the

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HH

53320

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Cuban Government's note of November 26 which

had protested

the actuon of Mexican

police in questioning an

employee of

the Cuban Consulate

in Mexico City about OSWALD's reported

application for a Cuban transit visa during his

visit.

[Embassy Despatch, Mexico City, dated 2 December 1963:;

DST 28350.]

29 November 1963

ECHEVARRIA advised the Chief of Station early on 29

November that Silvia DURAN had been released again at about

1900 hours (Mexico City time) on 28 November. DURAN is

under close surveillance and will be apprehended any time

information received warrants such an action. She still ap-

pears to the Mexicans to have been involved only in busi-

ness of possible Cuban and Soviet visastfor OSWALD.

[MEXI-7125 (IN 70103), 29 November 1963.]

29 November 1963

_: (date of dissemination)

Headquarters disseminates highlights of official

Mexican interrogation of Horacio DURAN Navarro and. Silvia

Tirado de DURAN.

[DIR 85669, 29 NOvember 1963.]

29 November 1963

__: (date of dissemination)

Headquarters disseminates to the FBI, State Department,

and the White House information relating

to

Silvia DURAN con-

tained in MEXI-7115 (IN 69636), 28 November 1963.

[DIR 85670, 29 November 1963.]

29 November 1963

The Chief of Station passes to the Legal Attache a

copy of a ten-page statement of information obtained by the

Ministry of Gobernacion during the first detention of Silvia

DURAN.

[Memorandum for Mr. Clark D. ANDERSON, Legal Attache, dated

29 November

1963, from Winston M. SCOTT.]

29 November 1963

Headquarterg

states that it want to be sure that Mexi-

co station i immotiatel..ng the beget Attuche epeppthing

DocId: 325h9 Stations eceipes about

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## Page 21

= 19 -

29 November 1963

Headquarters wants to be sure that Mexico City Sta-

tion

is immediately giving the Legal Attache everything the

Station receives from ALVARADO and Silvia DURAN so that the

Legal Attache

can

forward the data directly to FBI Headquar-

ters. If the Legal Attache does not have sufficient commu-

nications facilities or staff, he can send his messages

through Agency channels, otherwise, Headquarters will con-

tinue to disseminate information to the FBI. Indicate on all

cables whether the Legal Attache has been given the same in-

formation being reported to Headquarters.

[DIR 85712, 29 NOvember 1963.]

29 November 1963

Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau of

Investigation, the Department of State, and the White House

information relating to Silvia DURAN's (second) release.

[DIR 85714, 29 November 1963.1

29 November 1963

.: (datesof dissemination)

Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau of In-

vestigation, the Department of State, and the White House,

a rush translation of a report by the Mexican police of an

interrogation

of Silvia Tirado de DURAN, her husband, Horacio

DURAN Navarro, and others immediately following their

arrest

on 23 November 1963.

[DIR 85758, 29 November 1963.]

11 December 1963

The Legal Attache in Mexico City passes to the Ambassa-

dor and to the Mexico Station an FBI memorandum concerning

OSWALD's activities in Mexico City from 27 September through

2 October 1963.

[Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 11 December 1963, From

Clark D. ANDERSON, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD.]

12. December 1963

The FBI is pushing to wind up its analysis of the

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- 20 -

Mexican aspects of the OSWALD case and urgently needs the

results of the interrogations of Silvia DURAN and her husband

during their

second

arrest.

[DIR 88642, 12 December 1963.]

12 December 1963

→: (date of dissemination)

Headquarters disseminates to the Federal Bureau of In-

vestigation, the

Department

of State, and the White House,

information obtained from the second interrogation of Silvia

DURAN. [Based upon MEXI-7364 (IN 79373), 12 December 1963.]

[DIR

88747, 12 December 1963.]

13 December 1963

Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters two copies

of the Mexican Government interrogation report on the "second

arrest" of Silvia Tirado de DURAN. A copy of the report was

passed to the Legal Attache on 13 December 1963.

[HMMA-22625, 13 December 1963.]

21 December 1963

Headquarters tells Mexico Station that the present plan

for passing information to the Warren Commission is to elimi-

nate any mention of telephone taps, in order to protect the

Station's continuing operations.

Headquarters will rely in-

stead

on statements by Silvia DURAN and on the contents of

the Soviet Consular file which the Soviets gave to the Depart-

ment of State. The file shows that both OSWALD and his wife

were dickering with the Soviets in Washington by mail

SO

as

to obtain permission

to return to

the Soviet Union.

Exact detailed information from LITAMIL/7 and 19 on

just what Silvia DURAN and other

officials said

about OSWALD's

visits and his dealings would be valuable and

usable corro-

borative evidence.

Headquarters requests the

Station to ques-

tion them Carefully on these points, while attempting to ob-

tain

as much authentic data as possible without mixing in what

they have picked up from the newspapers.

[DIR 90466, 21 December 1963.]

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27 December 1963

LITAMIL/9 reported on 27 December 1963 that Silvia

had not returned to work since her release from her second

arrest.

Silvia's husband was angry over Foreign Minister

ROA's note which made a cause celebre of the affair.. He

told a Cuban Embassy official that ROA's note was inaccu-

rate in claiming that Silvia had been mistreated by the

Mexican police.

[MEXI-7615 (IN 91178), 2 January 1964.]

2 January 1964

LITAMIL/9 has nothing additional to offer beyond the

account in MEXI-7115 except that Silvia DURAN said at that

time she was perfectly willing to travel to the United States

to confront OSWALD if necessary.

LITAMIL/9 did not talk to

Silvia about the OSWALD visit, merely stood around with other

staff members while Silvia recounted her arrest, interroga-

tion, and release. She did not mention any details about her

encounter with OSWALD.

