OVERVIEW PAPER ON CASTRO-COMMUNIST SUBVERSION
Originator: JCS
From: V.H.KRULAK
To: ICCCA
Document date: 1963-05-14 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32424012

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

6/24/201

AGENCY:

ARMY

RECORD NUMBER:

198-10007-10019

RECORD SERIES :

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

CALIFANO PAPERS

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

JCS

FROM:

V.H.KRULAK

TO:

ICCCA

TITLE:

OVERVIEW PAPER ON CASTRO-COMMUNIST SUBVERSION

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

05/14/1963

13

Released under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection Act ol

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#:NW

66000 Date: 11-04-2021

IMPEDING TRAVEL TO CUBA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Secret

RESTRICTIONS: 1C; 4

CURRENT STATUS : Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 04/02/1998

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS:

Califano Papers, Box 4, Folder 17. Memo from Krulak to the ICCCA re: Overview Paper on

Castro-Communist Subversion.

JFK Review

epartment of the Army EO 1352

* Declassify → Exclude ~ Exem

Authority_

• Refer To.

Review Date 8112/20 15 By KES

NO STATE OBJECTION

TO DECLASSIFICATION

BY CIL

_ DATE 81/148/16

v.l

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 1

28

---

## Page 2

SECRET

THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF

WASHINGTON 25, D.C.

SUE CONVITTLE ON CUBAN SUSVERSION

THE JOINT STAFF

SACSA-M 286-63

14 May

1963

MEMORANDUM FOR THE INTERDEPARTVENIAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE

ON CUBAN AFFAIRS

Subject:

Overview Paper on Castro-Communist

Subversion

1. At a recent meeting the members of the Sub-Committee

on Cuban Subversion discussed the critical need for an

overview of the Castro-Communist subversion situation

in Latin America, in light of the many aetions which have

been proposed or adopted in recent months.

It was

envisioned that such a presentation would

be

designed on

o country-by-country basis, giving fectual evidence of

change in the situation in each country, and expressed

In terms of the topics upon which we have recently

developed studies.

2. The analysis should be developed from information

largely avallable in Washington, as opposed to requiring

speciel reports fron the field;

and should be prepared as

or 1 June, to be avallable not later than 1 July.

3. The Committee authorized me to recommend to you

that preparation of a paper of the scope outlined above

be required.

V. H. KHULAK

Major General, USMC

Chairman

SECRET

DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS;

DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YUARS.

DOD DIR 5200.10

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 2

---

## Page 3

SECRET

SUB-COMMITTEE ON CUBAN SUBVERSION

9 May 1963

MEMORANDUM FOR THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATING

COMMITTEE ON CUBAN AFFAIRS

SUBJECT:

Second Progress Report, Sub-Committee on Cuban

Subversion

ENCLOSURE: Progress Achieved during April in Impeding Travel

to Cuba

1. The enclosure hereto summarizes progress made by the

several departments and agencies, during the month of April, in

executing the actions approved by the President on 8 March 1963,

to control the movement of subversives and subversive trainees to

and from Cuba.

2. In addition to the program on control of subversive travel,

action programs were completed in all of the companion areas, and

were forwarded for approval on the dates indicated below:

a. Controls on Movement of Propaganda Material - 14 March 1963

b.. Controls on Movement of Arms - 14 March 1963

c. The Organization of a Caribbean Surveillance System -

15 March 1963

d. The Exchange of Intelligence - 25 March 196.

•. Controls on Movement of Funds - 10 April 1963

f. Training of Latin Americans in the United States -

3. A significant development during the month of April bearing

on the action programs proposed by the Sub-Committee was the

Ministerial Meeting held in Managua, Nicaragua, on 3-4 April. The

Managua meeting produced a set of eight resolutions which, when

implemented, will proceed along the same major avenues as the

SECRET

GROUP-1

EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC

DOWNGRADING AND DECLASSIFICATION

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 3

---

## Page 4

SECRET

action programs proposed by the Sub-Committee. An interdepart-

mental team is currently visiting the Isthmian capitals, consulting

with Ministers of Government and authorities designated by them in

the fields of immigration control, customs control, coastal sur-

veillance and the organization of a local counter-subversive agency.

