ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
Originator: CIA
From: CI/SUPPORT DESK
To: MFR
Document date: 1960-07-08 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32362744

## Page 1

Date: 11/07/99

Page: 1

JEK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION

FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY :

CIA

RECORD NUMBER

: 104-10121-10400

RECORD SERIES

JFK

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

80T01357A

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR

CIA

FROM

TO :

TITLE

: ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

DATE

: 07/08/60

PAGES

: 17

SUBJECTS

ANTI-CASTRO ACT

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION

: SECRET

RESTRICTIONS

: 1A, 1B

CURRENT STATUS: RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

:11/02/97

OPENING CRITERIA

COMMENTS

: JFK44:F6 1997.11.02.11:34:47:280107:

Heleased under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection Act ol

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note]. Case#:NW

65924 Date: 10.26-2021

CLASSIFIED

ATTACHMENT

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 1

---

## Page 2

(..:

SSSRET

8 July 1960

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT:

JMARC

#219000

1:

Attached 1s & study prepared by Wy regarding ant1-CASTRO

activities In the United States:

The date of the report 1s

15 January 1960.

тита

CI/Support Desk

ÄIDSI8S

'a trie!

jasl

Dad's 13-1

15s 53-

Intel D3st

47-1

-=)

NW 65924 Docid:32362744 Page 2

28 JULE 1560-

tile

STORET

---

## Page 3

-

TRANSMITTAL SLIP DATE

TO:

ROOM NO.

REMARKS:

BUILDING

The attached is a retype of

thermofax copy of a report

entitled Anti-Castro Activities

In the U.s. (dated 1/15/60).

=

FROM:

ROOM NO.

•ORM NO •24

FEB 55

BUILDING

WICHES FOR E

EXTENSION

(57)

APPROVED FOE BELFASE 1933

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRARE

/ NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 3

---

## Page 4

ANTI- CASTRO

ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES

-

(Summary)

15 January 1960

=

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 4

---

## Page 5

I. ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES

Efforts of Cuban exiles based in the United States since

the fall of Batista and the assumption of power by the Castro

regime on 1 January 1959 have been characterized by continu-

ally shifting alliances aimed at securing for their leaders

a paramount position in any successor government in their

Programs have been enunciated by individual leaders,

organization lists drawn up, and funds solicited.

Consider-

able propaganda has been published, and leaflets attacking

Castro have been dropped over Cuba periodically. Some mili-

tary

and paramilitary training has been undertaken, particularly

in the Dominican

Republic where a force ranging fron a claimed

80 men to several thousand has been training

for the past

nine months.

Some exiles claim to have armed followers in

Cuba as well as a

larger number of sympathizers. There has

been one abortive invasion attempt.

These efforts have been weakened, however, by rivalries

between the more prominent exiles for

leadership of any for-

nal anti-Castro movement established, and their failure to

agree on any program.

Their activities also have been affected

by the fact that most of the exiles were connected either

actively or passively with the Batista regime.

They recognize,

although they do not always admit this, that Batista's rule

is still too unpopular with the mass of Cubans for them to

engage in a successful effort to overthrow Castro unless they

are supported by a force far larger than any can command at

present.

These rivalries plus Castro's followers' long training

in revolutionary methods appear to have enabled Castro to

learn the plans of most of the alliances formed thus far well

* m this a

before they are put into action.

Nevertheless there has been, and continues to be, a general

recognition

by most of the more prominent exiles that

they

must unite if they are to succeed in removing the present re-

gime.

The most important potential leaders of any such move-

ment

to emerge so far are listed below under separate headings.

1.

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 5

---

## Page 6

1. General Jose Eleuterio PEDRAZA Y Cabrcra

When mention is made of military measures to eliminate

the Castro regime attention inevitably focuses on General

Jose Eleuterio PEDRAZA j Cabrera. While opinions differ

as to his suitability for the role of leader of a military

attack on the Castro forces,

is regarded by the most

prominent and most active exile leaders in the United States

as the only military leader in a position to take effective

action in the field against Castro.

