FBI FILES REVIEW-MANUEL A. RAY RIVERO SECTION 1 SERIALS X-24 97 4546.
Agency: HSCA
Originator: HSCA
From: PALMER, BETSY
To: THE DIRECTOR
Document date: 02/17/1978
Document type: MEMORANDUM.

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JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

9/30/201

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER:

RECORD SERIES :

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

HSCA

180-10082-10194

NUMBERED FILES.

005990

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FROM:

TO :

TITLE :

HSCA

PALMER, BETSY

THE DIRECTOR

FBI FILES REVIEW-MANUEL A. RAY RIVERO SECTION 1 SERIALS X-24 97 4546.

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

02/17/1978

7

DOCUMENT TYPE:

CLASSIFICATION:

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS:

ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES.

RIVERO, MANUEL A. RAY.

FBI.

CIA.

MEMORANDUM.

Unclassified

3

Redact

06/08/1993

118-4. Box 118.

v9.1

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JEK

Routing Slip

005990

NO.

DATE

MARZ

1978

Document I.D. Memo

INDEX

COPY TO

Robert Blake

Tereerd, Masuul-Gary Cornwel.

7B, File Beriee

Kenneth Klein

Charlie Mathews

Jim Wolf

CA

Tiny Hutton

Jackie Hess

Cliff Fenton

Team #1

Special Instructions:

Team #3

Team #4

Team#5

Form #2

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005990

MEMORANDUM TO THE DIRECTOR

FROM: BETSY PALMER

DATE: FEBRUARY 17, 1978

SUBJECT: FBI File Review - MANUEL A. RAY RIVERO

Section 1 - Serials X-24 97 4546

On February 17, 1978, I reviewed the file material available

at the FBI on MANUEL

I completed review of

only the biographical main file.

L maRA tRIVER additional tiles were

reviewed by Patricia Orr. Information gathered is outlined

below.

1.

2.

Report from SAC Los Angeles, dated March 31, 1964.

Subject:

MANUEL RAY.

Report is confidential because

of "Source A" information and possible operational

interest in RAY by CIA.

"In that L.A. office is

unaware

of CIA interest and direction of JURE and

its activities, as well as its leaders, no further

inquiry is being made concerning JURE, JOSE ESTERVEZ

or MANUEL RAY unless advised to the contrary by the

Bureau."

Memo re: request from MANUEL GONZALES that invitation

by Marymount College in L.S. be extended MANUEL RAY

to speak.

On November 11, 1963, PEDRO DUELO, Spanish

instructor at Marymount, received a letter written in

Spanish, which claimed

RAY was a communist. Letter

signed

"AsIrIOs" and underneat appeared TEGLALPILESES,

SARGON and SENAQERIH. On March 19, 1964, GONZALES

again contacts DUELO stating that RAY has other com-

mittments and could not speak at Marymount. DUELO

hear RAY speak and could not identify any of his

remarks as pro-Communist.

Correlation Summary. March 27, 1964.

12/1/58 -- CIA advised courier from FIDEL CASTRO RUZ

arrived in Santiago de Cuba with message for MRC to

join the 26th of July Movement or fold up.

12/7/58 - MRC delegates go to CASTRO to request that

group be allowed to exist separately. CASTRO agreed

but kept strong liaison.

CIA - no date -- referenced previous communication re:

MANUEL RAY RIVERO, Chief of the MRC, conferred with

CASTRO about CASTRO's desire to dissolve MRC.

Early 1959 - PEDRO DIAZ LANZ and brother MARCOS confer

with

following re: communist infiltration of Air Force:

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FBI File Review - Manuel

Ray

Page

2

ALFREDO GUERRA

ARMAND FLEITES

ELOY GUTIERREZ MENOYO

MANOLO REY

RUFO LOPEZ FRESQUET

5/26/59 - Source information - RAY requests approval

of loan from Export-Import Bank in Washington, D. C.

for loan of several million dollars for Cuba.

November 1959 -- RAY was arrested and relieved

of his position in Public Works

Department in Cuba.

11/2/59 -- Source information that RAY and FAUSTINE PEREZ

were two leading influences against communism. Both

were nationalistic and anti-American however.

10/6/60 -- RAY hiding in Cuba and coordinating counter-

communist movement there.

9/20/60 -- New York World Telegram lists RAY as one

who has defected from CASTRO.

9/21/60 - Washington Star says REY in Escambray

mountains with army of defectors who deserted CASTRO

because of his communist connections.

9/22/60 - Report to American Embassy in Mexico City

from JOSE BOSCH to the effect that MANUEL REY was head

of ERD in Cuba.

October 1960 - report to INS in McAllen, Texas by

MAX EDGARDO LESNICK MENENDEZ SayS RAY head of MRP and

had re-entered Cuba clandestinely.