[MEXI-7615 (IN 91178), 2 January 1964.1

4 and 9 January 1964

Salvador DIAZ Verson was interviewed by a Special

Agent of the FBI on 4 and 9 January 1964. DIAZ Verson

furnished information which he had obtained while atten-

ding a Congress of the International Federation of Pro-

fessional Newspaper Organizations (FIOPP), in Mexico

City, from 20 November

to 29 November 1963.

[FBI

Field Memorandum

from Miami, Florida, dated 2 March

Lee Harvey OSWALD, Internal Security - R.

1964; Subject:

DBA- 66398.1

10 January 1964

_: (date

of dissemination)

Headquarters forwards dissemination to the Federal

Bureau of Investigation containing a translation of the

official Mexican police report on the second interrogation

of Silvia DURAN, done on 28 November 1963.

[CSCI -3/779,482, 10 January 1964.]

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11 January 1964

On 11 January 1964, Dr. Eduardo BORRELL Navarro was

interviewed

in

Mexico City by a confidential source.

He

made the following statements

regarding Salvador DIAZ Ver-

son's allegations

concerning Lee Harvey OSWALD.

Salvador DIAZ Verson was in Mexico City as he claimed

and did discuss Lee OSWALD with BORRELL and other Cuban

exiles. BORRELL did not tell the story credited to him by

DIAZ Verson concerning the visit to a Mexico City restaurant

by OSWALD and Silvia DURAN. BORRELL had never heard this

story or any similar story before.

BORRELL knew of no meeting between OSWALD and Cuban

Embassy officials other than the meetings which allegedly

occurred at the time OSWALD visited the Cuban Consulate in

Mexico City.

[Memorandum to Mr. Clarence A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires

ad interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark D. ANDERSON,

Legal Attache; Subject:

Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win-

ston M. SCOTT.]

13 January 1964

The legal Attache in Mexico City informed the Mexico

Station of current problems in the FBI's investigations of

leads pertinent to Lee Harvey OSWALD:

"a.

FBI Headquarters sent a cable to Mexico stating

that Salvador DIAZ Verson was the source of the ana-

lysis prepared by Cuban psychologist, Jose I. LASAGA

of Miami.

"b.

FBI interviewed DIAZ Verson who said that Silvia

DURAN took Lee OSWALD to Caballo Bayo Restaurant near

Chapultepec Golf Club where they met Cuban Ambassador

to Mexico,

Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas.

Then HERNANDEZ

took OSWALD for a ride in his car so that they could

talk privately.

"c.

DIAZ Verson

told the FBI his source was

Eduardo

BORRELL Navarro, Mexican newspaperman who writes edi-

torials for Excelsior.

"d. The FBI sent Matthew CRAWFORD to interview BORRELL

Navarro on 12 January.

Latter said he did not know any

more than that OSWALD had been to Mexico and had visited

the Cuban Embassy and Silvia DURAN.

He said everything

he knew had been published and was

public knowledge.

IMEXI- 7776 CIN

), 14 January 1964.]

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17 January 1964

On 17 January

1964, a source who has furnished reliable

information in the

past advised that he had been unable to

locate a Caballo Blanco Restaurant in Mexico City, but stated

that there is

a Caballo Bayo Restaurant located on the out-

skirts of Mexico City. He advised that on 11 January 1964,

he exhibited

photographs of former Cuban Consul Eusebio AZCUE

Lopez, who was in charge of the Cuban Consulate at the time

Of OSWALD's visit there, of Cuban Ambassador Joaquin HERNANDEZ

Armas, of Silvia DURAN, and

of OSWALD to employees of the

Caballo Bayo Restaurant and had conducted extensive interviews

of these employees.

The source said he was unable to find

anyone among the employees who could recall any of the persons

whose photographs were exhibited as having been at the restau-

rant.

[Memorandum to Mr. Clarence A. BOONSTRA, Charge d'affaires

ad interim, dated 29 January 1964, from Clark D. ANDERSON,

Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD. Copy to Win-

ston M. SCOTT.]

29 January 1964

DIAZ Verson, the source of Jose I. LASAGA's information

that the Cuban Ambassador to Mexico City had a long conference

with Lee OSWALD at a restaurant outside Mexico City, turns out

to be a highly unreliable source, with a reputation, for fabri-

'Catior. He did go to Mexico, via Guatamala and Nicaragua,

leaving

Miami on 18 November 1963. He was to attend a confe-

rence in Mexico of the FJOPP (Federacion Internacional de

Organizaciones de Periodistes Professionales) between 19 and

29 November 1963.

The FBI has questioned DIAZ Verson about his story. He

said that Silvia DURAN, clerk of the Cuban Consulate

in

Mexico

City, took

Lee OSWALD to the Caballo Cayo [sic] Restaurant

near Chapultepec Park where they mat the Cuban Ambassador

Joaquin HERNANDEZ Armas and that HERNANDEZ Armas took OSWALD

for a long ride in his car so he could talk. DIAZ Verson said

HH 53320

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that his source for this information was Mexican journalist;

Eduardo BORRELL Navarro, editorialist for the large conser-

vative daily Excelsior, but when

the FBI asked BORRELL about

it he

said that DIAZ Verson had made it all up. BORRELL

said he knew nothing beyond the fact that OSWALD had been in

Mexico, had visited the Cuban Embassy and talked to Silvia

DURAN.

A senior FBI official in Mexico, Clark ANDERSON, told

our Station Chief that he knew DIAZ Verson well wehn

they

were both in Havana and that DIAZ Verson was noted for "re-

ports based on his intuitive feelings". He rarely reported

facts.

This seems to discredit completely the story that OSWALD

had had a long conference with the Cuban Ambassador in Mexico

City.

[Blind Memorandum, dated 29 January 1964; Subject: Presence

of Salvador DIAZ Verson in Mexico around 22 November 1963.]

31 January 1964

The Agency forwards to the Warren Commission a memoran-

dum with an enclosure regarding "Information Developed by CIA

on the Activity of Lee Harvey OSWALD in Mexico City, 28 Sep-

tember - 3 October 1963".