The forces at his disposal in the Dominican Republic,

the loyalties he can command within Cuba, and the help he

can

get from exiles in the United States have been variously

estimated from a

mere handful to several thousand. He,

himself, has stated in a memorandum to a prominent American

•businessman that he hoped he could count on a force of 2,000,

led by 100 former Officers and Non-Commissioned officers of

Cuban origin.

The remainder of his force would be made up

of Spaniards, Yugoslavs, Germans, and perhaps a few Dominicans. (=

PEDRAZA has

expressed his willingness to work with General

Martin DIAZ Tamayo and Colonel Ramon BARQUIN and would wel-

ramayo and

come their cooperation but he has never hinted that he would

turn over leadership of his forces to either.

Former Castro supporter Francisco RODRIGUEZ Couceiro,

who claims to have been one of the prime organizers of two

anti-Castro groupings The Anti-Communist Crusade (CRAC) and

The Christian Democratic Action (ADC) has backed PEDRAZA as

the military leader of

against Fidel Castro. (29ny expedition which should be launched

Rodriguez clains to have visited the

General late in October 1959 and to have reached an agreement

whereby

• Pedraza committed hinself to clean up his force of

men in the Dominican Republic and put them under the direc-

tion and control of the ADC.

Rodriguez asserts that the

agreement provides for the elimination of all but Cuban

nationals from the forces in the Dominican Republic under

Pedraza.

FabIo FREYRE, a

wealthy young Cuban--who also claims

to be the founder

of

the ADC--has made known his connections

with Pedraza

and claims to have drawn up points of agreement

with him. (3)

has stated that General PEDRAZA is the

?.

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 6

---

## Page 7

only Cuban general whom the constitutional

army would follow.

He

adds that Pedraza was not closely identified with Batista's

coming to power but when the Dictator needed help Pedraza

was made head of the army.

FREYRE believes that the Cubans

10 not haye confidence in Martin DIAZ Tamayo nor in Ranon

Dr. Emilio NUNEZ Portuonde, now resident in Washington,

and one of the more prominent

anti-Castro exiles, has

consistently tried to align the various anti-Castro elements

Carlos inited sates exico at no eat appears al Pedraza. (5)

Pedraza's choice for provisional president, if efforts to

unseat Castro succeed has supported the military role of the

General. (6)

General Pedraza's service under Fulgencio Batista has

left a bad taste in the mouths of many Cubans who hated the

Batista dictatorship as vehemently as they now detest the

Castro regime.

There seems to be reasonable doubt that Dr.

CUERVO-RUBIO, whom RODRIGUEZ Couceiro has claimed CRAC sup -

ports as a

presidential candidate, would support Pedraza.

CUERVO-Rubio is reported to have stated that responsible

opposition to Castro inside Cuba would be reluctant to asso-

Ciate with Pedraza and might join in the fight against him

should

he attempt an invasion.

Some of these people have

repeatedly expressed the tear that castro might use such

an invasion as a pretext to suppress all opposition.()

PIOM-

inent Orthodox Party leader Antonio VARONA also is

reported

to be worried about the possibility of an invasion of Cuba

by Pedraza, to whom he is bitterly opposed and has sworn

that he and his followers would join with the Castro brothers

in repelling any invasion led by Pedraza. (8) It is considered

a distinct possibility that a Pedraza led invasion would play

into Castro's hands, leaving internal opposition no alterna-

ive but to join Castig,in a national effort to repel a

Bastistiano invasion.

It is known that FREYRE'S ADC which supports Pedraza

for military leader would welcome the assistance and the

support of

the former Chief of the Revolutionary Air Force

Major Pedro Luis DIAZ-Lanz.

lowever, DIA-Lanz has made

It very evident that he wants no part in military affairs

run by General Pedraza whom he categorizes as an enemy of

-

3

SECRET

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 7

---

## Page 8

Cuba along with Castro, Batista, Masferror. (9) Recent evi-

dence, however, indicates that

there is a possibility that

the former Chief of the Revolutionary Air

Force may

be

reconsidering his previously inflexible attitude towards

Pedraza.