For the Sub-Committee:

V. H. KRULAK

Major General, USMC

Chairman

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 4

---

## Page 5

SECRET

PROGRESS ACHIEVED DURING APRIL IN IMPEDING TRAVEL TO CUBA

1. The Department of State has:

a. Participated in the drafting of a resolution passed at

the 3-4 April Managua meeting respecting discouragement of

travel of Latin Americans to Cuba for training in subversion.

The text of the

resolution is appended hereto.

b. Headed an interdepartmental team currently visiting

the Isthmian capitals with the objective of securing, where

feasible, the fullest and quickest implementation of all the

recommendations agreed on at Managua. Prior to the depar-

ture of the team, Department of State posts were instructed

to inform the host governments of the trip and to encourage

them to identify the kinds and extent of technical assistance

it would be most useful for the United States to furnish.

c. Caused to be noted in U.S. passports since 1 April that

they are not valid for travel to Cuba.

d. Following an indication that the Bolivian Government

might be willing to increase efforts to impede travel of its

nationals to Cuba, instructed the U.S. Embassy to recommend

that the GOB:

(1) Ban travel to Cuba by Bolivian nationals except

for official or special purposes approved

by the GOB, and

establish legal penalties for violations;

(2) Require Bolivian citizens to have a passport or

other GOB document to travel abroad;

(3) Make such document invalid for travel to Cuba

unless

specially endorsed;

(4) Seek arrangements with third countries which are

important

transit points under which third

countries

will assist the GOB in preventing unauthorized travel

by Bolivians and will help identify violators.

. Drawing on the recommendation in the paper on "The Move-

ment of Subversives

and Subversive Trainees

and other sources,

prepared telegrams to the non-Isthmian posts, instructing them

to encourage host governments to take additional counter-

subversion steps. Each instruction was tailored to the local

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 5

---

## Page 6

SECRET

situation in the recipient country and included appropriate

suggestions as to strategy which might be used in securing

implementation of the desired actions.

I. Requested posts in Latin America to encourage host

governments to take appropriate measures to discourage

participation of their nationals in Cuba's May Day cele-

bration,

and to prevent charter flights from their country

to Cuba

for the celebration.

2. The Department of Defense has :

a. Continued the U.S.

sea and air surveillance of the

area surrounding Cuba

until 25 April 1963, at the same rate

and with the same emphasis as existed prior to that date.

Since 25 April 1963, additional sea surveillance has been

realized between Cuba and Haiti, due to the stationing of

the Caribbean Ready Amphibious Squadron at the entrance of

the Gulf of Gonaives occasioned by the deterioration of

internal conditions within Haiti. Reports of

subversive

movement, or suspected subversive movement, obtained by

U,S. surveillance are available for immediate transmittal

through the U.s. military alerting system.

b. Flowing from recommendations by the committee,

greatly accelerated current programs for the installation

of military communications facilities in Latin America.

As Of 1 April, a commercial submarine cable from Florida

to Panama became operational.

This cable gives reliable

voice and teletype communications to CINCARIB including

both classified teletype and voice. Negotiations are con-

tinuing in Honduras, Colombia and Ecuador for the instal-

lation of military radio facilities. Installation of a

multi-channel radio station has been completed in Costa

Rica.

A similar facility in Nicaragua is scheduled for

completion by 1 July 1963.

c. Established an Intelligence Center at CARIBCOM

in connection with the program of surface

surveillance of the Caribbean, for rapid processing and

dissemination to countries concerned, via

the American Am-

bassadors,.of intelligence on the movement of subversives.

SECRET

2

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 6

---

## Page 7

SECRET

d. Established: on 11 April a U.S. military alerting

system operated by CINCARIB and CINCLANT.

Pursuant to the

request of the Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee on

Cuban Affairs the Department of Defense has suspended

the

use of the Military Groups

in the alerting system and is

working with CIA to reduce duplication of effort to a mini-

mum .

e. Alerting U.S. forces, for the most part within the

Atlantic Command, to be prepared to provide U.S. assistance

in the final interception of shipping in territorial waters

upon request by the country concerned. Currently, forces

are assigned by the unified commander involved, to meet the

I. Ordered to the Canal Zone a Coast Guard Mobile

Training Team for a period of six months, beginning 15 May

1963, to provide training, in Spanish, In boat handling

and maintenance together with surveillance techniques to.

those Central American countries having 40 foot Coast Guard

Utility Boats. In addition, the Mobile Training Team will

assist as required in establishing a permanent Small Craft

Training and Inspection Facility in the Canal Zone. One

40 foot utility boat has been permanently assigned

to the

U.S. Naval Station, Rodman, Canal Zone for use by the MTT and

will be delivered there about 20 June.