"We have included in this paper only hard, substantive

Any iudgements that are made represent

professional evaluations by individuals who have worked

over the years as specialists in their fields.

Specu-

La SWAL a at he detail en directly related

[Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 31 January 1964,

from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject:

Information Developed by CIA on the Activity of Lee Harvey

OSWALD in Mexico City 28 September - 3 October 1963.]

21 February 1964

The Agency forwarded to the Warren Commissión a memo-

randum to which were attached two enclosures:

a. Results of the interrogation of Silvia Tirado de

DURAN, her husband, Horacio DURAN Navarro et al,

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immediately following their detainment on 23 November

1963.

b.

Results of the interrogation of Silvia Tirado de

DURAN on the morning of 28 November 1963.

[Memorandum

for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 21 February 1964,

from Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans; Subject:

Translations of Interrogation Reports of Silvia DURAN.]

27 February 1964

Salvador DIAZ Verson was interviewed by Special Agent

of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at Miami, Floride,

on 27 February 1964, at which time DIAZ Verson furnished the

following information:

"DIAZ Verson

resides at 8770 S.W. 21st Street, West-

chester,

, Florida.

He is a Cuban

period 1948 to 1952, but primarily a newspaperman by

profession.

"He had been previously interviewed by a Special

Agent of the

on January 4 and 9,

1964, on which

dates he furnished the data which he had obtained

while attending a Congress of the International

of Professional Newspaper Organizations

(FIOPP) ,

in Mexico City, from November 20, 1963 to

November 29, 1963.

"He stated he knew

absolutely nothing first hand

concerning the visit of Lee Haîvey OSWALD to Mexico

or of persons contacted by OSWALD while in Mexico.

stated he did not

regarding the contact

of OSWALD with Silvia DURAN, an employee of the Cuban

Consulate at a Mexico City restaurant.

"DIAZ stated the only contact of OSWALD discussed by

him with BORRELL Navarro was that of the visit of

OSWALD to the Cuban Consulate in Mexico, and the fact

that Silvia DURAN was picked up and interviewed by the

Mexican police.

He said there was

some speculation

and talk regarding the identity of the specific offi-

cial of the Cuban Consulate or Embassy with whom DURAN

may have placed OSWALD in contact.

DIAZ Verson stated

BORRELL Navarro never stated

that OSWALD went to a

restaurant in Mexico City

the Caballo Blanco or

the Caballo Bayo, where OSWALD and DURAN

gedly met an official of

the Cuban Embassy.

son stated he did not discuss with

BORRELL

allegation that. OSWALD was a gust in the house of Sil-

via DURAN while he was in Mexico.

"DIAZ Verson stated the matter of OSWALD allegedly

meeting with DURAN at the restaurant and allegedly be-

ing a

guest in her home

were strictly unidentified

questions, comments, and the voicing of thoughts and

4Н 53320 DocId:32389422 Page 27

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speculation by a rather

large group of Latin American

newspapermen in the

offices of Exeelsior on the night

of November 25, 1963.

"DIAZ Verson stated that after

Angel FERNANDEZ Varela

was interviewed by the FBl in Miami, he came to DiAL

Verson and asked:

'Just what were those details about

OSWALD meeting DURAN in some cabaret or restaurant in

Mexico City and the introduction of OSWALD to an offi-

cial of the Cuban Embassy?'

FERNANDEZ Varela admitted

he had not understood the

story too well and

perhaps

had confused it 'a little' when he retold it.

"On February 29, 1964, upon being further interviewed

concerning

variations

in his accounts of the above

events, and

especially the

sources responsible for

specific statements, DIAZ Verson admitted that

make statements

Special Agent of the FBI

at variance with

SCEne Plane be the Tito February 1sted

the FBI on February 27,

He stated he did not do this out of malice or

bad faith, or with intent to mislead anyone.

did not regard anything he heard,

and when challenged as

to his sources

he was ashamed to admit an irrespon-

sible naming of sources.

"...

"DIAZ Verson declined to take a polygraph examination

stating

it would only humiliate him further, and show

what he had already admitted.

"With regard to a relationship between BORREL Navarro

and Horacio DURAN Navarro, DIAZ Verson

stated BORRELL

Navarro is a Cuban, only

residing in exile

in Mexico City.

Horacio DURAN Navarro

and his wife,

Silvia, are Mexicans.

DIAZ Verson stated that Cuba

rotested the arrest and interrogation of Silvia DURAN

y the Mexican Police:

the Mexican Foreign Office re-

jected the protest, and in doing so, stated DURAN

Navarro and wife are Mexican citizens.

stated this was the account published in Mexico City

newspapers, and he concluded

the same maternal name

of Navarro

for BORRELL Navarro and DURAN Navarro is only

coincidence."

[FBI Field Memorandum from Miami, Florida, dated 2 March 1964;

Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD, Internal Security - R. DBA-66938.]

I April 1964

The Agency forwards a memorandum to the Warren Commission

containing information on the action of Silvia DURAN on her

return to work at the Cuban Consulate on 25 November 1963,

following her first interrogation by the Mexican authorities..

This item may be useful to the Commission in the evaulation

of Mrs. DURAN's story."

[Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, dated 7 April 1964, from

Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plans. DDP 4-1787.1

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5 May 1964

On 5 May, Mr. WHITTEN and Mr. HALL met with Mr.

SLAWSON

of the Commission in Mr. WHITTEN's office. This

meeting

had been requested to ask for a

fresh

translation

of the

taped conversation between Cuban President DORTICOS

and Ambassador HERNANDEZ Armas.

Win SCOTT had told the

Commission staff members visiting Mexico City that his trans-

lators, in the rush at the time, might have misconstrued

cer-

tain nuances of meaning in what was a difficult recording.

In view of this, Mr. SLAWSON asked that a new translation be

made, if possible, by a person knowledgeable of the Cuban

dialect.