B. Emilio NUNEZ Portuondo

NUNEZ Portuonde, now residing in Washington, D.C.

one of the first to declare his candidacy for the leadership

of an

anti-Castro movement.

lawyer

and diplomat Nunez was Cuba's delegate

From 1952 until 1958. During this period he cooperated with

the US delegation and was outspokenly critical of the USSR.

Most Cubans in the United States, and in those Latin American

countries where he and his followers have solicited support

for their anti-Castro activities are under the impression that

he has some type of commitment with the US Government.

A1 -

though he continues to be mentioned, along with Carlos

MARQUEZ Sterling, as the most likely candidate for provisional

president of a successor government to Castro, some

sources

have alleged that he would not make an effective president. (1)

Nunez' announced aim is the overthrow of the Castro re-

gime and its replacement by a civil government friendly to

the US and excluding individuals associated with Batista.

To this end he and his immediate followers have published

a

newsletter and periodically dropped leaflets over Cuba at-

tacking Castro.

They also have directed the paramilitary

training of a small number of Cubans in Miami, some

of whom

participated in an abortive invasion of Cuba

In addition Nunez and his followers have been

in_close contact with other leading exiles in the US.

Dur -

ing the fall of 1959 he and his adherents travelled to Mexico,

Guatemala, Panama, Argentina and Peru to solicit support for

an

anti-Castro movement.

They also have attempted to organize

units

in Venezuela. (3)

There is no firm evidence that these efforts have suc-

ceeded.

However

Santiago REY's group in Mexico has supported

junez for provisional

Castro are successful. Tiesident if the efforts

to overthrow

seneral Pedraza, in

the Dominican

republic, has supported Nunez for president and Nunez in turr

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 8

---

## Page 9

has promoted Pedraza as military leader since the spring

of 1959.

Nunez as recently as 14 December 1959 still

claimed

to be the leader of Pedraza's group but the General

had previously asserted that he nas

disposed to work with

both Nunez and Carlos MAROUL4

latter as interin president. (sterling but he picferred the

Another possible adherent of Nunez is Pedro DIAZ-Lanz,

who is reported to have declared that he, and other with

whom he is working, would consider Nunez acceptable if he

should divorce himself from Trujillo.

A step in this direc-

tion was taken by Nunez at the end of December when,

irritated by Trujillo's reluctance to permit a Pedraza

invasion of Cuba from the Dominican Republic, he told

C. Carlos MARQUEZ Sterling

Carlos MARQUEZ Sterling comes from a family with a dis-

tinguished record

in Cuban History.

He was born in 1899 in

Camaguay and received his education in Cuba, graduating

from the University of Havana with a law degree in 1920.

Three years later he became

a professor at the University.

It was from the same Univeristy that he was removed in 1959

by Castro forces.

MARQUEZ Sterling told American officials

that Fidel Castro had been one of his students at the Univer-

sity of Havana 1945-1947, and that Fidel had been reared

in an atmosphere of hatred for the United States.

His political career began while he was still in his

teens and he was arrested

and imprisoned for his activities

in the revolution of 1917. During the thirties he lived in

Washington while his father was Ambassador. Later he re-

entered politics and became Speaker of the House of repre-

sentatives.

He had a hand in

the establishment of the

Ortodoxo Party in 1946.

Previously Marquez had presided

over the drafting of the Constitution of 1940.

A former

Presidential candidate and a leader of the Partido del Pueblo

Libre (PPL) which he established in July 1957, Marquez Sterling

appears to enjoy the respect, if not necessarily the full

confidence, of many leading

Cuban exiles in the United States. (1)

5

SE

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 9

---

## Page 10

CRAC leaders asked him to accept the position of Prosi-

dent of the government-in-exile but

he was reluctant to do

so because he teared for the safety of his son, still an

Cuba. (2)

Marquez has been

in contact with most of the Cuban

exile leaders in the United States

and has had some discus-

sions with NUNEZ Portuondo, his chief rival for the presa-

dency-Some sources maintain that pedraza prefers him over

It is believed that marquez still has the support

of the Ortrodoxo Party In cuba.