3. The Central Intelligence Agency has:

a. Completed its efforts to Improve U.S. government

communications in Latin America by the installation of the

remaining two commercial leased circuits into Guatemala

City and Managua, and the stationing on a permanent basis

of 35 CIA radio operators in Latin America in replacement

of temporary duty personnel. In November 1962, CIA*s active

radio facilities in 20 Latin American capitals were augmented

with on line cryptographic facilities and temporary personnel

to handle the bulk of all U.S. government communications in

the area.

These facilities, know as Joint Communications

Centers, are now being operated by CIA on a 24-hour basis,

as a service to all U.S.

government agencies.

Latin American

traffic handled by the CIA base radio station near Washington

has increased from 3,000, 000 groups handled in October 1962

to 15,000,000 groups handled in March 1963.

b. Increased its efforts designed to control the movement

of persons, arms and propaganda materials to and from Cuba.

A summary of actions by country is provided below:

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 7

3

---

## Page 8

SECRET

1) Argentina - Station;:

in conjunction with the

Embassy, has continued to

press the Argentine govern-

ment to enact effective travel control legislation and

to adopt measures recommended by the Special Consultative

Committee on Security of the OAS. Information on Argentines

travelling to Cuba is being furnished to the Argentine

government by the station. Several potential travellers

to Cuba have been spotted

and are being assessed by the

station.

Information from three recent returnees from

Cuba is being obtained through debriefings. Station re-

ports that because of increased Mexican controls al

truly clandestine travel to Cuba from Argentina is now via

Che Guevara's mother was arrested on 23 April

upon her return to Argentina for importing Castro propa-

2) Bolivia - Station and Embassy have been urging

Bolivian government to adopt stricter travel controls,

without apparent results so far. Names of travellers

known to have returned

from Cuba are being furnished to

the Bolivian government.

Thus far, no action is known

to have been taken by the Bolivian government on the

strength of such information. Station comments that prob

lem with Bolivia is not in lack of information available

to government on Cuban subversion, but in getting Bolivia

to do something about it.

3) Brazil - Information on Brazilians who have received

subversive training in Cuba has been made available to

the Brazilian Foreign Office, through the American Ambassa-

dor, and to the National Security Council through CIA.

liaison with the NSC's Security Service.

An asset of the CIA station in Rio is in a position

to harass and delay Cuba-bound travellers in those

instances where the station is able to tip him off

garding their destination. He can also harass returnees

when informed in advance.

The station is taking steps to

get appropriate information to him promptly.

4) Chile - Chilean internal security authorities,

at urging of station, are trying to impede and harass

travellers to and from Cuba.

Government is now requiring

passport applicants to state destination, and passports

must be turned in after travel. The Foreign Minister.

has stated much progress is being made, with cooperation:

of the Mexican government, and that travel of Chileans to

has been dramatically reduced in recent weeks.

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 8

4

---

## Page 9

SECRET

Station and Embassy are continuing pressure on Cuban

government in this regara.

Names of travellers to Cuba

are being passed to the Ambassador, who furnishes them

to President Alessandri (who has asked that this collab-

oration be kept secret). Information from CIA unilateral

operations against Cuban Embassy 1s being used by a newly

created Chilean surveillance team in checking out purpose

of travel projected and in following up on returnees from

station has an agent in daily contact with

leaders of the extreme militant left and is exploring

possibilities.of sending three station assets to Cuba

for training and intelligence missions. A Cuban First

Secretary was declared persona non grata during April for

using false identity documents, and the Cuban charge

d'affaires was subsequently recalled by his own government.

5) Colombia - Chief of Customs has indicated to station

his willingness to institute an improved travel control

system.

One station asset expects to travel to Cuba

in the

near future.

