DISPATCH:MEETING OF CASTRO WITH MACHADO IN CARACAS AS REPORTED BY PEDRO LUIS DIAZ-LANZ
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF, WHD
To: WITHHELD
Document date: 01/26/1960
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10168-10007

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201-259120

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OFFICER$

OFgCE

AUTHEMICATING OFFICER!

NAME

J. D. Ister lima

HELERSING -OFFICEN

TITLE

TITLE

ABSTRACT

INDEX

FILE NUMBER

801-239,120

DOCUMENT

0617-33

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## Page 2

RI

DISPATCH

TO

WED Representative, Mani

Havana, (Ситесай)

16-17

FRCHA CaleI, WID

SURFAT

CASSA CATCAS

S-E-C-R-E-T

Masting of FItal CATO vith Quitaro MICENDO

In Caracas as ruported by Pedro Inde MAI Inna

ACTOR BECOMEO

See paragrapa 3

0860-25

READO BITERS FRE ANO

201.259,120

DATE

S. "T' - (CHECK "N' ONE)

MARKED FOR INDEXING

NO INDEXING REQUIRED

INDELING CAN BE JUDGED

FY QUAUFIED NO DESH ONLY

In an article by Pedro Lals DIAZ Larz, forner Chief, Cuban Alr Porco,

which appeared in PARASE of the lashington Post on 3 Jannary 1960 entitled

"Why I Fight Fidel #CASTRO" (201-97+56), the folloring statement 18 mades

My doubts grew when I accospanied him on his official viait

to Venezuela.

He put on a big act of not vanting to seet Venezuela's

top comunist, GustaTo MACHADO.

Yet be locked himself in & bathroom

with MACHADO for two hours. It was tbe longest talk be held with .

anyone in Venezuela."

2. Gos.9v0 MACHADO bas for some jeara been vell-nows as an overt top

Countet leader ID Venezuela, but the beeting with CASTRO, 11 It did in fact

occur,

as presumably it did, could bave web sore significence in light of

*be following information previously received from a source proren to be

reliable in the past and known to have been in a position to have knowledge

of HIs activities during Hold har II.

"Custavo MACHDO Morales, born 1898 in Caracas, Venervole, vas

recruited in the sumer of Igit by the NKGB in Bogota, Colombia, for

politieal Intelligence vork lu his sative Venezuela. MACHADO vas

Initiiiy controlled by BIS through his vife, Harla Ideas MACHADO,

who mintained contact with Soviet Consular officials during the.

middle fortles."

3°

It view of the above, it is requested that KARILEY interview Pedro

ule DiAt lart in the cost mtnute detail concerning bis knowledge of arrange-

ments made for this contact with MACSADO in Venezuela, the reactions of CASTRO

to the arrangements, and any isiicated reactions in the dajs following that

meeting. The Interviev should facinde apecifies as to the Location, identities

of otbers who vere kuorledgeable of the contact, the length of the meeting,

and other circumstances surrounding it.

Although our efforts at this tine and in this connection my not 1a

any vay establish that CASTRO 16 a Soriet agent, 1t 1e bellered that as

unch detall as possible should be sequired concerning this netting, since

1t may be of considerable value at soon future time.

OLIVER GO GALBOT

Distribution:

3 - Miami

2 - Havana

1 - (Caracas 16-17

86 JeNNery 1960

/ Martha Farpeter

Based on memo fron Chief, cI/SID to Chiet CI/ups, dated 12 Jan. 1960.

SICATON

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## Page 3

Once they were comrades. Then this man stood

ready to kill the Cuban Premier. Now he tells

WHY I FIGHT

FIDEL CASTRO

by PEDRO LUIS DIAZ LANZ

Farmer chief, Cuban Air Force

MLANI, FLA

of Caba One of his first moves tas to appoint me chiel

of the Cubas Air Force. Today, 12 sbort months lales,

I am opposing Castro's revolution with all the strength

I ence esed to hole bring ie abore.