[Memorandum for the Record, dated 5 May 1964, by Thomas R.

HALL; Subject:

Meeting with Mr. SLAWSON of the Presidential

Commission.]

5 May 1964

According to Mr. SLAWSON, no member of the Commission

now knows of the telephone taps in Mexico City (he did not

mention Mr. DULLES).

[Comment:

This statement does not include members of the

Commission's staff, for at least three members of the staff,

including

Mr. SLAWSON, had been briefed by Winston SCOTT

on all the pertinent telephone calls during

their visit in

April 1964.

HMMA-23249, 14 April 1964.]

[Ibid. ]

6 May 1964

_: (date of FBI Report)

Silvia DURAN's name appears in Lee Harvey OSWALD's

personal address book.

[FBI Report, dated 6 May 1964. DBA-70128.]

18 May 1964

_: (date of FBI Report)

Date of an FBI report containing a compilation of facts

known to date on OSWALD's trip to Mexico and his activities

there. Also included are allegations by various individuals

concerning OSWALD's Mexico contacts.

NH 53320 DocId:32389422 Page 29

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"On 24 March 1964, Captain Fernando GUTIERREZ Barrios,

Assistant Director

of the Mexican Federal Security Police,

Mexico, D. F., made available a copy of a signed statement

which had been

made by Silvia DURAN to the Federal Security

Police

on

23 November 1963."

A translation from the Spanish

of that

statement is recorded on pages 35 through 41 of the

report.

[FBI Report, dated 18 May 1964; Subject:

Lee Harvey OSWALD.]

19 May 1964

Mexico Station forwards to Headquarters two copies of

the Gobernacion Report on the steps taken and investigations

made by the Mexican Government as a result of President

Kennedy's assassination. The attached copies were "unofficial".

as the Ambassador had not yet received that report from the

Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

The Station noted that this report had been asked for by

the three staff members of the Warren Commission who visited

Mexico 8 - 13 April 1964. At that time, Acting Secretary of

Gobernacion, Luis ECHEVARRIA, promised this report would imme-

diately be sent through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the

United States Ambassador.

A copy of the report was received by the Station from

the Legal Attache who had received a copy unofficially from

the Director of Investigations, Gobernacion, Santiago IBANEZ

Llamas.

[HMMA-23443, 19 May 1964.}

26 May 1964

The Mexican Station forwarded to Headquarters a copy

of the official report which "will be sent

to the Warren

Commission as a response to the request made to Luis ECHEVARRIA

Acting Minister of Gobernacion, by the three staff members

of the Warren Commission who visited Mexico in April 1964."

The report was, received by Ambassador FREEMAN on 22 May 1964.

[HMMA- 23520, 26 May 1964.]

HH 53320

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23 July 1964

Date of Note no. 507794 from the Mexican Secretariat

of Foreign Relations granting the permission of the Mexican

Government to publish the documents on the activities of

Lee Harvey OSWALD in Mexico.

According to the source document, this note was received by

the U. S. Embassy in Mexico City on 17 August 1964.]

IU. S. Embassy Despatch, Mexiço City, dated 20 August 1964.]

5 August 1964

Foreign Secretary GOROSTIZA telephoned the United States

Minister BOONSTRA with reference to Ambassador FREEMAN's dis-

cussion with him of documents which the Warren Commission w

wished to publish. "He said that. after considering further

the request by Ambassador FREEMAN and after reviewing all of

the documents, the Government of Mexico agrees to the publica-

tion of all of the documents which it provided to us regard-

ing its investigations of the activities in Mexico of Lee

Harvey OSWALD. The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs is now

preparing a Note Verbal informing the Embassy of this de-

cision but he was telephoning this to me in the event that

we wished to begin

prompt action."

[Memorandum of Conversation, dated 5 August 1964, between

Foreign Secretary GOROSTIZA and Minister BOONSTRA; Subject:

Clearance for Publication of Mexican Documents by Warren

Commission.]

13 August 1964

On this date. the United States Embassy in Mexico City

received a note, dated 23 Juty 1964, from the Secretariat of

Foreign Relations. This note stated the agreement of the

Mexican Government to the publication by the Warren Commission

of the documents 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 which had been provided to

the U. S. Embassy as attachments to the Secretariat's note of

9 June 1964. Document no. 5 had been inadvertantly omitted.

Following a conversation between Minister Counselor C. A.

BOONSTRA and Ambassador Jose GALLASTEGUI, Secretariat of For-

i MW 53320 DocId: 32389422 Page 31

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•- 30 -

eign Relations, the latter said that

it was the intention of

the Mexican Government to

allow the publication of all the

documents, including

document no. 5. Accordingly, the note

was

retyped with the

inclusion

of document

5, and returned

to

the Embassy under

the same

date

and note number.

[Memorandum of Conversation, dated

14 August 1964, between

Ambassador

Jose GALLASTEGUI, Secretariat of Foreign Relations;

and U. S. Minister Counselor, C. A. BOONSTRA; Subject: Clea-

rance for Publication of Mexican Documents by the Warren

Commission.]

8 September 1964

:

Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters two photo-

static samples of Silvia DURAN's signature, in accordance

with referenced cables. [DIR 47423 and MEXI - 0805.1

[HMMA-24280, 8 September 1964.]

14 September 1964

Mexico City Station forwards to Headquarters another

copy of Silvia DURAN's signature.

[HMMA-24304, 14 September 1964.]

16 September 1964

Mr. SLAWSON of the Warren Commission in a discussion

relating to Silvia DURAN's handwriting sample asked if

there -s information

available regarding her current status

of moral, attitude, current employment. Headquarters asks

the Mexico Station to furnish information relating to DURAN's

situation and outlook. Headquarters suggest that Mexican of-

ficials not be consulted.

[DIR 49619, 16 September 1964.]