Station believes it has identified

a courier operating between Colombia and Cuba ana has

mounted an operation to uncover his Colombian contacts.

6) Costa Rica - Station reports little pro-Castro

activity during April. No recorded travel to or from

Cuba has taken place.

Local authorities appear inclined

to cooperate in control program.

7) Dominican Republic - Efforts to get Juan Bosch to

take active steps against Communists and travellers

and from Cuba have been fruitless to date, as have been

efforts to establish a new and effective Internal security

organization in the Dominican Republic.

Bosch appears

to have lost his previously stated enthusiasm for such

a service, but efforts to persuade him to approve a

proposed budget for the service are continuing.

8) Ecuador - Station reports that, largely as a result

of both overt and covert propaganda

activities of U.S.

agencies in Ecuador, the public awareness of Cuban sub-

version has changed

from apathy to genuine concern.

government, however, is no more inclined to take action

than before.

The National Director of Immigration has

stated that he personally would like to do whatever he

can to stop travel to Cuba, which he realizes is for

subversive purposes, but present laws do not permit him

to impede travel via third countries.

He is exploring

possibilities of reprisals against citizens who return

SECRET

5

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 9

---

## Page 10

from Cuba, He has checked a list of names and passport

numbers obtained by CIA from airline manifests in Mexico,

and reports that not one name or passport number corres-

ponds with official Ecuadoran records, indicating the

possibility of fabrication of passports by Cuba.

A recent Ecuadoran returnee from Cuba, recruited by

the station, lost his hand in testing a homemade bomb

made in accordance with instructions received in Cuba.

He made a public statement and wide publicity was

arranged by the station and USIS

Plans are to keep this

incident alive as proof of revolutionary training given

in Cuba for terrorist activity in Ecuador.

The station chief has accompanied the American

Ambassador on visits to the Ecuadoran Ministers of Defense

and Government to stress the threat of Cuban backed

subversion.

Approximately 7,000 pounds of Communist propaganda

are being destroyed monthly as a result of a unilateral

operation of the CIA Base in Guayaquil.

9) Haiti - Station reports that several assets have

travelled to points outside Port-au-Prince in an effort

to learn of possible travel to and from Cuba. Repörts

from areas of Cape Haitien, Port de Paix, and La Gonave

and La Tortue Islands, were negative.

10) Honduras - The government has shown little inclina-

tion to tighten up. on travel control.

A travel control

system presented to the Minister of Government has been

fully approved by him, but not yet put into effect.

Several known Honduran Communists have recently travelled

to Cuba.

Information as to their identities is being

furnished to President Villeda through the U.S. Ambassador.

11) Mexico - A CIA source states the Cuban Embassy has

issued I0-15 visas during April on pieces of paper

separate Irom the passport, but the government's practice

of stamping all passports to show travel to or from Cuba

has largely nullified this effort by travellers to avoid

the stigma of travel to Cuba.

arriving in

Mexico, whether in transit or otherwise must have Mexican

This is not true of other nationalities, who need.

no visa if in transit.

The government continues

confiscate propaganda material from Cuba sporadically at

the airport. The government recently refused visas to

five Cuban doctors who wished to attend a Urology Congress

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 10

---

## Page 11

SECRET

in Mexico.

Several station assets have recently

travelled to Cuba for intelligence purposes.

12) Panama - At the urging of station, the Guardia

Nacional has been ordered to increase its vigilance

concerning returnees from Cuba and to prevent them from

establishing an effective organization.

Several recent

returees from Cuba are being debriefed regarding their

training and contacts, and several CIA assets are

expecting to leave for Cuba in the near future for

training.

CIA has increased its personnel assigned to

travel control functions at the Panama City airport,

shu permitting a three-man detall for each eight-hour

Station 1s continuing its pressure on Panamanian

officials to tighten travel controls.

service to pigeonhole or "lose" applications for good

conduct. certificates - which are needed to secure pass-

ports, and must be renewed every six months - in cases

where information from the CIA station or from the

Uruguayans! own sources indicated intention of travell

Pertinent information from CIA unilateral

operations is being passed regularly to cooperating

Uruguayan officials.

Station has

, a further check in that

the Mexican Ambassador to Uruguay is now checking all

applicants for Mexican visas with the station.

