MEMO:VISIT OF CUBAN EXILE VICTOR ESPINOSA
Originator: CIA
From: ARA - GEORGE LISTER
To: ARA/CCA - 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 1992

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ARA/CCA - MI. Stevenson

2295 8, 1035

ARA - George Lister

RETURNTO CHA

Background Use Only

Do Not Reproduce

Visit of Cuban Exile Victor Espinosa

In accordance with our conversation yesterday I have set

forth below a-report on the visit. of Victor Espinosa.m.::

A Venezuelan Christian Democratic friend of mine, Valmore

Acevedo, callad ma- from New York. City yesterday worning.io ask

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

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

Shepticism, Acavedo urgently repeated ais request and I agreed.

Within a surprisingly-short time the Cuban, Victor Ispinosa,

arrived. at my office (be said he had taken the plane imnedi-..

ately): Espinosa gave his address and telephone number as

follows: 415 East 52ad Street, MA 1-7375. d suomary of hia

statements followe. = ?..

Moderes

Espinosa. bas-been involved in Cuban liberation activitles

for many years. He opposed. Batista and opposes castro.. le is

not a-member of the March 13 Movement, but has long been very

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

trained. by CIA, In both Louisiana and Guatenala, and was one

of those who was sent into Cuba prior to the 3ay of Pigs.

He

plans to become an American citizen in Augusc of tais year.

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

tence lo many fields. He asked 3 Naw York acquaintenance of

his for the name of someone in the Department involved in

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

official.

Espinosa asiced Acevedo (vithout, he elains, ra-

vea11ng his story), and the latter called me.

A little earlier this year Espinosa received a zequest

Erom one of bis reliabia Cuban consacts in Juropa, asking that

he come thare quickly.

Espinosa went to Miami, obcained false

Cuban papers, and went to Zaris.

There, apparently in the

presenca Of the Cuban Ambassador to France, he nat one of che

top securicy" men of the Castro regime, wno had come to ?aris

for that purpose.

curing varioua meetings, boch in france anu

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in Spain (which Espinosa

entered illegally), Espinosa was in-

formed that there is a plan to overthrow the Castro regime

and to kill Castro and some of his main leaders.

The plot is

led by Cubeled 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 1s growing risk of exposure. They are anxious to have

some coordination, or at least consultation, with responsible

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

out fight against the Castro forces, and are thinking more ir

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 might do to help, now and/or

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

the United States Goverment to what was being planned.

unreliable.: A Cuban girl-yas sent to Madrid some time ago by

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

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

He

aiso arranged for her to work with the International Rescue

Committee. "When the proper moment came, four months ago, she

flew back to Havana with some very useful files.

In these

circumstances. the Cuban plotters have no confidence whetever

in Willlanson? 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 Spain for an answer.

He called

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

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

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

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

being intelligent and reliable. Espinoge understands that Hal

of 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 callirg him,

cautiously asking whether there has been some

"response"

but Espinosa has had to keep putting then off.

Meanwnile,

the Cuban who was waiting in Spain

for the answer has had

return. Espinosa keeps waiting to hear whether the Americans

will play ball with the Cubelas group.

The plot has lasted

for over l8 months,

and the plotters plan to go

ahead very

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

reason is that they almost have to go shead 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?), located at 47th Street,

In New York

City.

TeppexIino 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 Teppellino. However, the latter Ioos

CIA.

for example, the Ambassador agrees to sell for $80,000.

leppellino informs CIA the price 18 $110,000, 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 Ambassador 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.

Conment:

Espinosa

was not overly tense and did not indulge in his-

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

chi hon.

matter further if he did not get some response within the very

near future.

altity un the basis ot this one conversation.

and do not have to, judge his reli-

However, If 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

ell sorts of obvious possibilities, including provocation.

In accordance with what we agreed on, while Espinosa wis

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

this was not the sort of thing we

However, I addad

that I would see to it that someona called him.

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.

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