16 September 1964

Headquarters forwards request from Warren Commission for

any substantive data which can be cited in the published re-

port as an authoritative source regarding allegations that

Silvia DURAN and her husband were or are members of the Commun-

ist Party.

HH 53320 DocId:32389422 Page 32

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Mr. SLAWSON, the Commission attorney, recalls that

both the Chief of Station and the Legal Attache referred

to these allegations during SLAWSON's visit to Mexico.

Headquarters asks whether any documentary or other

evidence exists or

can be attributed to Mexican authorities.

[DIR 49941, 16 September 1964.]

18 September 1964

TSD forwards to Chief, Counter Intelligence Staff

memorandum on handwriting identification.

"1. Reference forwarded (1) a poor quality

reduced

size photograph of

a Cuban visa appli

cation in the name of Lee H. OSWALD with a hand-

written notation

in the lower left corner that

appears to read 'Hotel del Camercon

46-60-51 (?)'

, (2) enlarged photograph, unknown

size, of signature

'S. de DURAN', and

copy of volume 3 of the exhibits

tigation of Assassination of President John F

Kennedy, November 22, 1963', containing handwri-

ting specimens of lee Harvey OSWALD.

quested that an effort be made to determine if

Silvia DURAN

0w Lee H. OSWALD wrote the notation

in the lower left corner of the visa application."

[Memorandum no. G-9813 for Chief, DDP/CI, dated 18

September 1964, from TSD/GARB/QDS.]

19 September 1964

In response to Headquarters' requests (DIR 49619 and

49941), the Mexico Station forwarded the following infor-

mation "from high official of Mexican Government in a posi-

tion to know the facts":

"a.

Her full name is Silvia Tirado Bazan de DURAN;

her husband;s full name is Horacio (DURAN) Navarro.

"b. At the time of interrogation by Mexican authori-

ties on the OSWALD case both Silvia DURAN and her

husband denied they were members of the Partido

Communista Mexicano, Partido Popular Socialista, or

the time inter silvia the Parredo, or

any communist or Marxist front groups.

"c. Both stated that they 'believed completely in

Marxist Leninist principles and tried to live

Marxists'

According to Mexican official, 'No Mexican has

worked

for the Cuban Embassy

in Mexico since 1959

who is not a completely convinced communist'.

Both Silvia and her husband were listed in Federal

Police organization

files as communists, members of the

(This latter information is not releasable in do-

cumentary form.)

HH 53320

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Horacio DURAN continues to live at Avenida Constituyen-

tes no. 143, apartment no. 3.

Silvia has disappeared.

Her husband refuses to say where she is - merely states

she is out of Mexico.

Her whereabouts are unknown and

Mexican authorities believe she is being hidden by the

Cubans.

Mexican authorities report that she has not worked at

the Cuban Consulate or any other job since her deten-

tion on the OSWALD case.

Mexican officials do not

know her present morale but bedieve she is still fri-

USA, and wety

vetl-Mexican police authorities and ants-

Horacio DURAN has kept up payments on rent and lights.

He seems to live as well as ever; however, the source

of his income remains a mystery.

[MEXI-0930 (IN 77619), 19 September 1964.]

22 September 1964

The Agency forwards a memorandum to J. Lee RANKIN,

General Counsel of the Warren Commission, containing

in-

formation on Silvia Tirado Bazan de DURAN.

"1. In response to the verbal equest of Mr. SLAWSON

your staff,

I forward details on the political

background and recent activity of Silvia Tirado Bazan

de DURAN.

official of the Mexican Government, in a

position to know the facts, has indicated that

Mexican has worked for the

Cuban Embassy in Mexico

since 1959 who

is not a

completely convinced communist.

Both Mrs. DURAN and her husband

were listed in

security organization's files as members of

the Mexican Communist Party.

"3.

As of

tinues

to

the date of this letter, Mr. DURAN con-

live at Avenida Constituyentes Number 3

[sic - 143], Apartment 3:

Mrs. DURAN, however, is

out of circulation and her whereabouts are unknown.

It is reported that she has not worked at the Cuban

Embassy or at any other job since her detainment for

interrogation on the OSWALD case.

Mr. DURAN refuses

It is believed by the

[Memorandum for Mr. J. Lee RANKIN, 22 September 1964, from

Richard HELMS, Deputy Director for Plnas.

DDP 4-4921.]

2.2 September 1964

The Mexico City Station reports to Headquarters that

it does not have exemplars available for a comparison with

referenced visa application. The type face matches that of

other documents from the Embassy. The weak impression of

the top of the lower case letter "e" also appears in a docu-

HH 53320

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ment from the Commercial Office of the Embassy and was ap-

parently prepared on the same typewriter as the visa appli-

cation form.

Stationery used for the letter from Havana

appears to be

genuine. Both documents have an authentic

flavor. Station is attempting to obtain a blank visa ap-

plication for comparison.

[MEXI-0969 (IN 79218), 22 September 1964.]

25 September 1964

Headquarters expresses its appreciation to the Mexico

City Station for its assistance.

The handwritting investi-

gation can now be considered completed.

"All Headquarters components involved in the

OSWALD affair wish to express

their

apprecia-

tion to the Station for its

effort in

this and

other facets of the OSWALD case."

[HMMW-12931, 25 September 1964.]

30 September 1964

According to reliable and sensitive source Silvia

DURAN informed Raul PEREYRA of the Cuban Embassy that she

had been on an excursion with some students to the Isla

Mujeres and Merida. PEREYRA who recently returned from

Cuba said Eusebio AZCUE sent greetings to Silvia.