D. Pedro Luis DIAZ- Lanz

Najor DIAZ-Lanz has gained considerable publicity for his

break with Castro, his appearance before the Eastland Com-

mittee and his spectacular leaflet dropping over Havana on

ver Hayana on

21 October 1959.

His brother Marcos, who was

Inspector General

of the Revolutionary Air Force (FAR)

joined him in

Miami in

July and the two were until December closely associated with

RICardo LORIE Valls, a former underground leader of the

26 July Movement.

These three and a few other associates

have professed to have vigorous plans to overthrow Castro

but aside from the leaflet drop have not.

ticular actions of special importance. (1 Performed any par-

The Diaz-Lanz brothers

broke with Lorie, who appeared to have been the most mature

nember of the group, for reasons which are not al all clear. (2)

The small group about Diaz-Lanz in conversation with U.s.

officials and private citizens has steadfastly refused to

have anything to do with former Batista officials while they

the donated be Easte tipe to take any measures to insure

In July 1959 Pedro DIAZ-Lanz stated that there is no

connection whatsoever between the anti-Castro forces in Cuba

and those in the United States. He regarded the followers

OF NASFERRER, Justo Luis POLO,

former Mayor of Havana, Jose

Luis PUJOL, NUNEZ Portuondo and others as remnants of

former

Revolution in tube. laguld not be acceptable to the Counter.

At the end of the year, however, Pedro

DIAZ-Lanz was reported as being willing to support Nunez

Portuondo if the latter would

break with Trujillo. At the

sare time Diaz-Lanz is reported to have

550,000 from agents of Pedraza in Miami. (stempted to obtain

attempt

actually was made, it seems to indicate at last a willingness

on the part of Diaz-Lanz to work with Pedraza, something he

haz hitherto steadfastly refused to consider.

6

SE

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 10

---

## Page 11

E.

Fabio FREYRE

Fabio FREYRE, a wealthy Cuban now residing in Miani,

clains that he has organized the Accion Democratica Cubana

(ADC) , which

tary leader (yas selected General Jose Pedraza as its mili-

Freyre says the ADC and Pedraza have drawn

up the principal points of an agreement for the liberation

of Cuba, which include the organization of commandos,

seiz-

Ing of the Isle of Pines to be used as an operational base

for the invading forces, sabotage and various psychological

warfare techniques.

Freyre's following in the U.S. is esti-

mated at some 200, while those based in Cuba, under the

leadership of Juan Antonio RUBIO Padilla, number about 350,

including commandos, army pilots and young officers.

Freyre

claims that the Cuban people have no confidence in General

Martin DIAZ Tamayo or Colonel BARQUIN. (2) Hence, it is as-

sumed that they are not among FREYRE's supporters.

F. DI. Francisco RODRIGUEZ Couceiro

Dr. Francisco RODRIGUEZ Couceiro claims to be the founder

and leadgy of another ADC, former prior to Freyre's organi-

He has similar plans for the reconquest of Cuba

but has for the most part different following.

Among his

Rodriguez

claims he asked Trujillo and General Pedraza for arms to

defend the Isle of Pines once he had taken it but they

turned

him down. (6)

Recently, however, Rodriguez stated that

General Pedraza

had signed

an

agreement putting his men in

the Dominican Republic and the Dominican anti-Castro radio

under the ADC.

of support in Guatemala.

Rodrigygz also claims he has the promise

=

G. Orlando Eleno PIEDRA Negueruela

PIEDRA enjoys the distinction of being considered by the

Castro regime as one of the principal

war criminals in the

of Investigations until the

fall of Batista.

In the United

States he has openly avowed his former connections with and

n1s loyalty to Batista.

He has been associated for a time

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 11

---

## Page 12

with ex-Senator Rolando MASFERRER and Eduardo HERNANDes,

former Cuban Consul General in Miami in the Anti-Communist

League, which has made two attempts to fly arms to Pinar

del

Rio, Cuba.

