MEMO: INTERROGATION OF ELOY GUTTIEREZ MENOYO, CHIEF OF SEGUNDO FRENTE DEL ESCAMBRAY
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF, MIAMI OFFICE
To: CHIEF, CONTACT DIVISION
Document date: 01/30/1961
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10264-10117

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DiE

.25:5

Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNWENT

D.1:E: J0 January

1961

TO

ATTN

Suppurt (crowley)

L/A Branch (McCred)

FROM : Chief, Miail Office

SUBJECT: Incerrogation of Eloy

Gutierrez Menoyo, Chie:

of segundo Frente

del Escambray

1. On 27 January 1961, Eloy Gutierrez Menoro, Uncandante, Segundo Frente

del Escanaray, was interrogated at the Miant offises of the Imigration and

Naturalization Service.

The purpose of this incerngation was to establish

a basis upon which Gutierrez Menoyo could be excluded from the US.

2. During this interrogation, Gutierrez Mento stated that he was born

in Madrid, Spala, 8 December 1934..

That he was caden to Cuba when he sas ll

years old by his parents, who still reside in cuse.

Re never fornally secured

Cuban citizenship, although he felt that under be ceras of an oral decree by

Fidel Castro he was catitled to Cuban citizenship a the sane terms as Ernesto

"Che" Guevara.

3.

Subject further stated that he had first decre a revolutionary

against the

Batista Government of Cuba in 1952.

Is 1957 he nade his first

trip to che US, to Tampa, Florida, under an assumell pade in order to secure

arms for his revolutionary companions.

When this sission was successful he

returned to Cuba and was named Comandante of his group, biich became known

as the Segundo Frente del Escambray.

He made sperial nestiou of the fact that

he had never received an official designation as a nilitary officer by Fidel

Castro, but that his allitary rank had been conferred upa his by the officers

and men of the Seguado Frente.

4. In 1959 subject vistted the US with a group of Cuban Revolutionarles,

and said he was "presented with the keys to the cisy of Miani".

This travel

was performed under a special passport issued by the Government of Cuba.

5. Subject claims a brother was killed during the Spanish Civil ar

fighting against Franco, and another brother was silled in the attack on the

Cuban Presidential Palace, 13 May 1957. His faber is an M.D. who is to

charge of the Hot Springs

Sanitarium on the Isla de PÍnus.

from Cuba as he had become distllusioned with Castry.

Subject further stated that in 1960 he Jegan lajing plans to escape

said Castro no longer

represented che ideals and principles for which de bad fought in the revolution.

However, it was noteworthy that subject at no time said be had a hatred for

Castro,

and on one occasion specifically said that be still nalatained a

personal liking for Castro.

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7. As a macans of facilitating his escape frau cuba, sutject,sald he

began a campaign to sell bonds in luba for the purpose of raising an army

to liberase Spain from the despotic rule of Francisco Franco.

The name of

chis liberating aruy bas to be "Ejereilo de la Liberacion de Espana" and

the novenent becade known as the "ELE". Subject stated chat lo the fall

of iSod he was called in by President Dorticos of Cuba and told chat because

the Cuban population was making a joke abouc the initials of this organization

by sajing It stood for "Ejercito de Liberacion del Escambray" (Escambray

Liberation Aray) he would have to stop the campaign to sellubonds.

S. Subject said he made a trip in 1960 to Spain to visit his birthplace

and to meet relatives of his country.

He stated that he made this trip at

his own expense and that he travelled alone. Immigration officials had

positive information that he made this trip in the company of Armando Pleitas

y Disz, another member of the Segundo Frente Group, but when he was challenged

on this point, subject flatly denied that Fleitas

accompanted him to Spath.

9: Subject said that he stayed in Spain only three days because the

"pressure" iron Franco security agents was so great that he feared for his

life and his relatives were fearful to have any dealings with him.

travelled to France and Belgium.

with a gicup of Spanlards who were plotting against Franco.

Spaniards had entered Belgium Illegally and was also carrying a firearm.