[MEXI-1129 (IN

2, 5 October 1964.1

5 October 1964 (

(date of report)

According to LICOOKIE, "Elena GARRO de PAZ, Elena PAZ

(the daughter) and Deba Garro de Guerrero GALVAN set around

all weekend (no dates

given by source) recalling details of

their having

been

in

group

with OSWALD here last fall dur-

ing the days that he was

in Mexico. The write-ups of the

Warren Commission

report in the newspaper sparked this dis-

cussion,

and they

apparently had

never

really

sat

around de-

termined

to piece

it

all together, although

all three were

deeply affected by Kennedy's assassination, seemed literally

to adore the Kennedy family image, still follow Robert

Kennedy's career with great interest

and

admiration."

HH 53320 DocId:32389422 Page 35

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The main points covered:

and Deba are first cousins of three young

Mexicans

named DURAN

- Ruben, Horacio,

the husband of Silvia DURAN,

the Mexi-

arrested for questioning

OSWALD because she had been in touch with him at

the Cuban Embassy when he went there looking for

a visa.

[She is or was also a ringleader (no ad-

tional details provided by source)

at the Cuban-

Mexican Institute, according to the source.]

"While OSWALD was here last fall the DURAN cousins

invited the GARRO sisters and young Elena PAZ to a

'twist party' at the home of Ruben DURAN mid-week.

A few communists they knew (Deba is a communist and

Elena has been in touch with communists since she

and a number of people who struck

as very peculiar at the time, were there.

there with two other beatnik looking

one of whom was very tall and all three of

they remember quite well. When they began

asking questions about the

who were

standing together all evening and did

at all, they were shifted to another room (the

FARRO's were); however,

they were intrigued be-

cause their cousin said he did not know who they

were, except that Silvia DURAN had brought them,

and none of the other guests made any attempt to

approach them.

When the GARRO's were so

about meeting

them, the DURANS replied that the

boys were leaving town very early the next morning.

The next day,

well along in the day.

ters and Elenita PAZ saw all three boys together

on Insurgentes.

In other words, they had not left

At the time they they remarked about it.

"As soon as OSWALD's picture was printed in the news-

papers all three clearly remembered him, and, of

the arrest of Silvia DURAN almost immedi-

underlined their certainty.

sickened (Elena and Elenita)

they broke

their relations with the DURANs; however,

nervously looked them up later,

that Lynn DURAN and one of the

DURAN boys have made trips to Texas, and that most

conspicuously they have all prospered this last year.

Always poor before, they now have an expensive car

"Horacio DURAN works on the El Dia newspaper."

[Blind Memorandum, dated 5 October 1964; Subject: Mexican

Communists Who Had Contact with OSWALD, as Has Not appeared

in Warren Commission Write-ups in Press.]

17 November 1964

Personnel from the Legal Attache's office in the U.s.

Embassy, Mexico City, interviewed Mrs. Elena Garro de PAZ and

her daughter, Elena PAZ Garro.

[Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 27 December 1965, from

Nathan L. FERRIS, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD.]

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24 November 1964

The FBI report on information supplied on 24 November

1964 by Elena Garro de PAZ and her daughter, Elena PAZ Garro.

but decilned t

They are residents of Mexico CitAl stated she is :

supply their home address.

cousin of Ruben, Lidia

and Horacio DURAN, the latter

being the husband of Silvia Rirado de DURAN.

She said

she had not furnished previously the information set

forth hereinafter because of fear of reprisals.

"Mrs. PAZ said that on August 23, 1963,

she attended

at the home of a Mexican

communist whom she

declined to identify.

Among others present at this

dinner were Cuban Consul Eusebio AZCUE and his wife.

She had not previously known AZCUE.

In conversation

with him during the course of the evening she learned

that he was supposed to return to

Cuba on or about

August 27,

She later learned that he did not

depart Mexico at that time.

'According to Mrs. PAL,

she had infrequent contact

with her cousins, the DURKNS; however, on a date she

a telephone call

September

Fixed as Saturday from Ruben DURAN, whỏ invited her

she received

and her daughter

to attend a party

at his house during

the first past

of the following week.

She was unable

to fix the exact date of this party

but felt it had

or Wednesday,

been header Monday october Y, 1963, respectively?

September

30, October 1,

the most likely possibility

• that it was held on

evening of October 1 or October 2, 1963.

"It was Mrs. PAZ' recollection that at about 9:00 a.m.

the party

and her daughter were

picked up

accompanying them was Mrs.

a teen to the parts linda.

Deva Garro de

Guerrero GALVAN.

She described this sister as a commu-

nist who was expelled from the Party for being a Catho-

".

about 10:30 p.m. three young, white Americans arri-

at the party.

They were greeted by Silvia DURAN

and spoke only to her.

They more or less isolated

themselves from the rest of the party and insofar as

she observed they had no conversation with anyone else

at the party.

"The three Americans appeared to be between twenty-two

and twenty-four

years of age.

One of them was dressed

in a sweater

and dark trousers and appeared to be about

five feet nine inches in height.

The second one was

about six

his dress

was a bit beatnik insappearance aithough

included a coat. The third American wore

"...

"It is to be noted that investigation has established

that Lee Harvey OSWALD departed Mexico City by bus at

8:30 a.m. on October 2, 1963, and could not have been

observed by Mrs.

of October

or October 2, 1963.

"...

. "

[FBI Report,

DBA-93645.]

11 December 1964; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD.

HH 53320

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## Page 38

= 36 =

30 June 1965

_: (date of dissemination)

The Agency forwards a dissemination to the Federal

Bureau of Investigation containing information on Silvia

DURAN.

A usually reliable and

senisitive source

reports that on 15 June 1965 an unidentified

woman speaking French called Joaquin HERNANDEZ

Armas, Cuban Ambassador to Mexico, from Chicago.

The woman stated she was calling on behalf of a

(phonetic); she asked whether Silvia

DURAN was a friend

of Harvey Lee OSWALD, and if

DURAN had returned to Cuba.

The Ambassador,

said that DURAN

does not understand much French longer does know

that she resides in Mexico,

at the wei te

does not

The woman again

asked if DURAN was

a friend of OSWALD.