For the verond time in my life. I sa an outlaw an

able to return to my native land except at the rist el

being shor. Yet I have committed se erim unless it

is m crime to fight for freedom--the kind of freedom

all Americans enjoy und all true Caban; long lo share.

Most men become rerolutionaries because of an

appetite for adrenture, greed for pourer, or zeal for

reform. A few like myself become revolutionaries br

accident. Looking back, i hardly seems possible that

only eight years ago l was a gay voung pilot for Q Air-

mays, commuting between Cuba and Florida, without

& rebellious thought in my head.

My ycars since have been crowded with bloodshed.

death, plory, terror, and bitterness. There were escapes

that still make my nerves twang like violin strings.

Then came our moment of triump. And finally I

faced Fidel Castro, a man to whom I bad been devoted,

with a coclied pistol ready to kill hira.

But l am rushing ahead of my stor?. Let me go back

to early 1952, when Dr. Carlos Prio mas President of

Caba, Accidenially I lemmed that his rival, F'alrencio

Betisla, planned to lake over the poverament. I passed

no this information through my farber, a career for.

manent employe. And on March I4, 1952, as I lond

warneel Halinia reined the presidency.

When, later, I met Prio, he seemed genuinely peni

dews about the corruption in his aruinistration and

swore he would win back freedom fur the Cuban

people. He was so fervent that I left the interview a

revalutionary dedicated to the same cause of liberty.

In those days it was common for airline pilots to

smuggle miions and Seotch into Cuba-sorexiing I

never did. Now, however, I started bringing ta rifles.

After a year, someone whispered to Batista's secret

police. They tortured and humiliated my father. Then

they seized me for 10 days of cross-examination.

They lacked eridence in bail inc. but it was oniy a

matter of time until they would come alter me again

In a makeshift disguise. I slipped of to Camarney.

registered at a hotel under a fake name, and planned

my escape to Haiti with a pilar friend who was poin!

there to dus crope. One marty morning I hid out im

the grass at the end of the berrily guarded aintrip,

leaped aboard the plane as il sataxiing, and left my

homeland behind.

Now a revolutionary, I went from Port au Prince

to Miami. For the next two years. I worked as besbor

and dishwasher. In those days. Fidel Castro was oadr

a name 8o me. He had attacked the Army barracks at

Santiago de Cuba on July 26, 195%. For his pains. he

was languishing in a prison cell

Slaughter of the Innocents

• When Batista granted amnesty to all political of.

fenders in 1955, Castro was freed and I hurried bome.

I wanted nothing more than to resume my penreful

profession as a pilos.

But try as I might, I could met close my eyes te

Batista's terror. For may own eyes witnessed Batintag

police shoot down innocent sirtier Personal tress

were tortured and mardered. I myself was falsely me.

cased of borning sugar came and threatened with

death. Anper boiled up inside me until al las I jerned

Castro'n Z6ch of July movemen and volunierred for

underrover work.

My frse orders were to sneak out of Cuba and ferry

weapons to Castro's hide out in the Sierra Maentra

Mountains. No one with my background could op

to walk into a Cuban airport and catch a flight out of

the country. I had to create a new personality.

First I borrowed a pasport from Carlos Bastida, a

sympathetic newspapermun from Ecuador. I had never

visited Ecuador, but I became an expert on that coun

Lry, I even karne to tati with an Ecuadorcan accent

and to forge Bastida's signature. Finally I donned a

Panama has, dark glasses, and a sports coat thue seemed

appropriate for a South American reporter. Then with

Frank Fiorini, an American friend of the morement..

I set out from Santiago to Camaguey.

"What Are You Joing Hera?"

• To give the trip the appearance of an outing.. we

brought along a couple in the back seat. Batista patrols

stopped us 15 times and fristied us for weapons. But

they politely left the gul alone; they never suspected

thas this giggling teenager carried a pistol strappal

under her skirt.

