MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
Originator: CIA
From: T.J. FLORES
Document date: 1959-07-07 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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Released under the John F. Kennedy

issassination Records Collection Act ol

1992(44 USC 2107 Note]. Case#N'W

55937 Date: 10:29-2021

RETURN TO CIA

Background Use Only

• Do Not Reproduce

DRAFT

SEGrET

I vuly 1959

!

MENORANDIM OF CONVERSATIOS

SUEJE-T.

PAPTICIPATTSA Mitchell Ia lier Bell and I. J.

03

Flores

1. I not Subject at the National Airport bea he arrived from Atlanta

at about 2115 and took hin to the Stätler Hotel. Fe told se that in lato

January of early february be had begun acting as broker for sone exchango

erasactions involving duben pesoa ln the partitions possession of former

Batista followers in the Miant area. During the course of these transacticas

he becane acquadnted with a number of Cubans, nost of them former followers

of Batista who are engaged in plotting against the CASTIO Gurerment in

Cuba.

2. Together with Mamuel Firestone, aka Manuel Reforfa US eitizen of

Cuban origtn who served in the fCAT during world liar II and one of the US

arned forces during the Korean war) Wer Bell went to the Doninican Republic

about 6 weeks ago. I'he purpose of the trip wis to see Batista and sekl him

on a public relations campaign which might help his restablish his

reputation in the United Sties, Her Bell did no see Batista personally,

but st Firestone did. her Bell met with a number of Cuban exiles on

sarjoss occasions and becase convinced that it was not possible to deal with

Ratista since the latter insisted on postponing ererything "until he comes

to the States". Frestone arranged to bring her beil into contact wiüh Gen

Jose Pedrazand separates, Ediardo Hodriguez, Mas. el de Vora's nephew, and

through him, Manuel De Moya. He discussed only a pabile relations canpalgn

on behalf of the Dominican Ferolic with ie tof.

3. Bedraza, on the basis of ver dell's OSS bick,round, asked him for

assistance in settirg up a parottta guerrilla operatics acalast CASTRO.

(Consent: ker Pell's ISS records stow no corbat experience although last

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2. .

night he trolled to me that he had had contal experience. Hy personal assess-

sent of her Fell follows at the end of tris mencrandum.) lier Bell saíd he

asked Pedra:11f he was in touch with GIA. Pedrazasald he was not in contact -

but that the others, seaning the Dominicans, were. bier Bell said the Cubans

are training a minimin of 2,000 troops in the Dominican Republic. There are

also about a 1,000 Spantards sout sent by FRA'CO. ler Pell said he

recomrended to Pedrazaa typical alone ent operation to organize a pomfil

-ORARILLFI

guerrilla area, with supoly drops, and the organization of extensive comnun1-

cation facilities.

Lo Batista has refisod to cooperate with Pedrazdand tex 1s refising

to provide any funds for the operation. He says that he expects to be in

the United States within tuc weeks and will then negotlate provisioned of

support. Rolando Kansferrep is collecting funds in the US for the revolt.

In aldition to this, the Dominicans are buying arms wherever they can get

their hands on them. Tre plan is to make Munez Portiondo Provisional

President as

soon as CASTRO is overthrown.

5. Ver Bell said that an

sarica businessman nared jones fu, who

soster does business in Europe and Xx in Mland bying real estate,

had mentioned to hin the possibility of obtaining the serrices of 1,000

experienced Gernan combat troops who are organized, officered, and equipped,

at the rate of t100 a day per man, An Individual named shoo, bellered to

be a Swiss staying at the laldorf Astoria Hotel, 1s the contact for getting

the services of these Jermans. Los is nerely an intermediary and ires (inu),

whose nationality is uninow, but bellered to be e German, 1s the principal

of this group. (Contents when i questioned her teal about this he was

very reluctant to go into details, and as the story developed it appeared

to me that he was taking for granted a typical night club story resulting

from loose talk ky hi-self and the individual called iones.)

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6o tier tell said he had been virtually offered command of the Cuban

counter revolutionary force. He said that he will engage in this only 15

CIA backs hin up. He sants to organize a para-nilitary force and needs 15

to 20 PM experts including communicators to train the force. de also wants

some specialized equipment such as fire borbs, radios, and even mentiosied

24-F8l aircraft. (Comments I believe the Dominicans have been trying to

buy such aircraft for some time fox from the Canadian Government. The

Canadians, however, hata refused it the United States' request to grant

export licenses for the planes:)

7. ler Bell wants to see Gen. Cabell or Allen Dulles on this matter.

He says he is willing to act as our agent and believes he can gain the

complete confidence of Pedrazand De Moya. He sald that it 18 ruponed in

Kland that the United States had offera 76 hours of hands off, in the event

of an attempt against CASTRO and will close its eyes to a number of gun

shipments.

8. Her Bell adaitted to me that he had had some business difficulties

in the recent past and was now working his way out of-then. he have his

record through 19i5 and he appears to be a responsible citizen as of that

time. The inpression that I got of hin last night is that he is now à typical

820.3

proncter type of the fast successful variety found in Latin Enerica, prones

to exagrerated ideas end sonerhat nalve,ás evidenced by his story of the

1,000 Cermans. I carefully avoided the question of what he stands to

gain by all of this, but as the story developed it becomes rather obvious

that he la sacking to ast as a broker cIA sypport for Pedrazaand probably

anticipates collecting hia brokerage fees in tems of public relations con-

tracts wax fron the Dominicans and the new Cuban Coverrment. It 1s also

obvious that Subject has good access to intelligence which may be of consid-

erable value, particularly ii it becomes necessary to initiate political

action operations against the CASTRO Corernnent.

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he ?807.

9. I recon-end

that we consider utilizing hin as an FI Agent with

a very clear understanding that we are dulepu,

of his motives st this time,

thät we will not support Pedräzaand his groun; nor will she Unsted States

fall to obserre its International obligations on behalf of Pedraza, and wish

: a clear understanding of the linite of our relationships with Subject. I

belleve this man will require tina handllne asatex 1f ve propose to use him,.

or we may have considerable trouble with him. lie have bad Information

already on the Pedrezhaffair, much of which confirms the infornation supplied

by Subject, so that ve are not without other assets on this matter.

T. J. FLORES

03

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