The Ambassador, who appeared

not to understand the question fully, answered

[Based upon MEXI-3832 (IN 92908) •1

[CSCI-316/02654-65, 30 June 1965.]

10 December 1965

: (date of report)

Charles W. THOMAS, Political Officer, USS. Embassy,

Mexico City, reports that in the course of a discussion

about other matters, Sra. de PAZ mentioned that she had

met Lee Harvey OSWALD. She was very reluctant to discuss

the matter, but finally imparted the following information:

In September 1963, shortly after her return from

abroad, she went to a party at the home

of Ruben DURAN,

who is married to her cousin.

accompanied her.

There she met OSWALD and

Her daughter two other

Elenita,

young Americans who were with him.

The three young

Americans remained apart from the other guests.

expressed an interest in talking

couraged from doing so by some of the other guests.

Most of

the guests at the party were communists

philocommunists.

She remembers seeing the Cuban

Consul, ASQUE [sic

- AZCUE]; General Clark FLORES of

the Mexican Olympic Committee; Silvia DURAN, who she

later learned was OSWALD's mistress while he was here;

Emilio CARBALLIDO, the writer, who she thinks is now:

in the United States; and a

Latin American Negro

with red hair.

"3.

In November 1963, when the identity of Kennedy's

assassinabecame known,

she and her daughter went to

the Cuban

Embassy and,

once admitted through the front

gate,

shouted

'assassin' and other insults

at the staff

there.

"4. Shortly afterward,

she and her daughter were visited

by a friend, Manuel CARVILLO, who was then

an official

in the Secretariat of Gobernacion, and were told he had

to escort them to a small and obscure hotel in

the center of town.

were kept there for eight days

under pretext that they were in danger.

HH 53320

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When she told CARVILLO she wanted to go to the Ameri-

can Embassy and explain

what she knew of OSWALD's co-

nnections

here with Mexican communists and Cubans,

she was told that the American Embassy was full of

communist spies.

She said CARVILLO

tries to give the

impression that he is an extreme rightist. He now

has a job with Bellas Artes.

Some of the other people who were at the party

with OSWALD were taken to the state of Veracruz,

where they were

'protected' by Governor LOPEZ Arias.

Ruben DURAN is reportedly 'protect' by General Clark

FLORES and is now driving a big car and looking very

prosperous.

Many communists

and philocommunists here believe

Kennedy's assassination was the result of a communist

plot engineered by Fidel CASTRO.

Ruben DURAN has sub-

that he

is not really a communist

and that it had been a great mistake to kill Kennedy."

(Memorandum of Conversation, dated 10 December 1965; Subject:

Lee Harvey OSWALD and Kennedy Assassination.]

16 December 1965

Mexico City Station reports to Headquarters information

provided by Elena Garro de PAZ and reported by Charles W.

THOMAS, Political Officer of the U.S. Embassy, Mexico City.

[See preceding entry.]

[MEXI - 5621 (IN

), 16 December 1965.1

25 December 1965

On 25 December 1965, Elena Garro de PAZ again discussed

at considerable length her alleged encounter with OSWALD. Some

further information on this subject was given subsequently

on 9 January 1966. During this latter conversation, Mrs. de PAZ

admitted that she had gone to the Embassy on an earlier occa-

sion with her daughter and mother-in-law

and had talked with

two Embassy officers (presumably from the Legal Attache's of-

fice) about this matter. She said

since the Embassy officers

did not give much credence to anything they said, they did not

bother to give a very complete story. The following informa-

tion supplements and in some instances corrects that given

in the memorandum of 10 December.

"1. ...

"2. She believes that the date of the party was about

September z or 3,

1963.

It was a few days before the

visit of the Soviet astronaut, GAGARIN. She believes

it Her a Monday or theste beense towes an ote 14nt

to have a partop

(September ant

on Montan the

-Sho

in facto Fa

POBOP

Stet the

18177-9

HH 53320

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it was a Monday or Tuesday because it was an odd night

tp have a party.

(September 2 and 3, in fact, do fall

on Monday

and Tuesday.)

She cannot conviently recon-

struct the date from her calendar because it is in a

desk which is now stored away with a lot of other fur-

niture blocking it.

"3.

...

Although Sra. de PAZ had returned from an extended

stay in Europe only in June or July,

she had already

met Eusebio AZUE

and knows positively that he was at

the Party.

On another occasion

(it was not clear

whether before or

after the party in question),

tended a party where she saw,

among others, Eusebio

AZCUE; Emilio CARBALLIDO, the pro-CASTRO writer; and a

Latin American negro man with red hair.

two were not at the DURAN party as

was mistakenly sta-

ted in the December 10 memorandum.)

after the assassination, Elenita de PAZ encountered

Sra. de AZCUE in Saborns.

On seeing her,

turned and hurried out of the store.

AZCUE was imme-

diately called back to Havana after the assassination, y

and his wife followed him shortly thereafter. (NB:

According to Agency files,

AZCUE left Mexico City on

18 November 1963 - four days before the assassination.)

"5.

"6...

"7. Later that day [23 November 1963], they were visited

a friend, Manuel VALVILLO,

who said

that they were in

serious danger from the communists

and that he would take

a small hotel where

would be

safe for a few

Among other things he said was that Sylvia

DURAN had been arrested.

This was not public informa:

cion at that time.

[According to Elena de PAZ, CALVILLO

was known around town to be an undercover agent for the

Secretariat of Gobernacion and to be a personal friend

of Noe PALOMARES and Gustavo DIAZ Ordaz.]

At about the end of January 1964, Ruben

visited Sra. de PAZ.

He said it was Silvia

DURAN who got him involved with OSWALD.

that he was not really a communist and was against

the assassination.

"14.

...

Sra. de PAZ stated that it was common knowledge that

Silvia DURAN was the mistress

of OSWALD.

