Originator: HSCA
Document date: 1978-10-02 00:00:00
Document type: REPORT

# DOCID-32271653

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JFK RECORDS

v09-16-96ccr

Cross Reference: None

Status in System:

AGENCY : HSCA

RECORD NUMBER: 180-10142-10349

RECORD SERIES: CIA SEGREGATED COLLECTION

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 24-15-01

Other Agency Equity: None

....e

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : HSCA

FROM :

TO :

TITLE:

DATE: 10/02/78

PAGES:

10

DOCUMENT TYPE : REPORT

SUBJECT (S)

:; ¡ HSCA, TRIP TO MEXICO CITY;

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS: 3

CURRENT STATUS :

POSTPONED IN PART

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

08/09/95

COMMENTS : Box 15

Date in: 01/26/96

TIFFFF

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FFFFFFFF

Released under the John F. Kennedy

ssassination Records Collection Act c

992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#:NV

S600d Date: 11-04-2021

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gregret of El Jiggs

012216

House Select Committee staffers Edwin Juan Lopez

and Harold Leap traveled to Mexico City on August 7, 1978.

The staff members were met by David T. Patton at the Mexican

airport at 10:15 P.M. Mr. Patton then checked the staffers

into room 1754, already chosen, at the Maria Isabel Hotel in

Mexico City. Mr. Patton told Committee staffers that Larry

Steinfield wished to see us at 8:30 A.M. the following morning.

On Tuesday, August 8, 1978, Committee staffers met

with Larry Sternfield, CIA Chief of Station in Mexico City.

He informed the staffers that the two individuals the Committee

wishes to interview, Danny Flores, AKA Luis Aparicio and

Ramon Alvarez Ducant, were ready.

At 9:30 A.M., August 8, 1978, Committee staff members

• interviewed Danny Flores. (See write-up of Danny Flores

interview.) The interview ended at approximately 10:15 A.M.

Committee staff members returned to Mr. Sternfield's

office, MI. Steinfield stated that it appeared that the

Mexicans had only located two witnesses for the Committee,

Oscar Contreras Lartigue and Noe W. Palomares. He asked who

the staff members wished to speak. to. Committee staff members

explained that they would at some time like to interview

Lichant I, Licookie I, LiHuff I, Litamil 7 and Litamil 9. Mr.

Steinfield stated that it appeared that the House Select Com-

mittee on Assassinations had already asked the Mexicans to

locate them.

Mr. Sternfield stated that the HSCA's interview with

Ramon Alvarez Durant was considered "highly sensitive". He

NW 66000 Docidß2271633apageat three rooms at a nearby hotel would be used.

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In one room, Ramon Alvarez Durant would sit, Committee staff

members would sit in a second room and two CIA personnel

officers would insure that the equipment worked properly in

a third room. Mr. Steinfield then phoned Mr. Niles Gooding,

who had been sent to the Mexico City Station from Headquarters

to arrange the procedures. Mr. Gooding explained that in

1977 Stansfield Turner had created a new position at Head-

quarters.

He explained that his position, which he never

fully explained though asked, was created to insure that

important sensitive meetings were within the guidelines set.

Mr. Gooding stated that the Central Intelligence Agency had

been under greater Congressional scrutiny the past two years.

Mr. Stansfield Turner, wishing to show the Agency's good

faith, had allow the Army to lend them a retired officer to

act as liaison at sensitive interviews. Mr. Gooding then ex-

plained that we would be escorted by two CIA personnel to

our interview with Ramon Alvarez Durant.

At 10:55 A.M., August 8, 1978, Committee staff members

interviewed Ramon Alvarez Durant. (See Ramon Alvarez Durant

interview write-up.)

At 12:30 P.M., Committee staff members telephoned

Captain Fernandez Ventura Gutierrez. His secretary explained

that Mr. Ventura was not in the office, but that she would

have him call us when he returned. At 6:30 P.M., since Mr.

Ventura had not yet returned the staffers call, they again

called his office. His secretary apologized for Mr. Ventura

and explained that he had not yet returned to the office and

NW 66000 Doads2?7883 pages that he would telephone upon his return. At

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9:15 P.M. DI. Jesus Yañez, the Assistant to the Oficial Mayor,

telephoned the staff members explaining that Mr. Ventura was

very busy on

an important assignment and

asked us to visit

the Procuradúria General at 11:00 A.M. the following morning.

At 10:15 A.M., August 9, 1978, Committee staff

members met with State Department Official Richard Howard to

alert him that the Committee would request the Mexican officials

to make Sylvia Duran available in Washington for the hearings.

Mr. Howard explained that once we had permission from the

Mexican government the State Department would insure that she

was in Washington when necessary.

At 11:00 A.M., August 9, 1978, Committee staff members

met with Dr. Jesus Yanez and Ciprianio Martinez Novoa. Mr.

Yanez told Committee staff members that Ciprianio Martinez

Novoa, the agent in

charge, would try to aid us in all our

interviews. Mr. Martinez then briefed the Committee staff

members on their up-to-date progress:

Oscar Contreras Lartigue had been located and pre-

interviewed by Mr. Martinez in Tampico,

We would

fly to Tampico on Friday, August 11, 1978 at 7:35 A.M.

