VISIT OF CUBAN EXILE VICTOR ESPINOSA.
Originator: CIA
From: LISTER, GEORGE
To: MR. STEVENSON
Document date: 07/09/1965
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 19923

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ARA/CCA - Mr. Steverson

July 9, 1965

ARA - George Lister

Visit of Cuban Exile Victor Espinosa.

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In accordance with our conversation yesterday-I have.set

forth below a report on the visit of Victor Espinosa, mael:

7.7:

A Venezuelan Christian Democratic friend of mine, Valmore

Acevedo, called me. from New York City yesterday worning.to ask

as. a personal: favor-that. I receive a Cuban exile. living there

who bad something amazing". to tell me.. When I expressed mild

skepticism, Acevedo urgently repeated his request and I agreed.

Within a surprisingly-short time the Cuban, Victor Espinosa, r

arrived at my office (he said be bad taken the plane. immedia:

ately):. Espinosa gave-his address and telephone number as

follows: 415 East 52nd Street, HA 1-7875.. A summary of his

statements follows ne here

A200:

in watchit,

Espinosa. bas been involved in Cuban liberation activittes

Ios many -years: de opposed satista and opposes vacto de is

close-to many of 1ts leaders, Including Cubelas. Espinosa was

trained by CIA, In both Louisiana and Guatemala, and was

one..

of those who was sent into Cuba prior to the Bay of Pigs.: He

plans. to become an American citizen in August of this -year.:

He admires the United. States and American strength and compe-

tence In many fields.: He asked a New York acquaintenance of::

his for the name of someone in the Department lavolved

in

Latin American affairs. He-was told Acevedo knew such an

official.

Espinosa asked Acevedo (without, he claims, re-

vealing his story), and the latter called me.

A little earlier this year Espinosa received & request

from one of hia reliable Cuban contacts in furope, asking that

he come there quickly.:

Espinosa went to Miami, obtained false

Cuban papers, and went to Paris.

There, apparently in the

presenca of the Cuban Ambassador to France, he net one of the

"top security" men of the Castro regime, who had come to farls

for that purpose.

During various meetings, both in France and

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in Spain (which Espinosa entered illegully), Espinosa

was in-

formed that there is a plan to overthion the Castro regime

and to kill Castro and some of his main leaders.

The plot is

led by Cubelay and some of the March 13 Movement, plus (I be-

lieve) some military officers.

They must move very quickly

because more and more people are learning of the plot and

there is growing risk of exposure. They are anxious to have

some coordination, of at leet consultation,

with responsible

Americens.: They are not confident that they could win an all-

out fight against the Cestro forces, and are thinking more in

terms of taking control for a short time (perhaps only a few

hours), killing Castro and his most effective men (thus

ruining the Castro movement forever), and then trying to hold

out-for as long as feasible.. It is essential that they know

what; if anything, the Americans night do to help, now and/or

later, when the coup is attempted. Also, they wished to alert

the United States Goverrment to what was being planned.

*The Cubans night have turned to Earl Williamson, the CIA

man in Hadrid. However, they belleve Williamson is completely

unteliable.. A Cuban girl-was sent to Madrid some time ago by

the Castro people.r-Williamson was fooled by her and, being

very fond of women, set her up in an apartment in Madrid.

Elso arranged for her to work with the International Rescue

to her up

He

Eyew tack to the her women came out tonths thes she

cixcumstances: the Cuban plotters have no confidence whatever

in Williamson.

They urgently asked Espinosa to be their go-

between with reliable American officials. The "top security"

man returned to Havana, while one representative of the

plotters waited in Spein for an answer.

-i Espinosa hurriedly returned to New York City. He called

O'Brien of the New York FBI to ask that the latter arrange for

his to telk with some serious and reliable man from CIA.

O'Brien did so. Espinose then told the foregoing story, and

more, to a CIA man named "Hal". Hal impressed Espinosa

* men pame

as

being intelligent and reliable. Espinose understands that Hal

or someone else went. to Spain to check on his story. At all

events, Espinosa was assured CiA understood the urgency of the

matter and that he would be called within a few days.

A week

hes passed. However, no call has come and time is rapidly.

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running out. Espinosa's friends in Paris keep calling him,

cautiously asking

whether there has been some "response"

but Espinosa has had to keep putting then off. Meanwhile,

the Cuban who was waiting in Spain for the answer has had

to

return.

Espinosa

keeps waiting to hear whether the Americans

will play ball with the Cubela's group.

The plot has lasted

for over ls months, and the plotters plan to go ahead very

soon no matter whether the Americans "play ball" or not. One

reason is that they ulmost have to go ahead now, for the plot

will soon be discovered and then it will be entirely hopeless.

Espinosa also referred to a jeweler by the name of

Teppellino (spelling?), loceted at 47th Street, In New York

City.

Teppe)Iino works for CIA and has frequent contact with

the Cuban Ambassador, In Paris. The Ambassador regularly dis-

poses of jewelry and other valuables made available from Cuba.

He does this through Teppeltino. However, the latter foole

CiA. ¿for example, the Ambassedor agrees to sell for $80,000.

Teppe, lino informs ClA the price is 8110, 000, and quietly

pockets the difference. On the other hand, Teppellino and

CIA think the Cuban Ambassador does not know he is working for

CIA, but the Ambsesador does know..

Espinosa is determined to bring the very dangerous

situation of the Cuban plot to the attention of some top level

official in the United States Government unless he receives.

at least some reply from CIA.

Comment:

Espinosa was not overly tense and did not indulge in his-

trionics, but I felt he was quite determined to push this

near future. I cannot, and do not have to, judge his rell-

ability on the basis of this one conversation. However, 1f I

had to guess at this point I would be inclined to accept most

of what he said about actual events. But of course there are

all sorts of obvious possibilities, including provocation.

In accordance with what we agreed on, while Espinosa was

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waiting, I returned and told him at some length that of course

was not the sort of thing we got into. However, I added

that I would see to it that someone called him. I further

said that, unofficially, I had enjoyed talking with him.

Espinosa seemed somewbat mollified and tamporarily reassured

by this. However, I doubt very much that he will wait longer

than. two or three days more before making another attempt to

bring this situation to a head.

.""

ramn radei

8 's

loyall,

runt Wish ties

...

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