Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: SAC, MM
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 09/17/1965
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

4/3/2015

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER :

RECORD SERIES :

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

FBI

124-10226-10276

HQ

2-1499-1ST NR 136

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FROM:

TO :

TITLE:

FBI

SAC, MM

DIRECTOR, FBI

DATE: 09/17/1965

PAGES:

:13

SUBJECTS :

[Restricted]

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION : Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS:

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 05/14/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

INC LHM

v9.1

DocId: 32299996

Page 1

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## Page 2

57195

FBI

Date:

9/17/05

Transmit the following in

Via

AIRTEL

(Type in plain text or code)

REGISTERED MAIL

(Priority or Method of Mailing)

TO:

DIRECTOR, FBI

FROM:

SAC, MIAMI (134-1191) (

IND FITTE

RATSON E

SLIP

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

DA

IS - DR

FIORINI

ATE AGENC

1551

Frank

OBCLASSIFIED BY SPEMAC/E

ON 121:9

ReButels 9/12/65 and 9/13/65 and Miami tel obes

Enclosed herewith for the Bureau are 10 copies of

a letterhead memorandum dated and captioned as above.

extra copy is designated for the Bureau for transmittal to

Legat, Santo Domingo.

A copy of this letterhead memorandum has been

designated locally to INS in view of General WESSIN's alien

status:

Information copies are being sent to San Juan,

New York: and Washington Field Offices in view of their

continuing interest in the Dominican situation.

VW T-1 is Legat, Santo Domingo,

alec To cranilt he doster

i Tas 5 did place e

- Bureau (Enc-10V(RM)

1 - New York (Enc-1) (RM)

1

- San Juan (Enc-1) (RM)

I

Washington Field (Enc-1) (RM)

17

NON

- Miami (1 - 134-1191)

(1 - 105-1962, MARCOS DIAZ LANZ)

-

2-192, FRANK FIORINI)

(1

- 105-1084, DOMSIT)

ELP :511

(10)

CLYSSIFIED AND

EXTENGED BY SP

REASON

FCIM, M

дt3..

DATE

2.20

DEGI

# Approved:

ASSIFICATION

Sent

Copy to: CIA/Stateskedid Agent in Charge

2-1499

FIORINI

7-13-1499-

ADED

4965

176 OCT

NOT PRCORDED

4

1965

TZ SEP 20 1965.

Nim

by"

Date 61-13-65

bywcr/226.

DocId: 32299996

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OFICINAL FILED IN

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## Page 3

MM 134-1191

T-3 is MM 635-S.

This

letterhead memorandum

has been classified

'"CONFIDENTIAL" because it contains information from informante

of continuing value.

Unauthorized disclosure of this infor

mation could result

in compromising these sources and affect

the national defense.

General WESSIN's letter to HECTOR GARCIA GODOY WaS

translated by Miami translator SOPHIE SALIBA.

General WESSIN was interviewed on 9/15/65 and

9/17/65 by SAS EDWARD J. DAHL and EUGENE L. PAYNE in the

Spanish language inasmuch as WESSIN claims to speak no English.

WESSIN expressed admiration for the Bureau as the

only serious agency in Florida.

He stated he would be avail

able for future interviews by Bureau representatives.

WESSIN appears tired and remote.

He is undoubtealy

bitter, as expressed in several press releases, toward U. S.

authorities since he believes the U. S. betrayed his efforts

in the Dominican Republic.

As noted in the enclosed letterhead memorandun,

WESSIN on 9/15/65 was encountered at the residence of ANTONIO

LLANO MONTES, in company with Cuban exile MARCOS DIAZ LANZ,

Bufile 105-80115. On 9/17/65, MARCOS DIAZ LANZ and FRANK

FIORINI, Bufile 2-1499, were observed in contact with General

WESSIN.

On 9/17/65, LIANO MONTES advised that individuals,

mostly Cuban exiles whom he has not been in contact with for

more than three years, 'have continually appeared at his

residence or telephonically contacted him in an effort to

gain access to General WESSIN. WESSIN has been thus occupied

during most of his waking hours with these contacts, as well

as with widespread representatives of local and national

press, radio and television. This situation will more than

likely continue for some time.

Because of the situation

regarding DIAZ LANZ and FRANK FIORINI, as described in the

enclosed letterhead memorandum, it is

possible that WESSIN's

attitudes will undergo a change if and when he perceives

their intention to exploit WESSIN's own anti-communist

ambitions.

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## Page 4

MM 134-1191

As explained in referenced Miami teletype, Miami

will endeavor to cover the activities

of General WESSIN

through contacts with established sources who are among

those Cuban exiles who are in contact with him.

In addition.