As Camagney, Frank and I made our ware separately

8o the airport. There I realised my dark glasses were

arousing the suspicione of airport plaineloebesmen. 1f

I kept them on, I would invite an interroration. If I

look them oll, I woald risk recognition for I was

'known a every airport in Caba. I could imagine some

friend booming ont lo me. "Pedro Luis, what are you

doing here?""

The plain lothesmen sened to appronch. With cal.

culated ensualness alhorch ray heart was peanding. I

removed she plasses, palled of my hat foe rod mens.

ure, ant arulled innorratly around. The police loat

interer. But riple up lo lse moment the plane doors

shur, I expected to be rerenised.

From that time on, my work for the revalation was

one narrow escape aflet aother. From Minai I went

Bo Costa Rica, where I pecked up a C46 krtal wih

• 1, 1400

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## Page 4

Fremier Fidel Castro

rifles, mortars, and aramunition- and 12 recruits.

(One of them was Hutert Matos, who was to become

•a famous Castro commasder and to be remarred after

"the revoltion with cosmand of Camaguey province

-ntil be spoke out against Commists. Then be

was sentended to jail as a traitor.) All were needed

•de

Tately by Castra, who was expecting a final as

on his hide out.

.! Brought the big cargo plane down on a dirt road

at Craneguilla, not far from Castro's headquarters.

o bere guerrillas were waiting to unload. Some actually

wept joyful tears at the sight of the armunition arriv-

ing in the nick of time.

The road was so barron that one prop whacked a

fence post. I could neither repair the damase nor take

oft spain before Batista's patrols spotted the plane.

Regretfully, I splashed gasoline over the C-46 and ser

it afire.

.; Then with the retel fore. I marched inte the moan-

-tine There, on March 30 1958, I had my fri meeting

with Fidel Castro. He was overflowing with excite-

went and hailed us as "be savinure of Caba" At that

time he kal fewer thau 840 wen, with se ammunition

exerpe a bar we had broucht. Casiro rpoke with fervor

Vr°

upbe lf only bie Tommy run had born a staff. he

n here pared for a larded prophet erying in the

His personaliry bad the stor al a loret

A Miraculous Escape

1 I remyed in the mountains air werke frbing with

the pround troopa. One I was cauphe in ube open by a

Batirto F4i fpher. Ballets kicked up ibe duss all

around me. but mirarulearly I wasn't eren seratched

When Fidel learned I was rirking

myself on the

groand be sem urgent orters thas I should day out

of the fighting He had len trouble retruiting soldiers

he complained, thnn fnding tninod pilate whe could

fly weapons into the rugred monmaias of the ielanda

Then our forces in the north rapoured a small, brat-

up plane. lis sinzle engine was soderpowered and

badly in need of scrhaul. The caly narigations!

equipment sas a compas, which rumed out to be $5

deprers off. But this pitiful plane male up the entire

rebel Air Force for some months wonl, for $5,000

down, I bought a little Cessna 150 in Miami.

This plane sented as our arms airlife Once, with

only 300 pounds load limit in spare, I crammed aboard

1,000 pounds of rifles and ammunition. We were a

sitting sluck for patrols, bus the vely plane me saw

overlooked us. Another tine, after taking off out of a

mountain canton, I had a peas-miss with a Batista

frigate with antiaircraft guns. Still another time 1

was foreed to make a storm emergency landing in the

Everglades.

One of my minions was to fly wexpons to Calabaza

"bere Fidel'& brother Raul was in charge of the second

trons. From she fire be impreised me as wild and

unreliable. When be grumbled thas Fidel was getting

ost of the arms I retoried sharply: "I am nos bring.

ing reapons to you as an individual I am bringing

weapons to Cahans who are fiphting dietatorship."