Noe W. Palomares had been located and could be inter-

viewed on Thursday, August 10, 1978 in the afternoon at his

office, Cerrada de la Presa 4. His phone number, 595-0891,

was made available to the Committee.

June Cobb Sharp received a trouist permit, number 72781,

on June 27, 1947. She entered Mexico through Nuevo Laredo,

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Texas.

She asked, but was denied, permission to represent

the magazine, Modern Mexico. On June 21, 1948, she received

a courtesy permit, number 25556. She disappeared in 1954 and

never returned to Mexico.

The Committee staffers did not tell the Mexicans

that the House Select Committee on Assassinations has evidence,

her 201 file, that she was in Mexico in the Sixties.

Eunice Odio Infante, a Costa Rican, received a three-

month permit on February 9, 1954. She remained in Mexico, il-

legally residing at Nacas-45-a, until 1972. She applied to

write for the Excelsior magazine on many different occasions,

but was rejected every time. In 1972, Ms. Odio married a

Communist painter, Rudolfo Sanabria Gonzalez and moved to Rio

Neba-16 apartment 40. On May 24, 1972, Ms. Odio was found

dead in her bathtub. The official presiding at her autopsy

concluded that Ms. Odio had poisoned herself.

Emilio Carballido Fontanes was in Caracas, Venezuela,

on vacation and scheduled to return to Mexico in early

September. His address

is Constituyentes 207. His phone

number is 515-8345.

Consuelo Esperon's record in Mexico could not be

located. When the Mexican officials inquired about her at the

Cuban Embassy in Mexico City, no one at the office remembered

that she had worked there.

Committee staff members were told

that Esperon was probably dead.

Al Wichtrich worked at Royal Crown Cola until 1968

when their offices in Mexico closed.

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Carlos Jurado J. Delmar was born in Cuba November

3, 1927. He entered Mexico July 1, 1965 and taught Graphing

and Art at U.N.A.M. until January 1, 1968 when he disappeared.

The Mexican officials assume

that he returned to Cuba.

General Jesus Jose Clark Flores died in the early

1970's.

Ernesto Lehfeld Miller, Academic Coordinator at the

School of Interior Design, had not yet been located.

•Luis Alberue Suoto lives at Michelet #7, Apartment

#301, Cionõia Aneura, Mexico City. His phone number is

door

545-9947. The landlady at his apartment explained to the

Mexican officials that Mr. Alberue had left town hurriedly

on Monday, August 7, 1978. Mr. Martinez, wishing to know

when he returned, had placed a piece of scotch tape on the

bottom right edge of his door.

Mr. Martinez explained that

he checked it every four hours and would notify us if Alberue

returned before we left.

Manuel Calvillo did not live at Cuanhtemoc 877-5 as

the Committee had stated. Mr. Martinez spoke to the landlady.

at the apartment for the past twenty-five years who said that

no Manuel Calvillo had ever resided there. Committee staff

members explained that Calvillo went by a pen-name which would

be forwarded. the

following morning.

When Committee staff members inquired whether Ms.

Sylvia Tirado Bazan could testify at the hearings, the Mexican

officials stated that they would have an answer for the staffers

by Friday morning. The Mexican officials explained that they

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would have to speak to her to insure that she was willing

to travel to Washington.

On Thursday, August 10, 1978, Committee staff members

met with Dr. Jesus Yanez, Agent Ciprianio Martinez Novoa,

Capitan Florentino Ventura Gutierrez and Attorney General

Licensiado Dr.

Baeza at 11:00 A.M. The same

information listed for the 11:00 A.M., August 9, 1978,

meeting was reviewed. Manuel Calvillo's "pen-name" was given

to the Mexicans who stated that they would check it with the

landlady.

Committee staffers returned to their hotel room with

Agent Ciprianio Martinez Novoa after the meeting. Agent

Martinez attempted in vain to telephone Oscar Contreras

Lartigue to inform him of our visit. At 3:30 P.M., Agent

Martinez finally reached Mr. Contreras' child who informed him

that Mr. Contreras was not in Tampico. He had traveled to

Mexico City for a Paxfido Republicano Institucional convention.

When Agent Martinez asked the child if he knew where his

father was staying in Mexico, he responded that he did not.

Agent Martinez explained to the child that he would call at a

later time to speak to his mother.

Agent Martinez telephoned Noe W. Palomares at 4:00 ₽.M.

and arranged an interview at 6:30 P.M. that evening. Mr.

Martinez asked Committee staff members to meet him at his

office at the Procuraduria General at 6:00 P.M.

At 6:00 P.M., August 10, 1978, Committee staff members

met Agent Ciprianio Martinez at the Procuraduria General, ana

NW 66000 Dohd:3279653 page to Mr. Palomares' office. At 6:30 P.M., Committee

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staff members interviewed Noe W. Palomares.

(See Noe W.

Palomares interview write-up.)

After the interview Agent Martinez returned to the

Maria Isabel Hotel with Committee staff members. He attempted

to reach Mrs. Contreras at Tampico twice with no luck. At 9:45

P.M., he finally contacted her.