On the

basis of information furnished to him, he held up visa

applications of Uruguayan Communist Labor delegates who

planned to attend May Day celebrations in Havana.

Creation of this bottleneck may force some travellers

to abandon the Mexican route to Cuba and turn to the

longer and far more expensive route via Prague. Info-

mation on past travel to Cuba by Uruguayans, furnishe

by the station,

was included in a study of Cuban sub-

version prepared by Uruguayan Military Intelligence

Service

for the National Council of Government.

4. The U. S. Information Agency has:

..a. Sent circular instructions to all USIS field posts

in Latin America advising each to stimulate publicity in

the local press and radio, to encourage identification of

Cuban trainees through personal-contact work with students

and labor, to report promptly evidence of Cuban-aided

subversion in each country, to report statements by local

leaders and editorial comment; and to publicize economic

conditions in Cuba as means of discrediting travellers to

Cuba.

The Agency's Washington media were issued a detailed

guidance on the

subject on 28 March.

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 11

---

## Page 12

SECRET

b. In addition to the regular news reporting (VOA) of

the Managua Ministers' Meeting, broadcast 15 commentaries

and features on the subject of

Cuban subversion to Latin

America during the month of April.

Among these were a

dramatization based on the story of an Ecuadoran boy who

was attacked by communists in Guayaquil for carrying anti-

communist film, a chronology of subversive acts involving

Cuban diplomats; and a history of subversion from the

Trojan horse through Nazi fifth columns to present-day

Cuban subversion.

c. Transmitted by teletype 13 articles on Cuban subver-

sion during April to USIS posts throughout Latin America

for placement in the local press.

These included news

stories, commentaries, and backgrounders. Among the sub-

jects treated were the Managua

Meeting, the Guayaquil

incident, the story of an Ecuadoran terrorist trained

in

Cuba who was wounded by his own explosives, Assistant.

Secretary Martin's Pan American Day speech, and several

commentaries on training in Cuba.

The Agency's publica-

tions center in Mexico also published a pamphlet based

on the defection of the Guatemalan ex-communist leader

Carlos Manuel Pellecer, Including letters in which he

revealed communist subversive tactics.

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 12

---

## Page 13

SECRET

APPENDIX

RESOLUTION I PASSED AT THE 3-4 APRIL MANAGUA

MEETING OF WINISTERS

The Meeting of Ministers of Government, Interior and Security

convoked pursuant to the pertinent section of the declaration

of Central America signed by the Presidents of the seven

countries

in San Jose,

Costa Rica on March 19, 1963.

AGREES

To recommend to their Governments that they adopt, within

the limitations of their respective constitutional provisions,

measures

to: be put into effect immediately, to prohibit,

restrict and discourage the movement of their nationals

to

and from Cuba.

To this end, they propose the adoption of

the following measures:

(1) Provide, as a general rule, that every passport or

other

travel document which may be issued carry a stamp

which indicates that said passport is not valid for travel

to Cuba.

(2) Declare officially that nationals who are permitted

travel to Cuba should have the permission duly inscribed

in their official travel document.

(3) Promulgate regulations restricting the granting of

visas to foreigners who have travelled to Cuba within a

stipulated period of time.

(4). Notify travel agencies and transport companies of

these

measures for due compliance; and inform the govern-

ments

of other countries through the most appropriate

means .

(5) Request the Governments of the Hemisphere:

á) not to allow the nationals of signatory countries

to travel to Cuba unless

they possess a valid passport

or other document issued by their country of origin

valid for such travel;

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 13

---

## Page 14

SECRET

b) not to accept visas, tourist cards or other

documents issued to their nationals for travel to Cuba

which do not form an integral (non-detachable) part.

of their passports or other travel documents;

c) to observe the limitations placed in the pass-

ports or other travel documents of the nationals of

signatory governments and not allow them to depart for

Cuba;

d) to inform the signatory countries through

appropriate channels of

refusals to allow one

of their

nationals to depart for Cuba; and

e) to provide the signatory governments the names

of their nationals which may appear on the passenger

list of

any airplane or ship going to or coming from

Cuba.

SECRET

NW 66000 Docld:32424012 Page 14

---