Later a friend, who has my complere coutdence, told

me & inhmarine brought in a big baul of weapons lor

Raal. By the uniforms and language of ibe crew. aly

friend judged the vessel was Russian

There were many flights in overloaded planes,

many landings in the mountains at night without

lights. But perhaps my narronest escape came after l

delivered the arms for Ernesto (Che) Guesara, whom

I later found out was pro-Communist. to lead the fa-

rous attack on Santa Clara. I mas Eneral so laval in

an' area that Batista's patrols had under constant

watch. A hundred waiting guerrillas grabbed the am-

munition whim I hurriedly poured gas into the wing

tanks from Ese gallon cans. Suveniy a Barista B-26

spotted us and dived down with guns blaring.

"Liberty or Death"

My helpers scattered into the jungle, leaving me

alone in a hail of bulleis. I sind my the wing strear.

ing "Cowards!" until Faustino Perez. now in charge

de confiscating Batista pruperty, emerged with tio

others to help me camouflage the plane. Later 1 dis-

cotered a bullet had pierred the nose tank. One spark

and the plane would have gone up like a bomb. Since

we had to assume Batista troops would soon be on

their way, I struck a maich and oore more watched

a precious aircrafe go up in fames

On Ampast 24. 1958, Fidel appointed me hend of the

rebel Air Forte My friends had the dase inscribed on

a watch that I will wear. Then, on ew Year's Day

1959, just one year ago, rame cor triumph Batista

handed over the povernment and ded the country. I

wis in Conta Rica, pirking up anotber load of weapons.

when the excition newe came abroach When Castro

appainted me chief of the Cuben Air Forse, be did oo

in a letter that ended with "Liberad O Muerte"-

Liberty or Death

My faith in Cairo man free jolied afer his triam

phant entry into Havana. Throsphoss the lone march

odering Catholie women had pinned body medale on

him 1 orerheard Che Guevera tease him about the

"deroration" he was wearing: "Livers" Fidel mid.

" have to po elon. Mos of our prople are Catholic.

• Te rannol rondren the (hurch richi duny. That is a

power me cansor destroy no rasily." It man the firse

aric hurch statement I had heard freen him.

No douhts grew when l arompanird him on his

ofbrial visit to V'eriezuela. He put on a big act of not

wanting to meet Venezuela's tup Communise, Gustavo

Macharlo. Yer be locked histif in a bathroom with

Machao for two hours. le mes the longest sall he

held with anyone in Venezuela

I complaised to Fidel that his brother Raal had

named Cormunists, who hass'e fred a shot in abe

revolution, as army commanders Fidel replied eas-

nestly: "I ars goiog to hase to dismiss Raul. I am not

going to let the Communists like over.

But Fidel did not dismin Bol Indend be pur bim

in charge of the armed forres and gare Che Goevara

control of agrarian reform. My faith in Fidel was

shaken. Having foukht for free spirert, I derided lo

pat it to the lese. But I was wise enough in tbe ways of

revolutions to arrange with my brotber Sergio Dias

Brail to hare a boat rendy for a quick getamay. Tiers

l issued a salement that I was ready to fiphi amy die-

tatorship-Batista, Trajille, or "he vors dietatorship

in the world communisn."

This was the showdown. Juan Almeida, commander

of a tank regiment, came mica a message that Fidel

wanted to see me at his home. I strapped on my pistol,

slipped in a clip of 14 bullets, and removed lse salety

catch. ben I faced Castro he erupted like a rolcano.

"Why shoald you make a satement against com

munism?" he demanded. "You will only confuse the

people. You are not supposed a do anything witsout

my consent I am the one sho tells i ou shar to do

Angrily I asked whether be had not berome a dic-

tator himself. Whr should I mot have freedom to ex-

mes gans communisan and

tood br my convictions, I declared. "Remember." I

said, "you did not win the resolution alone. You had

my help and the help of other friends."