In each case men connected

with the actual

flying of arms were arrested by U.S. officials.

Some time ago Piedra incurred the wrath of Trujillo and

forts.

arrived

in Miami

to deliver instructions from Batista to Piedra to

attempt to immediately consolidate the anti-Castro forces

into a viable movement to overthrow the Castro government.

Batista reminded Piedra that there should be no involvement

with the Dominican Government and advised him that to the

greatest extent possible groups should be cultivated which

are now of might be expested to be looked upon with favor

c groups be Looked

by the U.S. Government.

Enrique FERNANDEZ Parajon, former

Chief of the Secret Police under Batista was reported in

January 1960 as endeavoring to merge a group under the

leadership of Orlando PIEDRA with the ADC. He added that

the PIEDRA group has three planes which they would like to

use during the next 60 days to set fire to sugar cane

fields by dropping incendiaries. However, FERNANDEZ bemoaned

the fact that tight United States controls in Florida were

hampering their activities.

Fernandez said that he is in

contact with Guatemalans and Nicaraguans and that he and

Piedra are responsible for military operations.

It was his

opinion that Pedraza has only 80 men in the Dominican Republic. (4

H. Brigadier General Martin DIAZ Tamayo

=

General DIAZ Tamayo is a controversial figure, disliked

by many Cubans because he represents top

military leadership

whitty eneront, impopular among civilians and

yet respected by his peers. (over

in contempt by Chomat, former

DIAZ has

moderate following of

Cuban ex-military men in Miami, where he now lives.

He has

discussed with lunez Portuondo

and Marquez Sterling thes)

possibility of forming a coalition in support of them.

8

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 12

---

## Page 13

I. Rolando MASFERRER Rojas

Rolando MASFERRER Rojas, former Senator during the

Batista regime has played

an

active but not significant

role among the exiles

in the United States or In Mexico.

His spectacular activities, unreliability and obvious op-

portunism have

discredited him with the leadership and rank

and file of exiles as well as anti-Castro elements in Cuba.

le is anathema to Nunez Portuondo, General Pedraza and

santiago Key, In particular.

MASFERRER was accused by the Castro regime of having

committed 70 myrders and of having absconded

lion dollars.

He is remembered unfavorably by many Cubans

unfavorably by

with 17 mil-

as having been a member of the Communist Party from 1939-

1944; later he

did an about-face and became an ardent and

"professional" anti-Communist.

He also is unpopular because

of the activities indulged in by his own terrori{5)

"army,"

known as the "Tigers" during the Batista regime.

been described as a Jacobin, a demagogue, a tyrant and an

extremist.

FOI

several years Senator MASFERRER enjoyed

reviling

the United States, its people and its policies.

When anti-Communism became

popular about 1950-51 and

MASFERRER realized that this was a means of increasing his

prestige with Americans he became a friend of the US.

J. Penetration of the Anti-Castro Movement

Castro has bragged that his capture in Cuba last August

of an arms-laden plane containing a group of anti-Castro

militants was due to his having planted a spy in their midst. (1)

Earlier the Chief Investigator of Cuban Army Intelligence

(Departamento de Investigaciones del Rjeroito Revolucionario

- DIER) had admitted to

the FBI that the Castro regime had

sent a man to Miami with the express purpose of reporting on

the activities of anti-castro exiles.

During the summer one

of the more active anti-Castro exiles in the Miami area was

enticed back to Cuba where he was

immediately thrown in jail

by agents

de Investigaciones

of Castro'Dil) CS, Intelligence (Departmento Teonisa

The Cuban Revolutionary Air Force

in Miami.

agged to have had between 40 and 50 paid informants

There have been numerous indications that Castro

probably has been able to plant agents among the followers

of most of the more prominent anti-Castro exiles in

country. (5)

9

SECRET

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 13

---

## Page 14

SECREI

PEDRAZA

1. Memorandum for Record: Robert Reynolds, WHD, and

William Pauley, 9 Dec. 1959.