February 1961 -- REY in Miami heading MRP. Still had

underground in Cuba -- per report by Department of the

Army.

2/23/61 - Report by CIRITA LOPEZ CEJAS stated that regular

rebel

army of CASTRO was completely undermined and in-

filtrated with supporters of RAY who would not support

CASTRO when a serious counterrevolt started

in Cuba.

3/15/61 -- SURELIAN SANCHEZ ARANGO said REY visited him

in February 1961 requesting ARANGO presence at a meeting

in New York between MRP and ERD.

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FBI File Review - Manuel Rey

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3/16/61 - Letter from HOWARD DAVIS to President

Kennedy stated that RAY was an avowed enemy of the

United States and stated, in the New York meeting

that the confiscated properties in Cuba should not

be returned to U. S. owners and Cuba should honor

treaties with Russia and Red China.

2/7/62 - ANGEL ORLANDO BERISIARTU Y PALOP advised that

he had made anti-CASTRO propaganda braodcasts from a

boat at sea

near Miami while associated with RAY

and JOSE EMANUEL ESTERVEZ of the MRP in March/April

1961.

Done in cooperation with CIA.

On 3/6/62,

BERISIARTU claimed CAMILO CIENFUEGOS was alive and

he could prove it.

WILLIAM WAYNE DALZELL, New Orleans, advised that

while in telphonce contact with CHARLES WATERS, Dallas,

Texas on 6/7/61, he learned that WATERS was a Lt. Col.

in the LIBERATION FORCES OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.

DALZELL stated that when WATERS was in Miami the

previous weekend, he allegedly spoke to MIRO CARDONA

of the FRD and to MANUAL RAY of the MRP. According

to DALZELL, it was WATER's aim to merge the two groups

and have them work with the Liberation forces.

7/5/61 - FERRY PATRICK HEMMING advised that he had been

in contact with MANUEL RAY of the MRP. (no date or

details given).

Report from Newark, New Jersey FBI office, dated 8/22/67.

george r. damon claimed friendship with RAY -- wanted

to purchase boats at $400 and sell to RAY for $750 plus

$150 transportation charges. Said he (DAMON) made frequent

trips to Cuba and smuggled people out.

said he could get

any type weapon in Miami area, presumably from arms cache

belonging to REY.

Report of MRS. ANN BARRETT LYNN DEMPSEY ALBERTSON in Miami

he was with an agency that worked through CIA.

Said agency

was RAY's Cuban undergound organization. ALBERTSON reported

this to Miami CIA and was told to forget entire incident.

8/20/61 - Miami Herald article on Bombings in Cuba

noted IGNACIO MENDOZA came to Miami several months ago

as new Miami coordinator of MRP, allegedly demoted RAY.

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FBI File Review - Manuel Ray

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2.

5/8/62 - ANGEL ROLAND LOPEZ in Puerto Rico trying to

establish a subsidiary of Precision Machine Company,

Lake Park, Florida.

Claimed RAY an official of Puerto

Rican Economic Development Administration and had

refused LOPEZ's appeal. Believes RAY sympathetic to

communist movement.

6/18/62 - JOAQUIN GODOY, 133 San Sebastian, Coral

Gables -- denies report of JAMES BUCHANAN in Miami

Herald on 5/27/62 that RAY took over MRP as replacement

to CARDONA's CRC with the blessing of LUIS MENOZ MARIN,

Governor of Puerto Rico, JOSE FIGURES, former President

of Costa Rica and RAMULO BETANCOURT, Presdient of

Venezuela. GODOY says he talked to FIGURES in

Washington, D. C. on 6/1/62 and FIGURES said he only

met RAY once, did not like him and did not sponsor him.

10/10/62 - Report that JURE organized recently in

Puerto Rico by RAY and included five different anti-

CASTRO groups.

6/14/63 - ELOY GUTIERREZ MENOYO (Military Chief of

SNFE) tells "source" that RAY wanted only to get all

anti-CASTRO organiztions under the control of JuRE.

5/8/62 (possibly) - RAY employed by U. S. government

in Alliance for Progress program.

March 1963 - CARDONA complains that U. S. State Dept.

instructed him to try to cooperate with RAY and even

attempt to support him. MIRO disgusted by this

suggestion.

5/30/63 - EDWIN MARTIN, Assistant Secretary of State

for Latin Affairs, mentions JURE in speech -- said it

was one of five with clandestine

assets.

Exiles believe

JURE most favored by U. S. because RAY being pushed by

MARIN and BETANCOURT.

Memo to MR. D. J. BRENNAN, JR. from S. J. PAPICH, dated

12/10/63.

On 12/6/63, SEYMOUR BOLTEN, CIA,

volunteered infornation that CIA giving some financial,

assistance to JURE.

CIA maintains limited liaison with

MANOLO RAY. CIA interested because of JURE's potential

for infiltration of Cuba but CIA not happy with

arrangement because they can't determine how their money

is being spent.