WESSIN will be contacted at such times as deemed appropriate

for the purpose of entarging our channel of communication

his admiration and confidence in the Bureau.

DocId: 32299996

Page 4

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## Page 5

UNITE STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

In Reply, Please Refer to

File No.

Miami, Florida

134-1191

September 17,

CLASSIFIED ARD

1965 EXTENDED

REASON

FCIM, II

DATE

DER ASSIFICAT ON

id.

RE:

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

DECLAIRED BY SPB MAC CH

INTERNAL: SECURITY - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

ON 11-1-94

On September 12, 1965, MM T-I, a confidential source

abroad; advised as follows:

General ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN, commanding officer of

the Central de Ensenanzarde las Fuerzas

Armadas (CEFA) (Armed

Forces Training Center); was retired, appointed Dominican

Consul General in Miami, and sent out of the Dominican

Republic (DR) to Panama on the night of September 9, 1965.

Indications were that WESSIN was to travel from Panama to

Miami and it was expected that he would be joined by his

family in Miami by September 12, 1965, According to MY I*

WESSIN has stated that had not United States troops landed

the Dk in April, 1965, the country would have been lost to

communism According to information available to MM T-1 on

September 9, 1965, WESSIN was visited by Brazilian General

HUGO ALVIN, Commanding General of the Inter American Peace

Force, and General BRUCE PALMER, Commanding General of U.S.

Forces, DR. This visit was made at the express instructions

of American Ambassador ELLSWORTH BUNKER, American Representa-

tive to the OAS Committee in the DR. It appears that ALVIN

and PALMER directed an ultimatum to WESSIN to depart the DR.

The September 15, 1965 edition of the "Miami News,."

a local daily newspaper, carried an article entitled, "Bayonet

Forced Me - Wessin:"

This article attributes WESSIN with

alleging that an American lieutenant put a bayonet in his back

and forced him out of his country and carried WESSIN's

rejection of a consulate post in Miami.

The article quoted

WESSIN as saying, "The American official who ordered my

expulsion in such a humiliating way has given the coup de

grace to the fight for democracy in Latin America.".

This

article further contained excerpts

from a letter

written by WESSIN to the Dominican

purportedly

HECTOR GARCIA GODOY.

Provisional President

2-1499-

TE AGENCIES

ENCLOSUES

ANDY

=T.

ICES

AD 1:10

QUET NE

40.

SITE(S) OF

DAIL

Excluded

downgrading

declassifc

qup

rom automatic

and

tion fames

DocId: 32299996 Page 5

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## Page 6

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

On September 15, 1965, General ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

was located at his temporary residence,

the home of ANTONIO

LIANO MONTES, 751 Swan Avenue, Miami Springs, Florida.

On May 19, 1965, MM T-2, a Cuban exile

familiar with activities in the Miami Cuban

colony in Miami, Florida, and acquainted with

certain phases of pro and anti-CASTRO activities

throughout Latin America, advised that ANTONIO

LIANO MONTES was the editor of a monthly magazine

entitled "Carteles," which was then published in

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

MM T-2

described this magazine as anti-CASTRO in tone,

whose director was listed as RAFAEL BONILLA AYBAR.

The Miami editor at that time was listed as

VICENTE S. PUJALS.

On September 15, 1965, General ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

advised Special Agents of the FBI as follows:

He does not intend to accept a consular post in

Miami, Florida, which was assigned to him by Brazilian General

HUGO ALVIN at the time he was deported from the DR. WESSIN

stated that the details of his expulsion from the DR were

essentially correct as reported by the local press, to wit:

He was approached by Generals DEAN and PALMER Of

the U. S. Armed Forces and Brazilian General HUGO ALVIN, the

over-all military commander in the DR.

His offices were

surrounded by armed units of the U. S. Armed Forces and he

was directed by General ALVIN to relinquish his command to

his first subordinate.

Because of the display of armed

force, WESSIN realized that to resist would have meant.

additional bloodshed in the DR and undoubtedly, would

result in the wounding or death of his own troops, who

he believed would have remained loyal to him. Recognizing

the futility of resistance and to save his own troops, he

relinquished his command as ordered.

WESSIN stated that United States Generals DEAN

and PALMER advised him that the "constitutionalist" forces

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## Page 7

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

under

the command of General FRANCISCO CAAMANO had demanded

his departure from the DR as a basis for further negotiations

to settle the Dominican crisis.

WESSIN thus believes that

the United States acceded to these demands by the "communists."

WESSIN pointed out that although he referred to CAAMANO

'as "communist," United States military officials

referred to them as "constitutionalist

forces.

WESSIN fears the rapid expansion of communist

influence in the DR and cited as an example the appointment

on September 16, 1965, of MIGUE SOTO as Secretary of Labor.