I warned fercely that I wouid not arrept arrest or

go to jail for saring what I befered. To silence me he

would hare to kill me. "You will have to carry my

body on your shoulders and explain what has hap

pened," I said. "You will hate to explain to the Caban

people sho! Lave been kilie after speaking against

communism."

My hand was on my pistol and I was ready to use

it Castro looked at me--and at my pistol- hard for

a moment. He was far from sure whether she Caban

prople wouid support him in any action against his

Air Force chief for being anti-Communist. lie backed

Continued on page 7

With his

wife Tana, Mnjor Dias Lens emiles los phota Now in

Miomi, his "Tenet bombing" ol Muna mos international incident.

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## Page 5

I FIGHT CASTRO conten

In happier doys, Diaz Lonz (r.) and Castro discuss air search for koul Castro

I shall come back to my homeland'

down. "You go home and wair" he deliver them by air: Frank Fiorini, the

growled. "I'T see what 1 am going to

American who had been with me

do with you later."

through much of the revolution, owned

If I was to escape, I had to put them

a B-26 that had been comerted to a

off balance, if oniy for a few hours.

rivilian plane. The gun openings had

With an indifferent shrug I told Al-

been permanently sealed and the bomb

meida I would write a letter of resig-

bar fashioned into a rakeshift luggage

nation. All I wanted from life. I said,

mom partment.

was to go back in my old airline job. !

said, "Tell Fidel I won't cause him any

On the afternoon of October 21.

Frank and I roared off for Hasana. The

trouble and I don't want him to cause

winds were at peace in the sky. Except

me any." Then I added as an after-

fos some vibration in the left engine,

khoughe: "Don't put any guards on my

nothing happened to au fur the interna

hore or follow me around, interfering

tional storm our flight: was to stir up.

with any private life."

My ruse worked. For the next few

He swooped low over the country.

starting our leaflets through the baggage

hours I was unguarded. I got in touch

opening.

with Sergio, prepared my resignation,

I learned afterward that Castro him-

und signed it. Them. with my

mie

sell was caughs in the leader blizzard

Tania, I hurried to the dock Fidel:

One copy Calceed righs inio his face

men were watching the airports, bat

Then be read the bessage, his whisk-

apparently it never orcurred lo tem

ers trembled with rage.

that I migbe go to Miami by boar

Yet in may beart I knew I would rome

My Message for Castro

beck I could not rem until the democ-

After we were safety on our way back

racy I had fought io bring to Caba bad

to Florida, Castro's soldiers shot one of

• been realized.

their own B-26s full of boles. A light

In the U.S. I decided not to speak

plane also was fired upon and its

out immeliately but to wait until esents

Chilean pilor wounded. Throughout

showed others that Castro was simply

Havana the falling shrapnel caused

exchanging one form of dictatorship

tragic casuallies for ir hich Castro chose

for another. But I was subpoenard to

to blame me rather than his owa men.

testify before the Senate Internal Se

lesseo tell how I know about events

curity Subcommittee. about my knowl

inside Cuba today. There are patriota

edge of communism in Cuba. As a guese

who rist ibeir lives to keep ine in-

in your country.

I was nhliged to tell

what I knew of this matter.

formed. I have a Gnal word for you

who read this newepaper, whose demo

For the beat few

woeks I aroided

cratic ideals and institutions are my

publicily an more and more people pos

inspiration. I hatever I munt do in the

• Blimpse hehind the beard at the real

fasure. I will inke care nol lo violae

Castra Then I tried to reach my people.

any of your laws or your bospitality.

Beranse Castro had denounced me as a

Thank God, Ireedom el expression le

traitor, I wrote a reply and sent it to

no trime here.

every Caban newapaper. Not a siugle

11 Fidel Castro should read shis, I

one dared print is.

bare a word, lon lor him: I demon

This was the reason I decide to be

serated lo you many limes that I was

my own mailman. I had 200.000 cop

willing lo die so resore demarruty lo

les of my letter printed an arranged to

Caba Be smared, I bare nor ebanged I

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