Mrs. Contreras told Agent

Martinez that Mr. Oscar Contreras had told her that he would

try to get a room at either the Hotel Regis or Hotel San

Francisco. Mrs. Contreras explained that since there were a

few conventions scheduled in Mexico City that weekend she

could not assure that he would be at either. Mrs. Contreras

told Agent Martinez that she would notify him if her husband

should call.

Mr. Martinez called both hotels and inquired whether

Oscar Contreras Lartigue was registered. He was not registered

at either; they were completely booked-up.

Mr. Martinez attempted to reach Sylvia

Tirado Bazan

at her home to ask her whether she would be willing to travel

to Washington for a hearing date and to ask whether she knew

where Mr. Ernesto Lehfeld Miller could be located. She was

not in.

Agent Martinez explained that he would go to the hotel

where the Partido Republicano Institucional was holding its

convention early the following morning; after which he would

meet the staff members at 9:30 A.M. at their hotel room.

At 9:45 A.M., August 11, 1978, Agent Martinez met

Committee staffers at their hotel room and explained that he

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was unable to locate Mr. Contreras Lartigue at the convention.

Mr. Martinez then left to check on Mr. Alberue Suoto and Sylvia

Tirado Bazan.

At 12:30 P.M., August 11, 1978, Agent Martinez returned

to the Committee staff members' hotel room. He telephoned

Mrs. Contreras

at Tampico who stated that her husband had not

telephoned her since she had last spoken to Agent Martinez.

At 1:50 P.M., another agent, Honorio Escondon telephoned Agent

Martinez at

the Committee staffers' hotel room to inform him

that Luis Alberue Suoto must be back in town because the scotch

tape was no longer in place. At

1:55 P.M., Agent Martinez

telephoned Luis Alberue Suoto. Alberue denied that he had

worked at the Cuban Embassy in the Sixties, stated that he knew

nothing about the assassination and declined the Committee

staff members' request to interview him.

At 2:00 P.M., August 11, 1978, Agent Martinez telephoned

Sylvia Duran. Agent Martinez then gave the telephone to

Committee staffer Lopez. Mr. Lopez asked Mrs. Duran whether

she would be willing to testify sometime in September at the

Committee hearings in Washington; she answered affirmatively.

She stated that September 13th, 14th and 15th would not be

"good days" because the Mexican Revolution celebration would

be taking place and she was a planner and participant. When

Mr. Lopez asked Ms. Tirado if she knew Mr. Ernesto Lehfeld

Miller's phone number, she stated that she did not. She stated

tht if we telephoned her ex-husband Horatio at either 516-0398

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Page Nine

or 515-8621, he

would be able to help us.

At 2:15 P.M., Committee staffer Lopez telephoned

Horatio Duran, who gave him Ernesto Lehfeld Miller's office

phone number, 548-4839. At 2:20 P.M., Lopez telephones Mr.

Miller and arranged a meeting for 9:00 P.M. that evening.

At 2:30 P.M., Agent Martinez telephoned Capitan

Ventura to report on his progress. When Martinez told Ventura

that he had located Alberue, Ventura asked him if he was

alone. When Agent Martinez lied and stated that he was alone,

Ventura told him that he should under no circumstances allow

us to interview Alberue. When Agent Martinez completed his

phone call, he said "I don't understand why nobody wants you

to talk to him. "

At 9:-0 P.M., August 11, 1978, Committee staffers

interviewed Ernesto Lehfeld Miller. (See Ernesto Lehfeld

Miller interview write-up.)

At 11:15 A.M., August 12, 1978, Committee staffer

Lopez called Luis Alberue Suoto at his home. When Mr. Lopez

identified himself, Mr. Alberue immediately stated that he

knew nothing. He further stated that he never worked for the

Cuban Embassy. When Lopez explained to him that employees at

the Cuban Embassy had stated that he had been employed there,

Mr. Suoto hung up. Mr. Alberbue's voice quivered throughout

the short talk.

At 11:45 A.M., Sylvia Tirado called Lopez and stated

that she had thought

about traveling to Washington, all night.

She said that she had seen a report in the papers where Azcue

NW 66000 Doha3227t6s5 Pageht the man who visited the Cuban Consulate in 1963

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was not Lee Harvey Oswald. She

stated that Azcue had only seen

him once while she had seen him "at least three times"

• When

Lopez said, "At least three times?", Mrs. Duran said, "Three

times, you know?"

She further stated that if she testified

in Washington and the Committee concluded that she was lying

she would be crucified when she returned to Mexico. Mr.

Lopez reassured her and explained that he would send her a

long

letter explaining procedures when he returned to Washington.

At 12:05 P.M., Agent Martinez met the Committee staff

members at the airport. He stated that Contreras

and Calvillo

had not been found. The Committee staffers gave Martinez a

list of questions to ask Oscar Contreras Lartigue. Agent

Martinez stated that he would mail the results of the interview

to Lopez at the Committee offices in Washington.

The Committee staff members left Mexico City at

1:55 P.M. and arrived at Washington's Dulles Airport at 10:35

P. M.

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