This individual is a supporter of JUAN BOSCH and has made

public statements which WESSIN believes reveal his communist

ideals.

WESSIN, however, could not recall the specific text

of these statements and emphasized that while he had no

documented proof of SOTO's communist affiliation, he never-

theless

considered him as at least a communist sympathizer.

Another example of expanding communist influence

in the DR is typified by the present Director of Passports,

name unknown, who is believed by WESSIN to be comnunist

because he instructed the deletion from Dominican passports

of a stamped prohibition of travel to iron curtain countries.

WESSIN pointed out that his immediate future plans

consisted of remaining in Miami, Florida, and awaiting his

family from the DR. He has no intention of accepting the

consular post proffered to him by the Dominican provisional

government.

He intends to live off of a pension awarded to

him as a retired military officer.

It is noted that on September 15, 1965, Special

Agents of the FBI observed that MARCOS DIAZ LANZ waS in

contact with General WESSIN at the residence of ANTONIO

LLANO MONTES. On September 17, 1965, DIAZ LANZ was again

observed in contact with General WESSIN, along with FRANK

FIORINI.

On September 17, 1965, MM T-3, a Cuban

exile who is personally acquainted with MARCOS

DIAZ LANZ and FRANK FIORINI, advised as follows:

н(U)

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## Page 8

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

MARCOS DIAZ is the brother of PEDRO

LUIS DIAZ LANZ, former chief of the Cuban

•Air Force under FIDEL CASTRO.

MARCOS DIAZ

LANZ defected from Cuba at the same time as

his brother PEDRO, when PEDRO

anounced

CASTRO

as a Communist in about 1960.

MM T-3 has known FRANK FIORINI for

approximately six or seven years and described

FIORINI as a U. S. citizen closely associated

with the DIAZ brothers in anti-CASTRO activities

since 1959.

Previous to 1959, FIORINI associated

with the DIAZ brothers in smuggling weapons into

Cuba

on

regime.

behalf of

FIDEL CASTRO during the BATISTA

MM T-3 described both MARCOS DIAZ LANZ and

FRANK FIORINI as individuals who have become pro-

fessional opportunists and who have attempted to

enrich themselves by associating with anti-CASTRO

and anti-communist elements.

At the present time,

MARCOS DIAZ LANZ is in desperate financial straits.

It is the opinion of MM T-3 that the significance

Of MARCOS DIAZ LANZ' and FRANK FIORINI'S contacts

with General ELIAS WESSIN relates to their intention

of exploiting the resources and facilities of

General WESSIN for their own personal gain.

du)

On September 17, 1965, General ELIAS WESSIN advised

Special Agents of the FBI

as follows:

The newspaper article stating that he was deported

from the DR at

bayonet point is a figure of speech but WESSIN

reiterated that he was forcibly retired and deported.

WESSIN

indicated that a newspaper article indicating that he

intended to move to Puerto Rico and organize Dominicans

against the provisional Dominican government is without

fact since he did not release this information to the press

and has no plans at the present time other than to await

the arrival of his family in Miami, Florida.

WESSIN made

available a letter that he directed to the provisional

leader of the Dominican government, HECTOR GARCIA GODOY.

A translation of this letter is as follows:

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## Page 9

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSEN

"ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN-

Brigadier General

"Miami Springs,

Florida

September 10g 1965

"Dr. HECTOR GARCIA GODOY

Provisional President of the Dominican Republic

National Palace

Santo Domingo

"Mr. President:

am writing this letter a few hours after my

arrival in Miami in order to explain clearly and

definitely ny position in regard to the recent events

in which I found myself involved.

"The Dominican people are aware that, thanks to

my lovalty during the grave events which began on

April 24, our country is not completely dominated by

Communism at this time.

"An elementary sense of honor as a military man

prevents me from accepting the position of Consul

General in Miami for a Government which has availed

itself of foreign troops to send me into exile by

force.

I told this to Generals ALVIN and PALMER

when they notified me that I was Consul in Miami.

"The afternoon that Generals ALVIN and PALMER

informed me that I was to leave and a Lieutenant

in the United States Army prevented me fron going

to my house to pick up my clothes and my passport,

I firmly decided that I would not serve your

Government, either in the Consulate of Miami or

in any other

position.

"Never did I imagine that a military man of

my rank would be taken to the airport dressed in

full uniform and taken out of the country with a

bayonet at his back.

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## Page 10

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

"The United States officials who ordered my

departure from Dominican territory in such a

humiliating manner have dealt the death blow to

the fight for Democracy in America. Can you

imagine the effect that this action against my

person by the O.A.S. and the United States

Government will have on the military men of Latin

America?