Subject said that he did not know of these facts or he would not have associated

with the group.

He stated that he was released after five days and was told

that he would henceforth be ineligible to return to Belglum.

He protested this

action as he was travelling on a Special Passport issued by the Government of

Cuba.

that after 1 January 1959, when Fidel Castro assumed

power in Cuba, he has exercised no official funcrion.

He received salary

checks, as a Revolutionary Army Officer, for the nonths of January and

February 1959 but he did not cash then.

He was requested to pick up his pay

at military headquarters

after this, but stated he had never done so. le

stated that he had maintained hinself in Cuba from the proceeds of a small

bar he owns in Havana.

11. Subject stated that he, and other Segundo Frente officers,

trusted by Fidel Castro.

he has never beer given any official

position in Cuba. On several occasions Castro has offered him a position as

Military Attache In a Cuban Embassy in a foreign country, but on each such

occagion he has refused the offer.

12. Subject stated that

for him to te to Co det outta Be at he Be her Seal east e

for passage to the US.

officers with whom he had had previous discussions regarding escape from Cuba.

The group departed from a beach

area just east of the main harbor of Havana

at eight pa of the night of the 25th of January 1961..

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13. Alchough cheir departure was noticed by gunrds airas the coast, by

milltle members, and by patroi souls,

subject stated that chiy bere not

impeded because they were hearily armed

with eschine guns, fistols, and

rifles, and, apparently, because some were in uniforns wiis insignia of

The 19 members of the group (list attached) made thetr way in

three fishing boats to key less, Florida, where they arrined during the

night of 25-26 January.

14. This Interrogation lasted from ten am to one pu at shich time

Cutlerrer Menoyo vas returned co a detention cell in the Innigration head-

quarters. Q. Maurice Hunsaker was present during this latersiew. During

a break for lunch, Mr. Edward Ahrens, District Director, IalS, stated that

the members of the Menoyo group would have to be removed from the IdNs

building In Miami because he feared an attempt to remove Queierrez Menoyo

from the building might be made. Arrangements were made with the Commanding

Officer, Homestead Airforce Base, to place the Cuban group under custody at

the Base until arrangements could be made for them to be fion co the IGNS

Detention Camp at McAllen, Texas.

15.

Therefore, It was agreed between varlous CIA representatives in the

area that Hunsaker aided by Luis Rodriguez, ACSI representative, would

continue interrogating Gutlerrez Menoyo during the afternoes.

The group would

then be taken to Homestead AFB after dark.

It was agreed chat lunsaker and

Rodriguez would question subject in a friendly and pleasant tanner in order

to acquire as much information as possible from him so that discrepancies

In his story could be ascertained.

the consensus of all concerned

chat subject was telling complete untruchs, but that he was extrencly skilled

in doing so.

16.

Consequently, Hunsaker and Rodriguez continued questioning subject

from two pm until five pm.

During this cim, subject maintaited the general

continuity of the story he had expressed during the morning bours. Many

attempts were made to secure Order of Battle information, napes of military

officials, sympathies of naved officials, plans of the Segundo Frente or of

the Government of Cuba.

Subject pretended ignorance of all chese subjects.

Ke maintained that because he was not trusted by Castro be bad not been

allowed access to any military bases for the last two years.

Because of

the numerous personnel changes he did not know the names of cificials in

important posts, etc. By this time it became evident that firmer measures

of interrogation would be required,

and it was planned that coatinuous

Interrogacion and a polygraph would be employed on subject after arrival at

Homestead Airforce Base.

17. However, a sudden change of plans occurred and shorely after five pe

the entire group of Cubans was whisked to the airport and put aboard a chartered

plane for New Orleans.

At New Orleans they were to be transferred to another

plane for passage to McAllen Detention Camp. No furcher lacerrogation of

subjece was possible.

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18.

