MEMO: CUBAN DELEGATION PLANNING TO COME TO WASHINGTON
Originator: CIA
From: WH/4/SA/ECON
To: FOR THE RECORD
Document date: 01/13/1961
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

• STONET

13 January 1961

MEMORINDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT: Cuban Delegation Planning to Come to Washington

$. At 1730 hours 12 January Mr. Barnes was given a summary

of our present information concorning subject, which consisted of the

sollowing itome: 1: The purpose 5, the Ciruciete in

To thank Presidont Eisenhower for the $1, 000, 000

rolléf fund made available for Cuban rofugees.

b. To thank the Peruvian Ambassador for the break

in relations between Peru and Cuba.

c. To try to get an audence with the OAS in order

to influence other Latin Amorlean countries to break

rolationg with Cuba,

2.

According to a Bender source (AMCLATTER-1) who taiked

with Tony Varona, Varona considora this a completely unilateral

operation, l.e., an Autentico Party operatton.

It was arranyed by

Tony through me Ernesto Mojas who contacted White House officiala

Hopkins and White. Also involved are Manolo Braña, Jose Antonio

Miestre and an MRR mati namod Jose Antonio Mendes, (AMCLATTER-1

also mentioned a (fnu) Manolin Hernandez, a wealthy sugar man

connected with the Reforma Central:) AMCLATTER-1 had no

information concerning the size of the group although catinates seem

to run from a few hundred to about a thousand.

3. Frum Mr. Jacobe we hear that Rojas is an unofficial delegate

o! AMBIDDY and lives at 6711 Glencarlyn Drive, Lake Barcroft, Falls

Church,

JEfferson 2-5598.

A call to this number was answered by

Rojas' wife who sald yes, he is connerted with the matter of 1, 000

signatures for presentation to Eisenhower.

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4. Bill Kent reported from Miami that Rojas is working with

Manuel Brana and in New York with Jose Antonio Mestre, alias Joso

Agustine Mendez. Rojas talked to Mr.. White and Mr. Hopkins of the

White House Staff in Pennsylvania recently.

5. AMCLATTER-1 also reported that Tony Varona said he was

dealing with Eduardo Gonzalez, a Rescate man in New York, who was

bringing down 300 people from New York in addition to the unspecified

number of people coming from Miami.

6. AMCLATTER-I commented that when Rasco found out about

the proposed trip he called the MDE representative, name unknown,

In New York and told him to are that the movement was stopped since

it was not FRD-sponsored. Eduardo Gonzalez called Varona to try to

get the MDC representative to lay off, which Tony did, assuring. Rasco

Mr. Stanulle suggested that Mr. Barnes should make it quite

clear in any conversationa at the White Mouss that we seriously dowbt

that at this stage Varona or anyone else can exerl very much control

if the delegation comes to Washington. This seems obvioua since by

now not only does it seem that several groups in addition to Varona'g

were initiaily involved in the organisation of the cavalcade but others

may well try to get into the act.

We have been promined through the Bender channel more

precise Information on whon the cavalcade will arrive but given the

somewhat confusud picture one cannot count on receiving advarco

word.

Note: See memorandum to A/DDP/A, subject "Jose Manuel Brana

Duran, "

:

R. E. Whedbes

WH/&/SA/Econ

REWhedbee:1ch (13 Jan 1961)

Distribution:

Original and 1 - E/WH/+/PA

1 - WHA/Registry

1= Originator

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