"Do you believe that the military men of

Latin America will be disposed to fight against

Communism when they know that they will be paid

for doing their duty by being expelled from their

country and ousted from their military career?

"When the United States troops arrived in the

Dominican Republic, after the men under my command

had been violently attacked by a Communist crowd,

seeking vengeance

and death, I never imagined that

those same troops, making common cause with the

enemies of Democracy would remove me from my country

in a way which does little credit to those who cald.

themselves the leaders in the fight for the survival

of the Western World.

"I arrived in Miami without a passport, without

money and with a suit given to me by the soldiers

at Fort Amador in Panama, but I still have my dignity

and my name. Men who are fighting for an ideal can-

not be destroyed; and

even though they may be

physically eliminated that ideal will reamin

inalterable.

"I have always been an honest soldier and the

U.S. Intelligence services know that for they have

searched all the banks in the world for evidence to.

besmirch my reputation.

"At this moment, I find myself obliged to break

up my home, to sell my furniture and my house arid

to

leave my family.

In order to maintain that home

which I

will have to start up again in exile, I have

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GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

"only the pension to which

am entitled after

21 years of service in the

Armed Forces of my

country.

"My departure from my country presages grave

events for the cause of Democracy.

What self

respecting Dominican will be disposed to assume

responsibilities when Communism launches its final

attack against our country?

"At the present time, the world is fighting

for survival in the face of the Communist threat,

and it is necessary for men with deep convictions

to assume the defense of Democracy.

Those men can-

not be destroyed in order to satisfy political

ambitions, nor in order to appease Communism,

without leading us to total destruction.

"My departure from my country will be a

disgraceful page in the political history of the

Dominican Republic and for its governing officials,

who, like yoursell, are responsible for it. No

Dominican can remain unmoved by such

a monstrous

deed, and the day will come when the truth will

win

out against treachery and deceit.

"I repeat to you that.

I cannot accept the

appointment as Consul General in Miami, because

it would mean serving a Government which has

betrayed Dominican Democracy, and it would mean

being disloyal to the brave soldiers and officers

who accompanied me during those tragic days when

blood flowed over the soil of our country.

"I cannot betray those soldiers and officers

of the Armed Forces

becagse that would be an act of

cowardice.

I cannot abandon the Dominican people

because that would be a denial of the ideals of

DUARTE, SANCHEZ and MELLA.

I cannot turn my back

to American Democracy, because

opening the doors to Communism in order to deal

one try because to.

that would mean

the death blow to our way of life.

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## Page 12

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

"As General JUAN SANCHEZ RAMIREZ Said in

the battle of Palo Hincado, when he defeated the

troops of Emperor Napolen:

"'The death penalty to the soldier who turns

back; the death penalty to the drummer who sounds

retreat; and the death penalty to the officer who

"I, Mr. President, will never order retreat.

My brave soldiers and officers, my beloved Dominican

people, my sacred fatherland, will always find me

honorably fighting in the front lines against the

traitors who try to deliver us to an ideology which.

represents a system of slavery and brutality.

"I hope that the United States Government will

make no further mistakes and that it will understand

that sacrificing democratic military men is not the

best way to hold back the advance of Communism. I

trust that the United States is able to break up that

network of infiltrators who are conspiring against

Liberty in their own land and in the very offices

which handle their international affairs.

"As I publicly criticize the action against

my person, it is not my intention to furnish weapons

for Communism to attack the United States.

I wish

to state that I repudiate the action of these evil

North Americans who

are causing a loss of prestige

to that great nation,

and I trust that there will

soon be a proper rectification of the mistaken

policy which has been followed in my country.

"Remember, Mr. President,

that it will be

difficult for you

to oppose the Communist con-

spiracy by committing injustices against the

military men and the democratic people of our

country.

"If you were going to act that way, it would

be necessary to maintain permanently the presence

8

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GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

"of foreign troops in our country, and that would

be equivalent to a definite surrender of our

sovereignty.

"Very truly yours,

(Signature illegible)

"Copies to:

General HUGO PANASCO ALVIN

General BRUCE PALMER

Mr. ELSWORTH BUNKER

General DEAN"

This document contains neither recommendations nor

conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and

de doc wrent contains

is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to

be distributed outside your agency.

098--

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## Page 14

FD-329 (Res. 11-29-61)

In Reply, Please Refer to

File No.

134-1191

UNITED

STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Miami, Florida

September

17,

1965

Title

GENERAL ELIAS WESSIN Y WESSIN

Character

Reference

INTERNAL SECURITY -

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Memorandum dated and captioned

as above at Miami, Florida

All sources (except any listed below) whose identities

are concealed in referenced communication have furnished reliable

information in the past.

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property

of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside

your agency.

DocId: 32299996

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