Eloy Gutierrer Menoyo is an Intelligent and capable man. He did not

give up a shred of useful Information in alx hours of interrogation.

lle never

once gave any indication of nervousness and was cool, calm, and collected at

every soment. He pursued his story carefully and correctly, never gọt mixed

In his details, and alchough his explanations of many things, in particular

his lack of occupacion the last tuo years, were completely unbellevable, he

did such an excellent lob of discussing the situation chat he sounded plausible. .

19. It 1s the opinion of lunsaker that this man will not divulge information

under normal interrogating techniques.

It appears evident that he hes a great

admiration for himself, ho feels he la a great man doing a great Job--regardless

of. what he considers that job to be at the moment--and could not be shaken by

ordinary means of persuasion. Subject is an extremely handsome young man, and

1c ta obvious that he is proud of his good looka.. It is the opinion of some

of the nen who have interrogated him that the weakest spot in his armor would

be a threat to mar his good looks:

The threat of a good solid poke in the nose

mighe have considerable ellect upon subject's willingness to calk.

QHunsaker/ amb

Attachment: LI8t

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Attashment

List of Eloy Gutierrea Melijo Group:

• Name

Alien Nuaber

Date & Place of Blach

Rank

¡ CUTIERREZ-Menoyo, Bloy

AlO 190 153

12-8-34, Madrid, Spoia

Comandante, Segundo Frente del Escambray

LASENCIO-Suarez, Lasaro

A12 542 409

10-4-25, Santa Clara, Las Villas, Cuba

Comandante, Seguado Frente del Escambray

• FLEITES y Dias, Arando

All 240 493

4-4-30, Santa Clara, Las Villas, Cuba

Comandante, Segundo Frente del Escambray

CONZALEZ-Granche, Augusto

A12 542 413

11-2-37, Bacurando, Bavana, Cuba

Comandante, Segundo Frente del Escambray

/ LA ROSA-Sabina, Jesus

A12 542 415

9-3-34, Camansyagua, Las Villas, Cuba

Captaín, Segundo Freute del Escambray

1 OJEDA-Diaz, Buseblo

A12 542 420

10-29-30, San Juan de Los Lleras, Las Villas, Cuba

Captain, Segundo Frente del Escambray

Interventor of Omnibus Line•

/ORTEGA-Acosta, Doningo

A12 542 421

•- - ; Cencral de Anezonas, Las Villas, Cuba

Captain, Segundo Freate del Escambray

1 PERNAS-Lorenzo, Florescio

A8 557 929

10-17-27, Ravana, Caba

Conmercial Emplogee

Captalo, Segundo Frerte del Escambray

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Attachnent

Page 2

P -= REDONDO-Gonzalez, Roger

A1Z 542 423

2=3-35, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba

Captaln, Segundo Frente del Escambray

/RUIZ de ZARATE-Castello, Angel Ramon

A12 542 424

10-2-23, Clenfuegoa

CPA

National Treasurer, Segundo Frente del Escambray, Feb 58-Jan 59.

J- LESNIX-MENENDEZ, Max

A--

9-8-30, Vueltas, Las Villas, Cuba

Newsman

DIAZ-Morales, Pedro Manuel

A12 542 411

529-19, Guanabacoa, Havana, Cuba

Bus Conductor

LICO-Diaz, Paulino

A12 542 417

6-22-11, Cuanabacoa, Cuba

Cook

/- PORTA-Bolanos, Cuscavo

A12 542 422

10-10-32, Havana, Cuba

Laborer Contractor

/ NAZARIO SARGEN, Andres

3-11-16, Laza de Medlo, Las VLIla8, Cuba

/BANOS, Angel Cllberto

A--

8-12-34, Miami, Florida

CONZALEZ-Fraga, Jesua

A12-542 414

8-28-28, Jerez, Havana, Cuba

Fisheruen

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detachnent

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LOPEZ-Condo, Enrique

A12 542 418

:-15-38, Guanabacoa, Cuba

Fisherman

SUAREZ-Paciron, Mario

A12 542 425

3-5-30, Cojimar, Cuba

Fisherman

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