File contains third agency deletions.

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FBI File Review - Manuel Ray

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3. Airtel, dated 7/22/63 to Director from SAC, San Juan.

Informant reported that RAY travelled to Europe via

Washington, D. C. and New York City where he conferred

with exile leaders. Accompanied by EMILIO GUEDES, JURE

leader in San Juan.

Travelled to France and Belgium --

solicited support of exiled journalists.

In regard to

Belgium trip, he neither confirmed or denied he was

inquiring concerning purchase of arms.

4. On 1/2/63, CIA informs Director, FBI, it has not control

over JURE but had occassion to contact some of its

officials, particularly MANOLO RAY. CIA has no control

over RAY but realizes he is still an influential force

in exile affairs and therefore finds it necessary to

periodically confer with him concerning developments in

5.

Report of 12/10/62 to Director from SAC New York, re:

DR. ERNESTO ARAGON Y GODOY's statement that RAY con-

ferring with officials of Kennedy Administration in

State Department and Pentagon.

ARAGON considers RAY

as bad for Cuba as CASTRO. Said he felt that HUBERT

MATOS was imprisioned not because he was anti-communist

but because he protested that he was not included in

CASTRO's inner circle.

6.

Memo dated May 25, 1962 to Office of Security, Department

of State from Hoover.

Said ROBERTO ROCA ROSILLO,

Puerto Rico, supplied information that WILLIAM BURN,

a British citizen, was an

arms dealer in Puerto Rico --

sold 100 guns to

DRE in Miami - weapons allegedly

delivered in Mexico.

BURNS reportedly represents

Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, a company which

deals in Belgian rifles.

(Note: Army representative in San Juan advised BURN

working under U. S. Army guidance on Cuban penetration).

7.

Memo dated 9/22/61 to Director, FBI from Legal Attache,

Mes talled to establish that Ray has come to Sain

says contact with Cuban sources of Madrid office

indications that he may have been offered

an engineering

job in Spain.

Cuban who arrived in Spain after un-

successful invasion attempt in Cuba, 4/17/61, stated

there was some feeling that RAY may have tipped CASTRO

government to the fact that there was to be an invasion.

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FBI File Review - Manuel Ray

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8.

9.

10.

Memo to Director from WFO, dated 8/30/61, "It is

noted that CIA advised the Bureau on 6/21/61, all

dealings with Cuban exile organizations

were to be

handled not by CIA but through office of ARTURO MORALES-

CARRION, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-

American Affairs.

File contains CIA and Department

of Army deletions.

Memo to Director from SAC, Newark, New Jersey. Re:

GEORGE R. DAMON -- DAMON was subject of an FAG case in

1958 (Bufile 46-32613). Became involved in Cuban

activities in 1958 when he was approached by pro-CASTRO

forces to smuggle arms and men into Cuba. DAMON told

the BATISTA gover

the BATISTA governement of this approach and demanded

money for exposing the plot.

BATISTA forces wanted

DAMON to actually run men and guns into Cuba where

they could be arrested, but DAMON refused to do so,

saying he would be killed.

Since DAMON may be working for CIA, offices receiving

copies of enclosed letterhead are only requested to

check their indices on DAMON and conduct no active

investigation.

Newark office will open a 105 Case File on DAMON and

report any additional information received from NKT-1

or other sources on Long

Beach Island, New Jersey.

Report from Newark, dated July 12, 1961, NKT-1 advised

GEORGE R. DAMON, a native of Long Beach Island area of

New Jersey, came to Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Island

in May 1961. Had exceptionally large amount of money --

purchased two Lincoln Continentals, two trucks and a

jeep (all new).

Had $1,000 cash in

refrigerator compartment.

Eighteen months ago, he didn't have a dime.

DAMON said he was a close

friend of RAY -- was smuggling

people out of Cuba -- buying boats for RAY, etc.

Had

an appointment in Washington, D. C. on July 12 or 13,

1961 with

MR. PURCELL -- allegedly CIA.

Stated GERRY PATRICK now in Cuba for demolition of

generator stations.

Says GERRY PATRICK will receive

$10,000 when his mission completed.

DAMON says arms ship will be blown up in Cuban waters

on July 22 or 23, 1961.

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FBI File Review - Manuel Ray

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11.

12.

Memo to Director from SAC, New Orleans, dated June 22,

1961.

EDUARDO A. J. GUEVARA in contact with WARREN

de BRUEYS on June 16, 1961. Will supply him with

information on

MRP which GUEVARA heads in New Orleans.

Informant of RAY's activities in June 1961 lived in

Washington, D. C.

Had been

former Cuban Air Force

pilot with approximately 20 years experience. Did

not with to help RAY, he said, because he is married

to an American

and has three children. RAY wished

him to remain with him as an advisor.

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