The only per-

son she could remember who told her this, however, was

Victor RICO Galan, the pro-CASTRO journalist.

nad come also stored that she cederstood that OSWALD

[Memorandum of Conversation, dated 25 December 1965; Subject:

Lee Harvey OSWALD and Kennedy Assassination.]

27 December 1965

The Legal Attache in Mexico City, Nathan L. FERRIS,

reported to the Ambassador that ". . . Mrs. Elena Garro de

PAZ and her daughter, Elena PAZ Garro, were interviewed by

personnel of this office on 17 and 24 November 1964, at

HH 53320

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which time they furnished information similar to that set forth

in referenced

memorandum.

Inquiries conducted at that time,

however, failed

to

substantiate the allegations made by Mrs.

Garro de PAZ and her

daughter.

"In view

of the fact that Mrs. Garro de PAZ' allegations

have been previously checked out without substantiation, no

further action is being taken concerning her recent repéti-

tion of those

allegations."

[Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 27 December 1965, from

Nathan L. FERRIS, Legal Attache; Subject: Lee Harvey OSWALD.

Copies sent to the DCM C. A. BOONSTRA, Mr. Wallace W. STUART,

Counselor for Political Affairs, and Winston M. SCOTT.]

29 December 1965

The Mexico Station reports

to Headquarters that the

Legal Attache in Mexico interviewed Elena Garro de PAZ and

daughter Elena PAZ Garro in November 1964 and failed to

substantiate allegations reported in referenced cable [MEXI-

5621 (IN

), 16 December 1965].

[MEXI -5741 (IN

), 29 December 1965.]

23 February 1966

In a memorandum to The Ambassador, the Legal Attache

in Mexico City, Nathan L. FERRIS, referencing the Memorandum

of Conversation dated 25 December 1965 (see entry

above),

stated that "Extensive investigation conducted in the United

States and Mexico after the assassination of President Kennedy

failed to disclose that OSWALD traveled to Mexico prior to

September 26, 1963..

OSWALD was residing in New Orleans,

Louisiana, in early September, 1963, and no information has

been obtained to indicate that he was away from that area in

early September 1963.

"In view of the fact that Mrs. Garro de PAZ' allegations

have been previously checked out without substantiation, no

further action is being taken concerning her recent repetition

of those allegations."

[Memorandum to The Ambassador, dated 23 February 1966, from

N. L. FERRIS, Legal Attache.]

HH 53320

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- 40 .-

13 July 1966

Charles W. THOMAS, Political Officer, U. S. Embassy,

Mexico City, reports

further information on Lee Harvey

OSWALD

and the

assassination of Kennedy. "Sra. PAZ des-

cribed some

developments which may have some bearing on

her

claim

that

she saw

Lee Harvey OSWALD at a party at the

home of her cousin Ruben DURAN, when OSWALD was in Mexico

prior to the Kennedy assassination." (NB: This report

has no information on Silvia DURAN.)

[Memorandum of Conversation, dated 13 July 1966; Subject:

Further on OSWALD and Kennedy Assassination.]

26 May 1967

During a meeting with his agent handler, LIRING/3

stated that "he was doing his best to keep active cer-

contacts he had had in the past that were on the periphery

of the official Cuban circle. He mentioned specifically

the case of Silvia and Horacio DURAN . . . He related that

Silvia DURAN worked as a receptionist at the Consulate in

1963-1964 and was on duty when Lee Harvey OSWALD applied

for a visa.

She had been recommended to the Cubans by Teresa

PROENZA, the Press Attache from 1959 until 1962. LIRING/3

described Teresa PROENZA as a Cuban

woman aged about 52, a

Lesbian, and a member of the Communist Party of Cuba, who

was currently in jail in Cuba as the result of a conviction

for espionage on behalf of CIA. LIRING/3 recalled that dur-

ing his last visit to Havana, a friend of his in the Minis-

try of Education, informed him of Teresa PROENZA's present

situation

and

advised LIRING/3, in the event he was asked,

he deny that he had known Teresa PROENZA or had had anything

to do with her. LIRING/3 continued that just the other day

Silvia DURAN had telephoned him to say hello and that he had

visited her at her home to renew his acquaintance.

ILIFEAT. SAN-26 (10.8) reveals that at about 1245

on 22 May 1967, LIRING/3 telephoned 15-78-11 and

asked for Sra.

Silvia.

When (the maid) informed

him she was not in, he asked for Sr. Horacio.

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## Page 43

- 41 ÷

When same negative reply given,

he asked that

they be advised

that LIRING/3 had called to

say hello.

SAN-26 (11.0) reveals an incoming

call from Salvia DURAN in which she asks how

he obtained her number. He replies:

"At the

Cuban Institute".

She states that she is stu-

dying at some school and at the moment is free

to talk to LIRING/3.

The latter replies that

he would go by to visit her (Constituyentes143,

apt. 3) in a few minutes.]

LIRING/3 continued

that

Silvia DURAN informed him that

she had first met OSWALD when he applied for a visa and had

gone out with him several times since she liked him from the

start. She admitted that she had sexual relations with him

but insisted that she had no idea of his plans. When the

news of the assassination broke she stated that she was im-

mediately taken into custody by the Mexican police and in-

terrogated thoroughly and beaten until she admitted that she

had had an affair with OSWALD. She added that ever since

then she has cut off all contact with the Cubans, particu-

larly, since her husband Horacio who was badly shaken by the

whole affair, went into a rage and has forbidden her to see

them. She added that she felt certain that her telephone

was tapped by the Mexican police, or, more probably by CIA,

since tapping was an expensive proposition and the Mexicans

wouldn't be able to afford it for so long a period.

ROWTON (P), LIRING/3's agent handler, counseled LIRING/3

against further contact with the DURAN's on the ground that it

might put him under some sort of suspicion whether in the eges

of the Mexican police or the Cubans. He pointed out that lit-

tle -r

nothing

was to be gained from such a contact."

[HMMA- 32243, 13 June 1967.1

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