Secret

2. DBF 36434, Nov. 4, 1959, Confidential

3. UNWA-24, Sept. 24, 1959. Secret

also

WHD Memorandum

4. Memorandum for Record. Conversation of Mr. Toomay, WHD

-

with Pauley and Freyre, Nov. 30, 1959.

Secret

5. DBF 39015, December 8, 1959. Confidential

6. Memorandum for Record. Conversation between Robert

Reynolds, WHD, and Wm. Pauley, 9 December 1959. Secret

7. COS Navana Tel. 3041 Dec. 16, 1959, IN-19840. Secret

8. TDCS 3/423,188, 31 December 1959

9. FBI, Miami, November 6, 1959, File 201-259120

Emilio NUNEZ Portuondo

1. 201-45667

2. DBF - 33000, 31 Aug 59

DBF - 36517, 10 NOV

59, C

3. Ibid

BUEN- 5110,

30 Oct 59,

HEPA-9838, 10 Nov 59,

4. DBF-39015, 8 Dec 59

5. DBF - 39016, 15 Dec 59

Memo for Record.

Desk file - 19-9-8

6. UNWA-65, 31 Dec 59

SECRET

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 14

---

## Page 15

Carlos MARQUEZ Sterling

1. DBF 34945, Oct. 8, 1959. Conf.

2. DBF 35722, Oct. 29, 1959. ConE.

3. Memorandum for Record, Dec. 9, 1959

Conv. Robert Reynolds and Him. Pauley. Secret

4. Memorandum of Conversation between two representatives

of CIA and CARCIO, 16 Oct. 1959.

Secret

5. CS 3/411,429. 9 Sept. 59. Secret

Pedro DIAZ- LANZ

1. DBF 33664, Sept. 30, 1959.

Conf.

2. UMWA-53, 9 Dec. 1959.

Secret

3. UMWA-11, 10 Aug 1959. Secret

4. DBF-28290, July 8, 1959. Confidential

5. UMVA-65, 31 Dec. 1959.

Secret

PIEDRA

1. DBF 34752, 30 Sept. 1959. Conf.

2. Memorandum for Record by US Air Attache, Havana,

26 Oct.

1959.

Secret

3. CS 3/415,258, 15 Oct. 1959.

Secret

4. NAVA-3141, 5 January 1960.

Secret

See also

00-B. 3,138,850 re testimony by former

attorney for Batista who states Trujillo bled

Batista white and treated him like a dog.

ADC

1.

Memo, 1 Dec. 59

2. Memo - Toomay, Pauley, Freyre Conv. 29 Nov. 59

SECRET

-2-

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 15

---

## Page 16

SECRET

ADC (Cont.)

3. DBF-35528, 21 Oct. 59

4. DBF-38863, 16 Dec. 59

5. DBF-35528, 21 Oct. 59

6. DBF -35528, 21 Oct. 59

7. DBF-37600, 30 Nov. 59

8. "DBF-35528, 21 Oct. 59

MASFERRER

L. US Army Attache, Mexico, R-248-59, Aug. 7, 1959, Secret

2. DBF-24112-in 201/42669.

3. DBF-04112, 22 July 1959. Conf.

4. HEGA-589 from COS Ciuiad Trujillo, 26 Aug. 1959. Secret

DIAZ TAMAYO

1. Toomay memo for record. 1 Dec. 59

2. DBF-35722, 12 Oct. 59

3. UMWA-65, 31 Dec. 59

4. Memorandum of conversation, Reynolds-Pauley, 9 Dec. 59

5.

201-22162

Penetration

1.

Havana, Radio Progreso, 15 Aug. 59, FBIS, Unclas.

2. FBI Report, unnumbered, 21 Apr. 59, Desk File 19-5-1

SECRET

- 3-

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 16

---

## Page 17

'•SÉCRET

Penetration (Cont.)

3. NKHA- 5666,

27 Nov. 59, S

DBF - 32667,

17 Sep. 59

4. DBF-23997, 18 May 59

5. Castro penetration file (ours)

SECRET

- 4 -

NW 65924 Docld:32362744 Page 17

---